The Arkansas advocate., 1833-09-04

western country,a a liberal surrender of portion of their territorial claims, since they cannot be preserved entire without endan- gerlng the stability of the general confede- racy; to remind them how .indispensably ne. cessary 1t IS to establish the Federal Union on fixed and permanent basis, nnd on principles acceptable to all its respective members; how essential to public credit and confidence, to the support of our army, to the yigor of our councils and success of our measures, to our tranquility at home. our reputation abroad, to our very existence as free, sovereign and independent peo- pie; tssia: they are ftiiy persuaded inc wis., dom of the respective legislatures will lead them to full and impartial consideration of subject 50 interesting to the United States', and 60 .aessss,s><, to the hapuv co tablishment of the Federal Union; that they are confirmed in these expectations hby t review of the before mentioned act of the legislature of New York, submitted to their consideration; that this act is express y calculated to accelerate the federal aiii- anee, by removing, as far as depends on that State, the impeachment arising from tho western country, and for that purpose to
  the general benefit: Whereupon--
 "Resolued. That copies of the several papers referred to the committee be trans- mltted with copy of the report 10 the Le- glslatures of the several States, and that 1t Dc earnestly recommended to those States, who have claims to the western country, to pass such laws, and give their Delegates such powers as may efiectually remove the only obstacle to final ratification of the articles of confederation; and that the Le- gslature of Maryland be earnestly request cd to authorize their Delegates in Congress 10 subscribe the said articles"
 We have here the motives clearly devel- oped, which induced the transfer of the western country to the United States. In our next we will show how and for what purposes the several transfers were made. TIE PUBLIC LANDs.-MR. CLAY's BILL.
 No. II.
 The cessions of dbe Seueral Stdfes aud hs
 purposes for achich they pere made.
 On the 10th of October, 17s0, to en- courage the several States which had claims to the western territory, by announcing the purposes to which it was designed to be ap- piled if ceded to the United States, Con- gress passed resolution declaring as fol- lows, viz.
 "That the unappppropriated lands which may be eeded or relinquished to the United States, by any particular State, pursuant to the recommendation of Congress of the 9th day of September last, shall be dispcs- ed oi .jor ii,e common 6eneift ot tue Uniicd .States, and be settled and formed into re. bors of the Federal Union and nave tiie same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence, as the other States" &c.
 On the 1st day of March, l7Sl, the De- legates of the State of New York, in the Congress of the United States, executed n deed of cession to the U. States of all claim to the western territory lying more than 62 miles west of the most westerly bent or inclination of Niagara river, to sbe and en- dr,re for the use and benefit of sucl of tue United States, as slsaU become members of the federal alliance of the said Sfntes, nnd for no otl,er use or pn'pose whasseerey.., ,,
 On the same day the Delegates of Ma ryland signed and ratified the articles of
 
 that, "by acceding to the said confcdera- tion, this state doth not relinquish, or intend to relinqush, any right or interest she hath with the other United or Confederated States to the back country; but claims tho same as full as was done by the legislature of this State, in their declaration which stands entered on the journals of Congress; this State relying on the justice of the sey- eral States hereafter, as to the claim made by this State."
 The confederation was now complete, and on the2d March, Congress was organ ized under the articles.
 Alta subsequent day, the legislature of Virginia passed an act authorizing trans- fer of portion of her Western territory to 1 the United States, but fettered with condi- lions which Congress deemed inadmissi- ble. On the lst of March, 17S4, however, a cession of all her territory northwest of 1 the river Ohio, upon certarn conditions, was made by her authorized Delegates and ac- cepted by Congress. One of the coadi- tions of this cession is as follows, viz: "That all the lands within the territory as ceded to the United States, and not re- served for, nor appropriated to, any of the aforementioned purposes, or disposed of iii bounties to .iile officers and soldiers of the American army, shall be considered as common fund for the use and benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall become, members of the confede- ration or. federal alliance of said States, V;roinia inelustvo accordinfr f., fba,r ,tc,,al