Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 1.djvu/30

THE NORTHV\'ES'l` TERRITORIAL GOVERNMEN'l`——1787. I5 of office: the governor before the President of Congress, and all other officers before the governor. As soon as a legislature shall he formed in the district. the council and house assembled, in one room. shall have authority, by joint ballot. to elect a delegate to Conress, who shall have a seat in Congress, witha right of debating, but not of voting, during this temporary government. Sec. 13. And for extendin the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty, which form the basis whereon diese republics, their laws and constitutions, are erected; to tix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, constitutions, and governments, which forever hereafter shall be formed in the said territory; to provide, also, for the establishment of States, and permanent government therein, and for their admission to a share in the Federal councils on an equa footing with the original Statics, at as early periods as may be consistent with the eneral interest: Sec. 14. It is hereby ordained andg declared. by the authority aforesaid. that the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact, between the original States and the people and States in the said territory. and forever remain unaltemble, unless by common consent. to wit: ARTICLE I. No person., demeaning himself in apeaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship, or religious sentiments, in the said territories. ARTICLE II. The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to the benefits of the writs of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, where the proof shall be evident, or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate; and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted. No man shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or the law of the land, and should the public exigencies make it necessary, for the common preservation, to take any person`s property, or to demand his particular services. full compensation shall be made for the same. And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made or have force in the said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts, or engagements, bmm_;t'de, and without fraud previously formed ARTICLE III. Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the hapiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and in their property, rights, and liberty they never shall be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and awful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity, shall, from time to time, be made, for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them. ARTICLE IV. The said territory, and the States which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this confe eracy of the United States of America, subject to the Articles of Confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the Federal debts, contracted, or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government to be apportioned on them b · Confgress, according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereo shall be made on the other States; and the taxes fo1' ying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legismzures of the district, or districts, or new States, as in the ori - inal States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts, or new States. shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations