(From: "Documents from the Continental Congress" - Library of Congress online)

The Committee to whom was referred a Motion of the Delegates of the State of Connecticut, relative to a CESSION of Part of that State's Claim to WESTERN TERRITORY, --beg leave to Report the following Resolution:--

Resolved, That Congress in behalf of the United States, are ready to accept all the right, title, interest and claim of the state of Connecticut, to certain western lands described in the form of a deed of cession, in the following words, to wit, ..........(here insert) rendered to Congress by the delegates of said state, in pursuance of full powers given them for that purpose, whenever the said delegates shall execute the said deed.

TO ALL WHO SHALL SEE THESE PRESENTS, we William Samuel Johnson and Stephen M. Mitchell, the underwriten delegates for the state of Connecticut, in the Congress of the United States of America, send greeting:

WHEREAS the general assembly of the state of Connecticut, on the second Thursday of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, passed an act, entitled, "an act empowering the delegates of this state, to make cession of the unlocated lands in the western part of the state, to the United States, for their common benefit" in the words following, viz. "Be it enacted by the governor, council and representative in general court assembled, and by the authority of the same, that delegates of this state, or any two of them who shall be attending the Congress of the United States, be, and they are hereby directed, authorise and fully empowered, in the name and behalf of this state, to make and execute under their hands and seals, an ample deed of release and cession of territory, and land belonging to and claimed by this state, situate and being westward of the western boundary line of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as now claimed by said commonwealth; that is to say, beginning at the forty first degree of north latitude, one hundred and twenty miles westward of the afore mentioned western boundary line of Pennsylvania, and from thence a line to be drawn northerly parrallel to, and one hundred and twenty miles westward of said west line of Pennsylvania, and to continue northerly until it comes to forty two degrees and two minutes north latitude. All the lands and territory, with the rights, privileges, and appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying westward of the aforementioned lint, to be drawn as before mentioned, shall be included, released and ceded to the United States in Congress assembled, for the common benefit of the United States."

And whereas the said william Samuel Johnson and Stephen M. Mitchell, at a general assembly of said state of Connecticut, holden at Hartford, in said state, on the second Thursday in May, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-five, were chosen, appointed and publickly declared delegates to represent the said state of Connecticut, in the Congress of the United States of America, according to the laws of said state, from the first day of November, in the said year, until the first day of November, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eight six; which appointment remains in full force.

NOW THEREFORE KNOW YE, that we the said William Samuel Johnson, and Stephen Mix Mitchell, by virtue of the power and authority to us committed by the said act of the general assembly of the state of Connecticut before recited, in the name and for, and on behalf of the said state of Connecticut, do by these presents, assign, transfer, quit claim, cede and convey to the United States of America for their benefit, Connecticut inclusive, all right, title and estate, of and in the lands and territory belonging to and claimed by said state of Connecticut, situate and being westward of the following line, that is to say, beginning at the forty first degree of north latitude, one hundred and twenty miles westward of the western boundary line of the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as now claimed by said commonwealth; and from thence a line to be drawn northerly parallel to, and one hundred and twenty miles westward of said west line of Pennsylvania, and to continue northerly until it comes to forty-two degrees and two minutes north latitude. We the underwritten, by virtue of the power and authority aforesaid, in the name and on behalf of said state of Connecticut, do hereby transfer, quit claim, cede and convey to the United States of America, for the common benefit of the said United States, Connecticut inclusive, all the lands and territory, with the rights, privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, lying and being westward of the aforementioned line so to be drawn as aforesaid.

IN TESTIMONY whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names, and affixed our seals, in Congress, this .......... day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, and of the independence of the United State of America the tenth.

Signed, Sealed and Delivered In Presence of