Dearborn County IN Archives History - Books .....Page 40 1915 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ann Anderson ann.g.anderson@gmail.com May 12, 2006, 2:12 am Book Title: History Of Dearborn County Indiana 40 DEARBORN COUNTY, INDIANA. porary government and to serve until such a time as the population of the territory would warrant the creation of states with the same rights and privileges which the thirteen original states enjoyed. It stipulated that not less than three nor more than five states should ever be created out of the whole territory and the maximum number was finally organized, although it was not until 18418 that the last state, Wisconsin, was admitted to the Union. The third article, "Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged," has given these five states the basis for their excellent system of public schools, state normals, colleges and universities. Probably the most widely discussed article was the sixth, which provided that slavery and involuntary servitude should never be permitted within the territory and by the use of the word "forever" made the territory free for all time. It is interesting to note in this connection that both Indiana and Illinois before their admission to the Union sought to have this provision set aside, but every petition from the two states was refused by Congress in accordance with the provision of the Ordinance. FIRST STAGE OF GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ORDINANCE. The ordinance contemplated two grades of territorial government. During the operation of the first grade of government the governor, his secretary and the three judges provided by the ordinance were to be appointed by Congress and the governor in turn was to appoint "such magistrates and other civil officers in each county and township as he shall deem necessary for the preservation of the peace and good will of the same." After the federal government was organized a statutory provision took the appointment of these officers out of the hands of Congress and placed it in the hands of the President of the United States. All executive authority was given to the governor, all judicial authority to the three judges, while the governor and judges, in joint session, constituted the legislative body. This means that during the first stage of territorial government the people had absolutely no voice in the affairs of government and this state of affairs lasted until 1799, a period of twelve years. SECOND STAGE OF GOVERNMENT UNDER THE ORDINANCE. The second stage of government in the territory was to begin whenever the governor was satisfied that there were at least five thousand free male inhabitants of the age of twenty-one and above. The main difference be- File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/dearborn/history/1915/historyo/page40354gms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/infiles/ File size: 3.2 Kb