states to grow up in the territory should be admitted to all the rights of the confederacy. Second, to make the territory a part of the confederacy, with certain rights, before the new states were organized; and not a mere dependency of the confederacy, without any rights of its own. The confederation was a compact between sovereign states. It was obligatory upon, and secured the rights of, the states that were parties to it, but it went no farther; and, when the territory northwest of the Ohio ceased to be a component part of any one of these states, it would, at the same time, have ceased to be a part of the confederacy, and to be subject to the articles of confederation, but for the ordinance."

It was not until after the adoption of the constitution that the United States assumed or exercised the right of territorial sovereignty, in the matter of the Louisiana purchase, and at that time the authority was deemed so questionable that Mr. Jefferson (quoting from early impressions but not from the record) said that the importance of the measure justified it, but that the least said about its constitutionality the better. But this and subsequent acquisitions have quieted all scruples by placing the government of the United States in a position where it has of necessity exercised a large discretion in the government and disposition of the national domain.

The first seat of government of the Northwest Territory was at Chillicothe, in the now State of Ohio. By act of Congress of May 7th, 1800, the territory was divided preparatory to the admission of Ohio into the Union as a State, and the "Indiana Territory" was erected, with the seat of government at Vincennes. By act of January, 1805, the Territory of Michigan was set off from the Indiana Territory, the same system of government being continued as originally provided, the seat of government being established at Detroit. By this act the southern boundary of Michigan was fixed by a line drawn due east from the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan until it intersect Lake Erie, and the western boundary through Lake Michigan and thence due north to the northern boundary of the United States, the British possessions forming the northern and eastern boundary. This included on the south a strip of territory now forming a part of the State of Ohio, and did not include the northern or upper peninsula of the now State of Michigan.

ORGANIZATION OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT.

In the year 1835 the people of Michigan took steps for forming a State government, preparatory to admission into the Union under section three of article four of the constitution of the United States, and held a convention and

adopted a constitution for that purpose. The admission of the State into the Union, however, was delayed until 1837, chiefly in consequence of a disagreement in regard to the southern boundary, the State of Ohio laying claim to the strip of territory previously referred to, which, it was claimed on the other hand, was within the Territory of Michigan, and which embraces within its limits the present city of Toledo. The dispute at one time seriously threatened an armed collision, and military forces were mustered on both sides, in what is popularly and somewhat jocularly known as the "Toledo war." The difficulty was put in course of settlement by the act of Congress of June, 1836, fixing the disputed boundary in accordance with the claim of Ohio, but giving to Michigan, instead, the territory known as the Upper Peninsula. The conditions having been accepted by Michigan, the State was formally admitted into the Union by act of Congress of January 26, 1837.

SEAT OF GOVERNMENT AND STATE CAPITOL.

The seat of government remained at Detroit until 1847, when an act was passed for its removal. The act is probably one of the shortest public acts ever passed. After the enacting clause, it provides "that the seat of government of this State shall be in the township of Lansing, in the county of Ingham." A supplementary act was passed, however, providing for the removal.

Commissioners were selected to locate a site within the town of Lansing, and the site of the present city of Lansing was chosen, partly because it was a "school section," there being but a single settler in the immediate vicinity. A frame building, costing, with an addition since made, about $22,500, was erected during the summer of 1847, and occupied by the legislature on the first of January, 1848, and has ever since been the "State House." At the legisla tive session of 1871, an act was passed providing for the erection of a new State capitol. A board of State building commissioners was provided for, who have charge of the construction of the new capitol. The cost of the building and incidental expenses was limited to $1,200,000, $100,000 payable in 1872, $200,000 in each of the years 1873, 1874, 1875, and 1876, and $300,000 in 1877. A preliminary appropriation of $10,000 was made for plans, etc., in 1871, and in 1875 special appropriations for heating and ventilating, for changes and improvements, roofing, cornice, etc., were made, amounting to $175,000. The length of the building, exclusive of porticos, is 345 feet 2 inches; width, 191 feet 5 inches; height of lantern, 265 feet. The edifice is designed to accommodate the legislature, State offices, supreme court, State

library, etc. The corner-stone was laid on the second day of October, 1873, and the contract time for its completion is the first of December, 1877.

GOVERNORS OF MICHIGAN.

The names of the governors of Michigan, with their terms of service, and the sovereignty under which acting, are as follows:

* Died while in office, July 6, 1834, and was succeeded by the then Secretary of the Territory, Stevens T. Mason.

+ Lieutenant Governors acting as Governor.