forementioned act of the legislature of New-York, submitted to their consideration; that this act is expressly calculated to accelerate the federal alliance, by removing, as far as depends on that state, the impediment arising from the western country, and for that purpose to yield up a portion of territorial claim for the general benefit; whereupon,

Resolved, That copies of the several papers referred to the committee be transmitted, with a copy of the report, to the legislatures of the several states, and that it be earnestly recommended to those states, who have claims to the western country, to pass such laws, and give their delegates in Congress such powers, as may effectually remove the only obstacle to a final ratification of the articles of confederation; and that the legislature of Maryland be earnestly requested to authorize their delegates in Congress to subscribe the said articles.-Journals of Congress, VI. 179-180.

OCT. 10, 1780. PLEDGE OF CONGRESS.

Resolved, That the unappropriated lands that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States, by any particular state, pursuant to the recommendation of Congress of the 6th day of September last, shall be disposed of for the common benefit of the United States, and be settled and formed into distinct republican states, which shall become members of the federal union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence, as the other states: that each state which shall be so formed shall contain a suitable extent of territory, not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit that the necessary and reasonable expences which any particular state shall have incurred, since the commencement of the present war, in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts or garrisons within and for the defence, or in acquiring any part of the territory that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States, shall be reimbursed :

That the said lands shall be granted or settled at such times and under such regulations as shall hereafter be agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled, or any nine or more of them.-Journals of Congress, VI., 213.

MAR. 1, 1781. NEW YORK CESSION.

To all who shall see these presents, we James Duane, William Floyd, and Alexander M'Dougall, the underwritten, delegates for the State of New-York in the honorable Congress of the United States of America, send greeting:

Whereas, by an act of the Legislature of the said state of New-York, passed at a session held at Albany, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty, entitled "An act to facilitate the completion of the articles of confederation and perpetual union among the United States of America;" it is declared that the people of the state of New York, were on all occasions disposed to manifest their regard for their sister states, and their earnest desire to promote the general interest and security, and more especially to accelerate the federal alliance, by remov ing, as far as it depended upon them, the impediment to its final accomplishment, respecting the waste and uncultivated lands within the limits of certain states; and it is thereby enacted by the people of the said state of New-York, represented in senate and assembly, and by the authority of the same, that it might and should be lawful to and for the delegates of the said state in the honorable Congress, and they or the major part of them, so assembled, are thereby fully authorized and empowered, for and on behalf of that state, and by proper and authentic acts or instruments, to limit and restrict the boundaries of the said state in such manner and form as they shall judge to be expedient, either with respect to the jurisdiction, as well as the right or pre-emption of soil, or reserving the jurisdiction in part or in the whole, over the lands which may be ceded or relinquished with respect only to the right of pre-emption of the soil and by the said act it is farther enacted, that the territory which may be ceded or relinquished by virtue thereof, either with respect to the jurisdiction, as well as the right of pre-emption of soil, or the right of pre-emption of soil only, shall be and enure for the use and benefit of such of the United States, as shall become members of the federal alliance of the said states, and for no other use or purpose whatsoever: and by the said act it is provided and enacted that the trust reposed by virtue thereof, shall not be executed by the delegates of the

said state, unless at least three of the said delegates shall be present in Congress: and whereas, by letters patent under the great seal of the said state of New-York, bearing date the 29th day of October last past, reciting that the senate and assembly had, on the 12th day of September then last past, nominated and appointed us, the said James Duane, William Floyd, and Alexander M'Dougall, together with John Morin Scott and Ezra L'Hommedieu, delegates to represent the said state in the Congress of the United States of North America, therefore in pursuance of the said nomination and appointment, the people of the said state of NewYork, did thereby commission us, the said James Duane, William Floyd, and Alexander M'Dougall, and the said John Morin Scott and Ezra L'Hommedieu, or any majority who should from time to time attend the said Congress; and if only one of the said delegates should at any time be present in the said Congress, he should in such case, be authorized to represent the said state in the said Congress, as by an authentic copy of the said act, and an exemplification of the said commission, remaining among the archives of Congress, fully appears.

Now therefore know ye, that we, the said James Duane, William Floyd, and Alexander M'Dougall, by virtue of the power and authority, and in the execution of the trust reposed in us as aforesaid, have judged it expedient to limit. and restrict, and we do by these presents, for and in behalf of the said state of New-York, limit and restrict the boundaries of the said state in the western parts thereof, with respect to the jurisdiction, as well as the right or pre-emption of soil, by the lines and in the form following, that is to say: a line from the north east corner of the state of Pennsylvania, along the north bounds thereof to its northwest corner continued, due west, until it shall be intersected by a meridian line, to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through the most westerly bent or inclination of lake Ontario; thence by the said meridian line to the fortyfifth degree of north latitude: and thence by the said fortyfifth degree of north latitude: but if on experiment, the above described meridian line shall not comprehend twenty miles due west from the most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait of Niagara, then we do by these presents,

in the name of the people, and for and on behalf of the state of New-York, and by virtue of the authority aforesaid, limit and restrict the boundaries of the said state in the western parts thereof, with respect to jurisdiction, as well as the right of pre-emption of soil, by the lines and in the manner following, that is to say; a line from the north east corner of the state of Pennsylvania, along the north bounds thereof, to its north west corner, continued due west until it shall be intersected by a meridian line to be drawn from the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, through a point twenty miles due west from the most westerly bent or inclination of the river or strait Niagara; thence by the said meridian line to the forty-fifth degree of north latitude, and thence by the said forty-fifth degree of north latitude: And we do by these presents, in the name of the people, and for and on behalf of the state of New-York, and by virtue of the power and trust committed to us by the said act and commission, cede, transfer, and forever relinquish to, and for the only use and benefit of such of the states as are or shall become parties to the articles of confederation, all the right, title, interest, jurisdiction and claim, of the said state of NewYork to all lands and territories to the northward and westward of the boundaries, to which the said state is in manner aforesaid limited and restricted, and to be granted, disposed of, and appropriated in such manner only, as the Congress of the said United or Confederated States shall order and direct.-Journals of Congress, VII., 46-48.

DEC. 30, 1782- DECISION

OF ARBITRATORS IN CONNECTICUT-PENNSYLVANIA CASE.

Monday, 30th December, 1782.

The court met-Present as before.

The agents attending.

The court pronounced the following sentence or judgment: This cause has been well argued by the learned council on both sides. The court are now to pronounce their sentence or judgment:

We are unanimously of opinion, that the state of Connecticut has no right to the lands in controversy.

We are also unanimously of opinion, that the jurisdiction

and pre-emption of all the territory lying within the charter boundary of Pennsylvania, and now claimed by the state of Connecticut, do of right belong to the state of Pennsylvania. -Journals of Congress.-VIII. 83-84.

APRIL 18, 1783.

CONGRESS URGES CESSION.

Resolved ***That as a further mean, as well of hastening the extinguishment of the debts, as of establishing the harmony of the United States, it be recommended to the states. which have passed no acts towards complying with the resolutions of Congress of the 6th of September and 10th of Octo. ber, 1780, relative to the cession of territorial claims, to make the liberal cessions therein recommended, and to the states which may have passed acts complying with the said resolutions in part only, to revise and compleat such compliance.--[In the vote submitting the revenue amendment.]-Journals of Congress, VIII., 188.

DEC. 20, 1783. VIRGINIA CESSION.

TO ALL who shall see these presents, We, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, the underwritten delegates for the commonwealth of Virginia, in the Congress of the United States of America, send greeting.

WHEREAS the general assembly of the commonwealth of Virginia, at their sessions begun on the 20th day of October, 1783, passed an act entitled "An Act to authorize the Delegates of this State in Congress, to convey to the United States in Congress assembled, all the Right of this Commonwealth to the Territory North Westward of the River Ohio," in these words following, to wit:

I. "WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States did, by their Act of the sixth day of September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and eighty, recommend to the several States in the Union, having claims to waste and unappropriated lands in the Western Country, a liberal Cession to the United States, of a portion of their respective claims for the common benefit of the Union.

II. AND whereas this Commonwealth did, on the second day of January, in the year one thousand seven hundred