By the UNITED STATES in Congress assembled. AUGUST 7, 1786. An ORDINANCE for the Regulation of INDIAN AFFAIRS. WHEREAS the safety and tranquility of the frontiers of the United States, do in some measure, depend on the maintaining a good correspondence between their citizens and the several nations of Indians, [undecipherable] under the [undecipherable] of the [undecipherable] — [The] United States have the sole and exclusive right and power of regulating the trade, and managing all affairs with the Indians, not members of any State, provided that the legislative right of any State within its own limits be not infringed or violated — [undecipherable]. That from and after the passing of this ordinance, the Indian department be divided into two districts, viz. the southern, which shall comprehend within its limits all nations of Indians within the United States, south of the Ohio, and [the northern, which shall comprehend] the nations of Indians within the United States, north and west of Hudson river: Provided, that all councils, [treaties], contracts, and [other] transactions [undecipherable] [remainder of page 1 body text undecipherable at this resolution] *And be it further ordained,* That the said superintendants, and the deputies, shall not be engaged, either directly or indirectly in trade with the Indians, on pain of forfeiting their offices, and each of the superintendants shall take the following oath, previous to his entering on the duties of his appointment — "I, A. B. do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve the United States in the office of superintendent of Indian affairs, for the [undecipherable] district: That I will carefully attend to all such orders and instructions as I shall from time to time receive from the United States in Congress assembled, or the secretary at war: That I will not be concerned, either directly or indirectly in trade with the Indians, and that in all things belonging to my said office, during my continuance therein, I will faithfully, justly and truly, according to the best of my skill and judgment, do equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favor or affection." And the superintendent for the northern district, shall administer to his deputies, the following oath, before they proceed on the duties of their office, "I, A. B. do swear, that I will well and faithfully serve the United States, in the office of deputy superintendent of Indian affairs in the northern district, that I will carefully attend to all such orders and instructions as I shall from time to time receive from the United States in Congress assembled, the secretary at war, or the superintendent of the district aforesaid, and that in all things belonging to my said office, during my continuance therein, I will faithfully, justly and truly, according to the best of my skill and judgment, do equal and impartial justice, without fraud, favor or affection." And the said superintendants, and deputy-superintendants, shall each of them give bond with surety to the board of treasury, in trust for the United States; the superintendants each in the sum of six thousand dollars, and the deputy-superintendants each in the sum of three thousand dollars, for the faithful discharge of the duties of their office. *And it is further ordained,* That all fines and forfeitures which may be incurred by contravening this ordinance, shall be sued for and recovered before any court of record within the United States, the one moiety thereof to the use of him or them who may procure the same, and the other moiety to the use of the United States. And the said superintendants shall have power, and hereby are authorised, by force to restrain therefrom, all persons who shall attempt an intercourse with the said Indians without a license therefor obtained as aforesaid. *And be it further ordained,* That in all cases where transactions with any nation of tribe of Indians shall become necessary to the purposes of this ordinance, which cannot be done without interfering with the legislative rights of a state, the superintendent in whose district the same shall happen, shall act in conjunction with the au-thority of such state, Done, &c. Cha Thomson Jun^y.