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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --FRIDAY, JULY 7, 1786.
Congress assembled. Present, as before.
Congress took into consideration a report of a Grand Committee, to whom among other things, was referred a motion of Mr. Monroe, respecting the cessions of Western territory, and forming the same into states, and the committee having submitted that it be Resolved,
That it be recommended to the legislatures of the States of Massachusetts and Virginia, to take into consideration their Acts of cession, and revise the same, so far as to empower the United States in Congress assembled, to make such divisions into states of the ceded lands and territory, as the situation of the country and future circumstances may require; with this limitation and condition, however, that all the territory of the United States, lying north west of the fiver Ohio, shall be formed into a number of states, not less than two nor more than five, to be admitted into the Confederacy on the principles and in the forms heretofore established and provided."1
[Note 1: 1 See ante, March 24.]
A motion was made by Mr. [William] Grayson, seconded by Mr. [Henry] Lee, to postpone the consideration of the same, in order to take up the following:
That it be recommended to the states of Virginia and Massachusetts, so to alter their acts of cession, as that the states in the western territory may be bounded as follows: There shall be three states between the Ohio and a line running due East from the Mississippi to the eastern boundary of the United States, so as to touch the most southern part of lake Michigan. The state lying on the Mississippi shall be separated from the middle state by a line running due north from the western side of the Mouth of the Wabash river, till it intersects
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the said east line; the Middle state shall be separated from the others by the aforesaid line, and a line running also due North from the Western side of the mouth of the big Miami, till the intersection thereof with the said East line; and the other state shall be divided from the middle state by the said line, the said east line, lake Erie, the bounds of Pennsylvania, the other original States and Ohio: There shall be a state between the said east line, lake Michigan, lake Huron and the streights of Michilimakinak; and another between the said east line, the lakes Michigan and Superior and the boundary line of the United States and the river Mississippi, to be admitted into the confederacy on the principles and in the forms heretofore established and provided.
And on the question to postpone for the purpose above mentioned, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Grayson,
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So the question was lost.
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A motion was then made by Mr. [Charles] Pinckney, seconded by Mr. [John Cleves] Symmes, to strike out the words "with this limitation and condition however, that all the territory of the United States lying north-west of the river Ohio, &c. to the end."
And on the question, shall those words stand? the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Grayson,
{table}
So the question was lost, and the words were struck [out].
The resolution being amended to read as follows:
That it be recommended to the legislature of Virginia, to take into consideration their act of cession, and revise the same, so far as to empower the United States in Congress assembled, to make such a division of the territory of the United States lying northerly and westerly of the river Ohio, into distinct republican states, not more than five nor less than three, as the situation of that country and future circumstances may require, which states shall hereafter become
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members of the federal Union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the Original states, in conformity with the resolution of Congress of the 10th October, 1780.
On the question to agree to the resolution as amended, the yeas and nays being required by Mr. [William] Grayson,
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So it was resolved in the Affirmative.
The report being further amended, the whole was agreed to as follows:
Whereas it appears, from the knowledge already obtained of the tract of Country lying Northwest of the river Ohio, that the laying it out and forming it into states of the Extent mentioned in the resolution of Congress of the 10th of October, 1780, and in one of the conditions contained in the cession of Virginia, will be productive of many and great inconveniences: That by such a division of the country, some of the new states will be deprived of the advantages of Navigation, some will be improperly intersected by lakes, rivers
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and Mountains, and some will contain too great a proportion of barren unimprovable land, and of consequence will not for many years, if ever, have a sufficient number of inhabitants to form a respectable government, and entitle them to a seat and voice in the federal council: And whereas in fixing the limits and dimensions of the new states, due attention ought to be paid to natural boundaries, and a variety of Circumstances which will be pointed out by a more perfect knowledge of the country, so as to provide for the future growth and prosperity of each state, as well as for the accommodation and security of the first adventurers. In order therefore that the ends of government may be attained, and that the states which shall be formed, may become a speedy and sure accession of strength to the Confederacy:1
[Note 1: 1 This amendment, in the writing of Charles Thomson, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 30, folio 5671.]
Resolved, That it be, and it hereby is recommended to the legislature of Virginia, to take into consideration their Act of cession, and revise the same, so far as to empower the United States in Congress assembled, to make such a division of the territory of the United States lying Northerly and westerly of the river Ohio, into distinct republican states, not more than five nor less than three, as the situation of that country and future circumstances may require; which states shall hereafter become members of the federal Union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the original states, in conformity with the resolution of Congress of the 10th October, 1780.2
[Note 2: 2 See ante, March 24.
On this day, according to indorsement, was read a letter from the Secretary for Foreign Affairs, dated July 6, transmitting a letter of June 27 from Mr. Otto regarding the delay of decision on the Consular Convention with France. Jay's letter and his reply to Otto are in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 80, III, folios 9 and 13.]
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