1Editorial Note: Plan for Government of the Western Territory (Jefferson Papers)
On 1 Mch. 1784, immediately after the acceptance of the Virginia Deed of Cession, Jefferson presented his report of a plan for the government of the territory embraced by the newly created national domain and by other territories that would be ceded. But this report, the foundation stone of American territorial policy which, as amended, became known to history as the Ordinance of 1784, had...
2I. Bounds of a Proposed Northwest Colony, 1 September 1783–1 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
Bounded by a line of Longitude running from the most Southernly point of Lake Michigan to the Ouabache, then down the middle of the Ouabache to where it crosses a line of Latitude 40 degrees from the equator, thence along the said Line of Latitude to within five degrees of Longitude of the river Delaware, thence along a line five degrees of Longitude in every point of it from the said river...
3II. Bounds of Six Proposed Northwest Colonies, 1 January–1 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
MS ( DLC : TJ Papers, 234: 41926); entirely in TJ’s hand, with deletions and interlineations that are indicated in notes below. Accompanying this is another fragment in TJ’s hand ( DLC : TJ Papers, 234: 41927) giving the bounds of what may be another “colony” south of the Ohio that perhaps was drawn up around 1783–1784. These bounds coincide almost precisely with those of the colony of...
4III. Report of the Committee, 1 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
The Committee appointed to prepare a plan for the temporary government of the Western territory have agreed to the following resolutions. Resolved, that the territory ceded or to be ceded by Individual states to the United states shall be formed into distinct states, bounded in the following manner as nearly as such cessions will admit, that is to say; Northwardly and Southwardly by parallels...
5IV. Revised Report of the Committee, 22 March 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
The Committee to whom was recommitted the report of a plan for a temporary government of the Western territory have agreed to the following resolutions. Resolved that so much of the territory ceded or to be ceded by individual states to the United states, as is already purchased or shall be purchased of the Indian inhabitants and offered for sale by Congress, shall be divided into distinct...
6V. The Ordinance of 1784, 23 April 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
CONGRESS resumed the consideration of the report of a committee on a plan for a temporary government of the western territory, which being amended, was agreed to as follows: Resolved, That so much of the territory ceded or to be ceded by individual states to the United States, as is already purchased or shall be purchased of the Indian inhabitants, and offered for sale by Congress, shall be...
7VI. Report on State Claims to Western Territory, [22 March 1784] (Jefferson Papers)
The report of a Committee on the subject of Western territory having been referred to the Grand committee they have had the same under their consideration and agreed to the following report. Congress by their resolution of Sep. 6. 1780. having thought it adviseable ‘to press upon the states having claims to the Western country a liberal surrender of a portion of their territorial claims,’ by...