of the duty of the Secretary of Congress "to transmit to the several States all Acts, Ordinances, Resolutions and recommendations of Congress, and to correspond with the States for the purpose of receiving Communications from them relative to the execution of the same," I have embraced the earliest opportunity of forwarding the enclosed Acts, and trust your Excellency will favour me with an account of the steps taken by your State for raising the quota assigned, that I may make report thereof conformably to the said Ordinance.

The honor, peace and prosperity of our Nation being objects very near my heart Nothing will give me greater pleasure than frequent opportunities of reporting to Congress the earnest and United endeavours of the several States to promote those great and desireable ends.

I have the honor to be with great respect, Your Excellency's most obedient and most humble Servt.

His Excellency The Governor of New York.

Chas. Thomson.

THE GOVERNOR LAYS THE MATTER BEFORE THE LEGislature. Gentlemen, By this Message I have the Honor of submitting to your Consideration, Resolutions of the United States in Congress of the 1st, 7th and 12th Instant relative to the raising a Body of Troops in the States therein mentioned for the Protection of the North-Western Frontiers, the defence of the Inhabitants against the depredations of the Indians, for preventing unwarrantable Intrusions on Lands belonging to the United States, and to guard the Public Stores and also of laying before you for your Information an Ordinance of the 31st of March, for the Regulation of the Office of the Secretary of Congress.

New York 14th April, 1785.

Geo: Clinton.

[Nos. 5578-5581-5582.]

Correspondence Relative to Running and Marking the Boundary Line Between the States of New York and Pennsylvania.

New York, 2nd May, 1785.

Sir, An Act having passed at the last meeting of the Legislature for appointing Commissioners on the Part of this State for running and ascertaining the Line of Jurisdiction between this State and Pensylvania in concert with Commissioners appointed for the same Purpose by that State. I take this earliest opportunity of informing you that the Council have appointed you, Simeon Dewitt and James Clinton, Esquires for this service, and which I would fain hope, considering the Importance of the Business and the necessity of its being performed with accuracy, you will not decline if your Health is so far restored as to permit of it, which I most sincerely wish may be the Case. I am not at present able to mention any particular time for the Commencement of this business, as I have not yet received an Answer to a Letter addressed to Governor Dickinson on this Subject but I should suppose it cannot be sooner than the letter End of this or the Beginning of next month.

I am with great Respect & Esteem, Sir, Your most obedient Serv't.

To Gen. Philip Schuyler.

[G. C.]

DAVID RITTEN HOUSE TO SIMEON DEWITT,

(Copy)

Philadelphia, 12th May, 1785.

Sir, Some weeks Colo: Porter and myself, were Commissioned by the President and Council to ascertain the Division Line between the States of Pennsylvania and New York in conjunction with such Persons as might be appointed on the part of

New York, but a few days before Governor Clinton's Letter came to hand, Council thought it absolutly necessary to direct us to proceed to the Westward and compleat the Western Boundary of this State; so that at present there seems to be little probability of making any Progress in the Northern Boundary this Season. I should, therefore, think it most eligable to postpone that Business to the spring of 1786, when the necessary preparations may be made for taking the earliest of the Season. I shall be happy to have your Sentiments on the matter. We set off in a Day or two for the Ohio, but any Letters directed to me and sent to Philadelphia will be carefully forwarded. It would be very agreeable to me to see you in Philadelphia, but do not expect to return before the beginning of July, unless the two Governments determine to have the Northern Boundary began this Season. so I shall expect to be recalled from the Ohio.

I am, Sir, Your mosy Obedient Humble Servt.

Simeon Dewitt, Esquire.

David Rittinhouse.

GENERAL SCHUYLER DECLINES THE APPOINTMENT.

Albany, May 13th, 1785. Sir, On the 11th I was honored with Your Excellency's letter of the 2d Instant.

Altho the Gout which I have experienced so severely in my stomack, has retired to the extremes, and that I have a prospect of being soon freed from it, yet I am reduced to such a state of debilitation, that I have no hopes of obtaining strength sufficient to endure the fatigue and inconveniencies, necessarily incident on so extensive a Survey, thro a wilderness, as that of running

out the boundary line between this and the state of Pensylvania, and must therefore, decline, the appointment.

I have the honor to be with great respect & Esteem, your

Excellency's most obedient Servant

His Excellency George Clinton, Esqr.

Ph: Schuyler.

[No. 5589.]

Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, to Governor Clinton with Act of Congress as to Laying Out the Western Territory into States.

Secretary's Office, May 28th, 1785.

Sir, I have the honor of transmitting to your Excellency an Act of the United States in Congress Assembled for laying out into distinct States the western Territory ceded to the Union by individual States and stating the principles which the temporary and permanent government of the New States shall be established. Also an Ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the Western Territory and subsequent measures taken for car rying the Ordinance into effect.

Having received no answer to my letter of the 12th April last, covering the Acts of the 1st, 7th and 12th of that month relative to the raising a body of troops for the purposes therein mentioned, I must beg the favour of your Excellency to communicate to me the steps taken by your state for raising the quota assigned, that I may be enabled to make report thereof.

With the greatest respect I have the honor to be Your Excellencys Most obedient and most humble Serv't.

Chas. Thomson.

His Excellency the Governor of New York.

FRIDAY, May 20, 1785.

Congress assembled: Present as yesterday.

Congress proceeded in the third reading of the ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the western territory, and the same being gone through, was passed as follows:

An ordinance for ascertaining the mode of disposing of lands in the Western Territory:

Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, that the territory ceded by individual states to the United States, which has been purchased of the Indian inhabitants, shall be disposed of in the following manner :

A surveyor from each state shall be appointed by Congress, or a committee of the states, who shall take an oath for the faithful discharge of his duty, before the geographer of the United States, who is hereby empowered and directed to administer the same; and the like oaths, shall be administered to each chain carrler, by the surveyor under whom he acts.

The geographer, under whose direction the surveyors shall act, shall occasionally form such regulations for their conduct, as he shall deem necessary; and shall have authority to suspend them for misconduct in office, and shall make report of the same to Congress, or to the committee of the states; and he shall make report in case of sickness, death, or resignation of any surveyor.

The surveyors, as they are respectively qualified, shall proceed to divide the said territory into townships of 6 miles square, by lines running due north and south, and others crossing these at right angles, as near as may be, unless where the boundaries of the late Indian purchases may render the same impracticable, and then they shall depart from this rule no farther than such particular circumstances may require. And each surveyor shall be allowed and paid at the rate of two dollars for every mile, in length, he shall run, including the wages of chain carriers, markers, and every other expense attending the same.

The first line, running north and south as aforesaid, shall begin on the river Ohio, at a point that shall be found to be due north from the western termination of a line, which has been run as the southern boundary of the state of Pennsylvania; and the first line, running east and west, shall begin at the same point, and shall extend throughout the whole territory; provided, that nothing herein shall be construed, as fixing the western boundary of the state of Pennsylvania. The geographer shall designate the townships, or fractional parts of townships, by numbers progressively from south to north; always beginning each range with No. 1; and the ranges shall be distinguished by their progressive numbers to the westward. The first range, extending from the Ohio to the lake Erie, being marked No. 1. The geographer shall personally attend to the running of the first east and west line; and shall take the latitude of the extremes of the first north and south line, and of the mouths of the principal rivers.

The lines shall be measured with a chain; shall be plainly marked by chaps on the trees, and exactly described on a plat; whereon shall be noted by the surveyor, at their proper distances, all mines, salt-springs, salt-licks and mill-seats, that shall come to his knowledge; and all water-courses, mountains and other remarkable and permanent things, over and near which such lines shall pass, and also the quality of the lands.

The plats of the townships respectively, shall be marked by subdivisions into lots of one mile square or 640 acres, in the same direction as the external lines, and numbered from 1 to 36; always beginning the succeeding range of the lots with the number next to that with which the preceding one concluded. And where, from the causes before-mentioned, only a fractional part of a township shall be surveyed, the lots, protracted thereon, shall bear the same numbers as if the township had been entire. And the surveyors, in running the external lines of the townships, shall, at