erritory may be devised or
bequeathed by wills in writing, signed and sealed by him or her in whom
the estate may be, (being of full age,) and attested by three witnesses;
and real estates may be conveyed by lease and release, or bargain and
sale, signed, sealed, and delivered by the person, being of full age,
in whom the estate may be, and attested by two witnesses, provided
such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances be acknowledged, or the
execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within one year after
proper magistrates, courts, and registers, shall be appointed for that
purpose; and personal property may be transferred by delivery, saving,
however, to the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of
the Kaskaskias, Saint Vincents, and the neighboring villages, who have
heretofore professed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and
customs now being in force among them, relative to the descent and
conveyance of property.

SEC. 3. Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be
appointed, from time to time, by Congress, a governor, whose commission
shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner
revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district, and have a
freehold estate therein, in one thousand acres of land, while in the
exercise of his office.

SEC. 4. There shall be appointed from time to time, by Congress, a
secretary, whose commission shall continue in force for four years,
unless sooner revoked; he shall reside in the district, and have a
freehold estate therein, in five hundred acres of land, while in the
exercise of his office. It shall be his duty to keep and preserve the
acts and laws passed by the legislature, and the public records of
the district, and the proceedings of the governor in his executive
department, and transmit authentic copies of such acts and proceedings
every six months to the Secretary of Congress. There shall also be
appointed a court, to consist of three judges, any two of whom to form
a court, who shall have a common-law jurisdiction, and reside in the
district, and have each therein a freehold estate, in five hundred acres
of land, while in the exercise of their offices; and their commissions
shall continue in force during good behavior.

SEC. 5. The governor and judges, or a majority of them, shall adopt and
publish in the distric[t] such laws of the original States, criminal and
civil, as may be necessary, and best