ld establish. The judges are appointed by the President and
Senate and hold office during life or good behavior. The State courts
have the power of appeal to the supreme court of the United States,
whose decision is final, the questions being necessarily based upon
offenses against any law of Congress, or upon the doubtful meaning of a
law, or the doubt of the constitutional power of Congress to pass a law.

At the time of the adoption of the Constitution, three-fifths of the
slaves were to be counted in calculating the population for the
Representatives. Fugitive slaves were to be arrested in the States to
which they had fled. New Territories were to be governed by Congress,
which body admits the new States as they are formed. Each State is
guaranteed a republican form of government, and the vote of
three-fourths of the States can change the Constitution through the
means of amendments. The provisions regarding slavery, as a matter of
course, lost their effect upon the abolishment of the institution at the
close of the Civil War.

THE ORDINANCE OF 1787.

Congress remained in session in New York, while the Philadelphia
convention was at work upon the Constitution, and during that period
organized a territorial government for the immense region northwest of
the Ohio, which belonged to the United States. The enterprising nature
of the American people asserted itself, and hundreds of emigrants began
making their way into that fertile section, where the best of land could
be had for the asking. But the Indians were fierce and warred
continually against the settlers. Most of these had been soldiers in the
Revolution, and they generally united for mutual protection. The Ohio
Company was formed in 1787, and, in order to assist it, Congress passed
the Ordinance of 1787, of which mention has been made.

Slavery was forever forbidden in the Territory northwest of the Ohio,
and the inhabitants were guaranteed full religious freedom, trial by
jury, and equal political and civil privileges. The governors of the
Territory were to be appointed by Congress until the population was
sufficient to permit the organization of five separate States, which
States should be the equal in every respect of the original thirteen.
From the Territory named the powerful and prosperous States of Ohio,
Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, and Wisconsin were afterward formed.

SETTLEMENT OF THE WEST.

The Indian titles to 17,000,000 acres of land in th