Chap. LVII.—An Act to enable the people of the Indiana Territory to form a constitution and a state government, and for the admission of such state into the Union on an equal footing with the original states.[1]
Inhabitants authorized to form a government with such name as they please—to be admitted into the union.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the inhabitants of the territory of Indiana be, and they are hereby authorized to form themselves a constitution and state government, and to assume such name as they shall deem proper; and the said state, when formed, shall be admitted into the union upon the same footing with the original states, in all respects whatever.
Limits.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the said state shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: bounded on the east by the meridian line which forms the western boundary of the state of Ohio; on the South, by the river Ohio, from the Great Miami river, to the mouth of the river Wabash; on the west, by a line drawn along the middle of the Wabash, from its mouth to a point, where a due north line drawn from the town of Vincennes, would last touch the north western shore of the said river; and from thence by a due north line, until the same shall intersect an east and west line, drawn through a point ten miles north of the southern extreme of lake Michigan; on the north, by the said east and west line, until the same shall intersect the first mentioned meridian line which forms the western boundary of the state of Ohio: Provided,Proviso. That the convention hereinafter provided for, when formed, shall ratify the boundaries aforesaid; otherwise they shall remain as now prescribed by the ordinance for the government of the territory northwest of the river Ohio: Provided, also, That the said state shall have concurrent jurisdiction on the river Wabash, with the state to be formed west thereof, so far as the said river shall form a common boundary to both.
Qualifications of electors of members of the convention.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That all male citizens of the United States, who shall have arrived at the age of twenty-one years, and resided within the said territory, at least one year previous to the day of election, and shall have paid a county of territorial tax; and all persons having in other respects the legal qualifications to vote for representatives in the general assembly of the said territory be, and they are hereby authorized to choose representatives to form a convention, who shall be apportions amongst the several counties within the said territory, according to the apportionment made by the legislature thereof, at their last session, to wit:Apportionment among the counties of the members. from the county of Wayne, four representatives; from the county of Franklin, five representatives; from the county of Dearborn, three representatives; from the county of Switzerland, one representatives; from the county of Jefferson, three representatives; from the county of Clark, five representatives; from the county of Harrison, five representatives; from the county of Washington, five representatives; from the county of Knox, five representatives; from the county of Gibson, four representatives; from the county of Posey, one representative; from the county of Warrick, one representative; and from the county of Perry, one representative. And the election for the representatives aforesaid, shall be holden on the second Monday of May, in the said territory; and shall be conducted in the same manner, and under the same penalties, as prescribed by the laws of the said territory, regulating elections therein for members of the House of representatives.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the members of the convention, thus duly elected be, and they are hereby authorized to meet at the- ↑ Indiana was admitted into the Union by resolution of 11 December, 1816.
