Documents Collections

"Territory of United States (Below Territory of United States. . . there is a seal and below that the signature of A. St. Clair) / North West of the Ohio / His Excellency Arthur St. Clair Governor of the Territory of the United States States Northwest of the River Ohio—to all unto whom these presents shall come Greeting. / Know ye that, we have assigned and constituted, and do by these presents constitue and Appoint William Henry Harrison to be one of the Justices to Keep the peace in all & every of our Counties which No weare or which May hereafter be Created within the said Territory, and to Keep, and cause to be Keep, the Laws and Ordinances made for the Good of the Peace, & for the conservation of the same, & for the quiet, Rule & government of our citizens & Subjects in said Territory in all & every the Articales thereof, According to the force, from and Effect of the Same, & to chastise and Punish all Persons offending against the form of those laws and Ordinances, or any of them, in the territory aforesaid, as according to the form of those laws & Ordinances shall be fit to be done, & to cause to come before him the said William Henry Harrison all those that shall break the Peace, or attempt any thing against the Same, or that Shall threaten any of the Citizens or Subjects in their Persons, or in burning their Houses, to find Sufficient Security for the Peace & for the good Behavior towards the Citizens & Subjects of this Government; & if they Shall refuse to find Such Serenity, then to cause them to be Kept Safe in prison Until they Shall find the Same, & to do & preform in the Territory aforesaid, all and whatsoever, According to the laws and Ordinances, or Any of them, A Justice of the Peace may and ought to preform. / In Testimony whereof, we have caused the Seal of the Territory to be hereunto affixed; Witness His Excellency Arthur St. Clair Esquire Governor and Commander in Chief. / Dated at Cincinnati the 31st day of January Anno Domini 1799 and in the twenty third year of the Independence of the United States of America. / By His Excellency Command / Wm Henry Harrison / Secretary to the Territory." In the top left corner on the back side of this paper, all written by John Cleves Symmes: "Be it remembered that on this 7th day of february 1799 came before me John C Symmes one of the judges of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio, the within named William H Harrison Esqr and duly took the Oath of allegiance to Support the Constitution of the United States as well as the Oath of office as a justice of the peace for Said Territory." The document is signed by William Henry Harrison and John Cleves Symmesand Arthur St. Clair, Cincinnati, January 31, 1799.