the mouth of the Great Miami aforesaid, and on the north by an east and west line drawn through the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan, running east after intersecting the due north line aforesaid from the mouth of the Great Miami until it shall intersect Lake Erie or the Territorial line; and thence with the same through Lake Erie to the Pennsylvania line aforesaid; provided always, and it is hereby fully understood and declared by this convention, that if the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan should extend so far south that a line drawn due east from it should not intersect Lake Erie, or if it should intersect the said Lake Erie east of the mouth of the Miama River of the Lake, then, and in that case, with the assent of the Congress of the United States, the northern boundary of this State shall be established by, and extending to, a direct line running from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay, after intersecting the due north line from the mouth of the Great Miami River as aforesaid; thence northeast to the Territorial line, and by the said Territorial line to the Pennsylvania line.

In accordance with the provisions in the enabling act, and in the first constitution of the State, the northern boundary of the State was changed so that, instead of running on a parallel drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, it followed the arc of a great circle drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northern cape of Maumee ("Miami") Bay.

Following are the texts of the acts providing for the examination of the northern boundary and making the change in the boundary:

AN ACT to provide for the taking of certain observations preparatory to the adjustment of the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio.

That the President of the United States cause to be ascertained, by accurate observation, the latitude and longitude of the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point on the Miami of the lake which is due east therefrom, and also the latitude and longitude of the most northerly cape of the Miami Bay; alɛo, that he cause to be ascertained, with all practicable accuracy, the latitude and longitude of the most southerly point in the northern boundary line of the United States in Lake Erie, and also the points at which a direct line drawn from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan to the most southerly point in said northern boundary line of the United States will intersect the Miami River and Bay; and also that he cause to be ascertained, by like observation, the point in the Mississippi which is due west from the southerly extreme of Lake Michigan; and that the said observations be made and the result thereof returned to the proper Department within the current year. (Twenty-second Congress, first session, 1832.)

AN ACT to establish the northern boundary line of the State of Ohio, and to provide for the admission of the State of Michigan into the Union.

The northern boundary line of the State of Ohio shall be established at and shall be a direct line drawn from the southern extremity of Lake Michigan to the most northerly cape of the Maumee (Miami) Bay after that line, so drawn, shall intersect the eastern boundary line of the State of Indiana; and from the said north cape of the said bay northeast to the boundary line between the United States and the province of Upper Canada, in Lake Erie, and thence, with the said last-mentioned line, to its intersection with the western line of the State of Pennsylvania. (Twentyfourth Congress, first session, 1836.)

The northern boundary was originally surveyed in 1817. The western boundary was surveyed in the same year from old Fort Recovery

to the northwestern corner. South of Fort Recovery this boundary was surveyed as the first principal meridian of the General Land Office.

INDIANA.

By the act passed in the year 1800, to take effect on and after the 4th day of July of that year, the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio was divided into two parts, the eastern part to retain the old name, the western part to become the Territory of Indiana.

Under this act the Territory of Indiana was organized. The description of the boundary line between these two Territories is given in the following act establishing them:

That from and after the fourth day of July next all that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the westward of a line begining at the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of Kentucky River, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Indiana Territory.

SEC. 5. That whenever that part of the territory of the United States which lies to the eastward of a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, and running thence due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall be erected into an independent State, and admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, thenceforth said line shall become and remain permanently the boundary line between such State and the Indiana Territory, anything in this act contained to the contrary notwithstanding. (Sixth Congress, first session.)

Ohio was admitted in 1802. Its western boundary, a meridian through the mouth of the Miami River, left a narrow strip of country between Ohio and the Territory of Indiana, which was by a clause in the enabling act of Ohio added to Indiana Territory. The following is the clause in question:

SEC. 3. All that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio heretofore included in the eastern division of said Territory, and not included within the boundary herein prescribed for the said State, is hereby attached to and made a part of the Indiana Territory.

On the 30th of June, 1805, the northern portion of Indiana Territory was cut off and organized as Michigan Territory. (For the divisional line between these, see Michigan, p. 120.)

On March 1, 1809, Indiana Territory was divided, and the western portion of it organized as Illinois Territory. (For a description of the divisional line between these two Territories, see Illinois, p. 120.) On December 11, 1816, Indiana was admitted as a State with the limits as given in the following extract from the enabling act, which have not since been changed:

AN ACT to enable the people of the Indiana Territory to form a constitution and State government and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States.

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

mouth of 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 northwestern 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 10 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. (Fourteenth Congress, first session.)

The north boundary of Indiana was surveyed and marked in 1827, and its west boundary by a joint commission of the two States, Indiana and Illinois.

ILLINOIS.

Illinois Territory, originally part of the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, and subsequently a part of Indiana Territory, was organized on March 1, 1809. The following clause from the act separating it from Indiana Territory defines its boundary:

AN ACT for dividing the Indiana Territory into two separate governments.

From and after the first day of March next, all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies west of the Wabash River and a direct line drawn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincennes due north to the territory line between the United States and Canada shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory and be called Illinois. (Tenth Congress, second session.)

On December 3, 1818, it was admitted as a State, with its present boundaries. The enabling act defines these boundaries as follows:

AN ACT to enable the people of the Illinois Territory to form a constitution and State government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States. The said State shall consist of all the territory included within the following boundaries, to wit: Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash River; thence up the same and with the line of Indiana to the north west corner of said State; thence east with the line of the same State to the middle of Lake Michigan; thence north along the middle of said lake to north latitude forty-two degrees thirty minutes; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi River; and thence down along the middle of that river to its confluence with the Ohio River; and thence up the latter river along its northwestern shore to the beginning. (Fifteenth Congress, second session.) The northern boundary of Illinois was run and marked in 1832–3.

MICHIGAN.

Michigan was organized as a Territory June 30, 1805, from the northern part of Indiana Territory.

The following clause from the act dividing Indiana Territory defines its limits:

From and after the thirtieth day of June next all that part of the Indiana Territory which lies north of a line drawn east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan, until it shall intersect Lake Erie, and east of a line drawn from the said southerly bend through the middle of said lake to its northern extremity, and thence due north to the northern boundary of the United States, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Michigan. (Eighth Congress, second session.)

This line was run and marked in 1827.