Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 1.djvu/230

 any vacant lands included within the limits of the lands hereby intended to be ceded: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall extend or be construed to extend to the making good any entry or entries, or any grant or grants heretofore declared void, by any act or acts of the General Assembly of this state. Thirdly, That all the lands intended to be ceded by virtue of this act to the United States of America, and not appropriated as before mentioned, shall be considered as a common fund for the use and benefit of the United States of America, North Carolina inclusive, according to their respective and usual proportion in the general charge and expenditure, and shall be faithfully disposed of for that purpose, and for no other use or purpose whatever. Fourthly, That the territory so ceded, shall be laid out and formed into a state or states, containing a suitable extent of territory, the inhabitants of which shall enjoy all the privileges, benefits and advantages set forth in the ordinance of the late Congress, for the government of the western territory of the United States, that is to say; whenever the Congress of the United States shall cause to be officially transmitted to the executive authority of this state, an authenticated copy of the act to be passed by the Congress of the United States, accepting the cession of territory made by virtue of this act, under the express conditions hereby specified; the said Congress shall at the same time assume the government of the said ceded territory, which they shall execute in a manner similar to that which they support in the territory west of the Ohio; shall protect the inhabitants against enemies, and shall never bar or deprive them of any privileges which the people in the territory west of the Ohio enjoy: Provided always, That no regulations made or to be made by Congress, shall tend to emancipate slaves. Fifthly, That the inhabitants of the said ceded territory shall be liable to pay such sums of money, as may, from taking their census, be their just proportion of the debt of the United States, and the arrears of the requisitions of Congress on this state. Sixthly, That all persons indebted to this state, residing in the territory intended to be ceded by virtue of this act, shall be held and deemed liable to pay such debt or debts in the same manner, and under the same penalty or penalties as if this act had never been passed. Seventhly, That if the Congress of the United States do not accept the cession hereby intended to be made, in due form, and give official notice thereof to the executive of this state, within eighteen months from the passing of this act, then this act shall be of no force or effect whatsoever. Eighthly, That the laws in force and use in the State of North Carolina, at the time of passing this act, shall be, and continue in full force within the territory hereby ceded, until the same shall be repealed, or otherwise altered by the legislative authority of the said territory. Ninthly, That the lands of non-resident proprietors within the said ceded territory, shall not be taxed higher than the lands of residents. Tenthly, That this act shall not prevent the people now residing south of French Broad, between the rivers Tennessee and Big Pigeon, from entering their pre-emptions in that tract, should an office be opened for that purpose, under an act of the present General Assembly. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the sovereignty and jurisdiction of this state, in and over the territory aforesaid, and all and every the inhabitants thereof, shall be and remain the same in all respects, until the Congress of the United States shall accept the cession to be made by virtue of this act, as if this act had never passed.

Now therefore know ye, That we, Samuel Johnston and Benjamin Hawkins, senators aforesaid, by virtue of the power and authority