APPENDIX. 375 



it from time to time, it was recommenderl to a committee con- 

 sisting of Carrington and R. H. Lee, of Virginii, D;ine, of Mas- 

 sachusetts, Kean, of South Caio'ina, and Smith, of New Yorii, 

 whose report was read the first time, July 11, 1787. This 

 ordinance is similar, in its leading and fundamental provisions, 

 to that reported in 1784 by the committee of which Mr Jeffer- 

 son (4) was chairman, and, like that, contained a prohibition 

 of slavery in the following words: "There shall be neither 

 slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said Territory; other- 

 wise than in the punishment of crimes whereof the party shall 

 have been duly convicted." On the 13th of July, 1787, this 

 ordinance was adopted by Congress, with the concurrence not 

 only of every State, but every individual member of every 

 State present, except one, Mr. Yates of New York. 



On the 27th of December, 1788, Virginia passed a resolution 

 offering to cede, and on the 3d of December, 1789, passed an 

 act in which she " forever ceded and relinquished to Congress 

 and Government of the United States, in full and absolute right 

 and exclusive jurisdiction as well of soil as of persons residing 

 or to reside therein, pursuant to the tenor and effect of the 8th 

 section of the first article of the Constitution of the Govern- 

 ment of the United States," a tract of country not exceeding 

 ten miles square, for the permanent seat of Government of the 

 United States. The cession of Maryland, for similar purpose, 

 was made December 23, 1789, and is absolute and without 

 restriction or limitation. 



This statement of facts shows, — 1st, That Virginia ceded 

 to the United States an extensive territory, separated from her 

 only by a river, and bordering on her for about one thousand 

 miles. Kentucky being then a part of Virginia. 2d, That Con- 

 gress had, after having had the subject under consideration 

 for more than three years, abolished slavery in it by the 

 extraordinary concurrence of all its members who voted, except 



(4) To Mr. JefFersoii is theiefore justly due the credit of the ordinance for 

 the government of the Northwest Territory, and not Mr. Dane, as claimed for 

 himby his New England friends. 



