REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE TO WHOM WAS REFERRED, ON THE 26th ULTIMO, THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EXPEDIENCY OF ACCEPTING FROM THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT, A CESSION OF JURISDICTION OF THE TERRITORY WEST OF PENNSYLVANIA, COMMONLY CALLED THE WESTERN RESERVE OF CONNECTICUT. 21st MARCH, 1800. . . de [Ohio]; [John Marshall] - 1800

Philadelphia: House of Representatives, 1800. First Edition. Hardcover. Near fine. 31 pp. Antique-style three-quarter calf and marbled boards, raised bands, gilt morocco label. Uneven toning in title page, else fine.

The key federal document in the Western Reserve's transition from Connecticut territory to Ohio land. The report, authored by U.S. Representative and future Chief Justice John Marshall, provides a detailed account of the history of overlapping claims to present-day northeastern Ohio by Connecticut and Pennsylvania, the resolution of the dispute in favor of Connecticut, the lands' subsequent sales, settlement, and improvements, and current issues surrounding Connecticut's offers to cede sovereignty of the lands to the federal government. The Congressional committee here recommends accepting Connecticut's cession of jurisdiction. Congress complied, formally ending Connecticut's authority in the Western Reserve and absorbing the lands into the Northwest Territory. The already-significant population of the Western Reserve allowed the eastern portion of the Northwest Territory, "Ohio country," to begin the path to statehood in 1801, which was completed with Ohio's admission to the Union in 1803. "One of the great documents of the trans-Alleghany pioneer West" - Eberstadt (114:592). Evans 38873. Howes C683, "a". Sabin 15688. Thomson 974.