(December 11, 1816), was 19th State admitted to the Union. On August 7, 1789, President George Washington signed into law an Act of Congress which prohibited slavery from entering the territory, entitled “An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States, North-West of the River Ohio,” Article VI.2488 On April 13, 1816, President James Madison signed The Enabling Act for Indiana, which required the government being formed in that territory to be:
… not repugnant to the [Northwest Ordinance].2489
The Northwest Ordinance stated:
SECTION 13. And, for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religious liberty, which form the basis whereon these republics, their laws and constitutions are erected: to fix and establish those principles as the basis of all laws, constitutions and governments, which forever hereafter shall be formed in the said territory: to provide also for the establishment of states, and permanent government therein, and for their admission to a share in the federal councils in an equal footing with the original states, at as early period as may be consistent with the general interest:
SECTION 14. It is hereby ordained and declared by the authority aforesaid, That the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact, between the original states and the people and states of the said territory, and forever remain unalienable, unless by common consent, to wit:
ARTICLE I. No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments in the said territory. …
ARTICLE III. Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall forever be encouraged.2490
The Constitution of the State of Indiana, adopted 1851, stated:
Preamble. We, the People of the State of Indiana, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to chose our form of government, do ordain this Constitution.2491
Article I, Section 1. We declare, That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights.2492
Article I, Section 2. All men shall be secure in their natural right to worship Almighty God.2493