Congressional Resolution, 3 July 1788

A Congressional resolution dated 3 July 1788, stating that the district of Kentucky should be made into a "sovereign and independent state."

Campbell, Arthur Papers, 1752-1811, Filson Historical Society

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Mss. A C187 f4

United States in Congress assembled
July 3rd 1788

Whereas application has been lately made to
Congress by the legislature of Virginia and the
district of Kentucky for the admission of the said
district into the federal Union as a seperate member
thereof on the terms contained in the Acts of the said
legislature and in the resolutions of the said district
relative to the premises. And whereas Congress having
fully considered the subject did on the 3d day of June
last resolve that it is expedient that the said district
be erected into a sovereign and independant state and
a seperate member of the federal Union and appointed a
Committee to report an Act accordingly, which Committee
on the second instant was discharged, it appearing that
nine states had adopted the Constitution of the United
States lately submitted to Conventions of the people. And
whereas a new Confederacy is formed among the ratifying
states and there is reason to believe that the state of
Virginia

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Virginia including the said district did on the 25 of June
last became a member of the said Confederacy: And
whereas an Act of Congress, in the present State of the
Government of the Country, severing a part of the said
state from the other parts thereof and admitting it into
the Confederacy formed by the Articles of Confederation and
perpetual Union as an independent member thereof
may be attended with many inconveniencies while it
can have no effect to make the said district a separate
member of the federal Union formed by the adoption of
the said Constitution and therefore it must be manifestly
improper for Congress assembled under the said Articles
of Confederation to adopt any other measures relative to
the premises than those which express their sense that
the said district ought to be an independent member
of the Union as soon as circumstances shall permit
proper measures to be adopted for that purpose.

Resolved, that a copy of the proceedings of Congress
relative to the independency of the district of Kentucky
be transmitted to the legislature of Virginia and also
to Samuel M Dowell, Esquire, late president of the said
Convention

Convention, and that the said legislature and the inhabitants
of the district aforesaid be informed, that as the Constitution
of the United States is now satified, Congress think it unadviseable
to adopt any further measures for admitting the district of
Kentucky into the federal Union as an independent member
thereof under the Articles of Confederation and perpetual
Union; but that Congress thinking it expedient that the
said district be made a seperate State and member of the
Union as soon after proceedings shall commence under the
said Constitution as circumstances shall permit, recommend
it to the said legislature and to the inhabitants of the said
district so to alter their Acts and resolutions relative to
the premises as to render them conformable to the provisions
made in the said Constitution to the end that no impediment
may be in the way of the speedy accomplishment of this
important business

Chas Thompson Sce.y

A Copy
Attest.
Sam: Coleman A.C.C.

Ress of Congress
in 1788
Postponing Ky's
admission