Northwest Territory Executive Journal

              Page 1 
Territory of the United States N. West of the River Ohio - 
AD 
1788 
On Wednesday the 9th. July 1788 His Excellency Arthur St Clair 
Governour & Commander in Chief arrived at Fort Marmar, & on the 
15th. was published the Ordinance of the honorable Congress for the 
Government of the Territory - the Commissions of the Governour, 
the Honble Judges Saml. H. Parsons, James M.  Varnum, and the Secretary's, 
After which His Excellency addressed the People assembled at Marietta 
as follows - 
"From the Ordinance for the Establishment of Civil Govern= 
=ment in this Quarter, that has been  just now read, you have a 
Proof Gentlemen of the Attention of Congress to the Welfare of the 
Citizens of the United States how remote soever their Situation 
may be - 
A good Government well administered is the first of Blessings to a 
People - Everything desirable in Life is thereby secured to them, & from 
the Operation of wholesome & equal Laws, the Passions  of Men are 
restrain'd within due Bounds; their Actions receive a proper Direc= 
=tion; the Virtues are  cultivated, & the beautiful Fabric of civilized 
Life is reared & brought to Perfection - 
The Executive Part of the Administration of this Government has 
been entrusted to me, & I am truly Sensible of  the Importance of the Trust, 
& how much depends upon the due Execution of it - to you  Gentlemen, 
over whom it is to be immediately exercised! - to your Posterity! per= 
=haps to the  Whole Community of America! Would to God I were 
more equal to the Discharge of it! but my  best Endeavours shall 
not be wanting to fulfil the Desire & the Expectation of Congress, that 
you  may find yourselves happy under it; which is the surest Way 
for me, at once, to meet their Approbation, & to render it honorable 
to myself; nor, when I  reflect upon the Characters of the Men under 
whose immediate Influence & Example this  particular Settlement, 
which will probably give a Ton to all that may succeed it, will be 
formed, have I much Reason to fear a Disappointment -- Men who 
duly weigh the Importance  to Society of a strict Attention to the Duties 
of Religion & Morality; - in whose Bosoms the Love of  Liberty & of Order 
is a masterly Passion; - who respect the Rights of Mankind, & have 
sacrificed  much to support them --& who are no strangers to the De 
=cencies & to the Elegancies of Life. I esteem it also a singular Happiness, to 
you & to me, that the Gentlemen  appointed to the judicial Department 
are of such distinguished Characters & so well known to  you -- On one 
Side the Respect which is due to their Stations is secured; whilst on 
the other it will be yielded with the most perfect good Will. - 
You will observe Gentlemen, that the System which has been formed 
for this Country, & is now to take Effect, is temporary only - suited 
to your infant  Situation, & to continue no longer than that State 
of Infancy shall last: -- During that Period the  Judges, with my Assistance 
are to select from the Codes of the Mother States such Laws as may