Page:Journal of the Sixth Legislative Council of the Territory of Michigan.djvu/143

5.] such mighty empires in the west, and unite them in the confederacy with the states of Rhode Island and Delaware?

It cannot be inferred that it was the intention of Virginia to give her assent to such boundaries, when, by her act of cession, she made it a positive condition that "the territory ceded shall be laid out and formed into new states containing a suitable extent of territory, not less than 100 nor more than 150 miles square."

Your committee, in further elucidation of their views upon this important subject, beg leave to refer to the letters of the Hon. William Woodbridge to the Governor of Ohio, and to the secretary of state of the United States, and likewise to the message of the Hon. Lewis Cass to the Legislative Council, in regard to the boundaries of this territory, and they ask that the facts and arguments therein stated may be received as a part of this report.

M. T. August 11, 1820.

—In the temporary absence of Governor Cass, it has devolved upon me, as Secretary of Michigan, to perform the Executive functions of this government; and I have the honor in that capacity to solicit your Excellency's attention to the subject of the collision of authority, which unfortunately exists between the state of Ohio and this Territory, as it affects the people, who live between the line running due east from the southern extreme of lake Michigan, and that which is claimed from the north cape of Miami Bay, in a direction towards the same point.

It is understood that a new county has recently been organized by the authority of Ohio comprehending the disputed country; that proceedings have been instituted there to levy taxes; and that every indication exists of a determination to enforce contrary to the wishes of the people and to the interests of this Territory, the claimed jurisdiction of Ohio.

In this exigency my official interposition has been claimed; and painful as it may be to me individually, to oppose myself to the views of Ohio, the State of my early adoption, it is yet with much satisfaction that it is to you, Sir, from whom I have so much of candor to expect, that I feel called upon to submit briefly my views of this interesting matter.

The claim of sovereignty over the district of country in question, which Ohio prefers, rests I understand, upon the alleged acceptance by the General Government of the Constitution of Ohio; in which constitution is a clause, providing that in a certain event, with the assent of Congress, the northern boundary of that state, shall be as is now claimed by Ohio.