NORTHERN BOUNDARY OF OHIO, AND ADMISSION OF MICHIGAN INTO THE UNION.

[To accompany bill H. R. No. 383.]

MARCH 2, 1836.

Mr. THOMAS, from the Committee on the Judiciary, made the foìlowing

REPORT:

The Committee on the Judiciary, to which was referred a memorial from the people of Michigan, asking admission into the Union of the State they have organized; and the message of the President of the United States, communicating to Congress a copy of the constitution adopted by the people of Michigan for forming a State Government, and other documents connected therewith; and another message from the Presi dent of the United States, transmitting, for the information of Congress, documents from the State and War Departments, relative to the northern boundary of the State of Ohio, have the honor to report in part:

That the subjects which have been submitted to their consideration are of grave import, and merit, as they have received, a most careful, deliberate, and dispassionate examination.

Congress, on the 11th day of January, 1805, passed a law declaring, that 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 tempo rary government, constitute a separate Territory, and be called Michigan. (Appendix A 1.)

In 1832, means were adopted to ascertain whether the people, resident within these boundaries, desired to form for themselves a constitution and State Government, when it appeared, that a large majority of them were in favor of that measure. Accordingly, the Legislative Council of Michigan, applied to Congress at two successive sessions, to direct, by law, a census of the Territory to be taken, and to authorize the people to assemble, by their representatives, in convention, and form a State Government. Failing in these attempts, in consequence it is believed of the urgent character of other business before Congress, the Legislative Council of Michigan, on the 6th of April, 1834, passed a law directing a census to be taken, and having ascertained that there were eighty-seven thousand two hundred and seventythree free inhabitants within the limits of Michigan, they authorized, by a Blair & Rives, printers,