Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 18 Part 1.djvu/29

 14 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT·—1787. assembly therein, unless disapproved of by Congress; but afterwards the legislature shall have authorit to alter them as they shall think iit. _ _ Sec. 6. The governor, for the time being, shall be commander-in-chief of the militia, appoint and commission all officers in the same below the rank of general officers; all general officers shall be appointed and commissioned by Congress. Sec. 7. Previous to the or nization of the general assembly the governor shall appoint such magistrates, and othdr civil officers, in each county or towns ip, as he shall find necessary for the preservation of the peace and (good order in the same. After the general assembly shall be or nized the powers and utics of magistrates and other civil officers shall be regulated angdetined by the said assembtly; but a l magistrates and other civil officers, not herein otherwise directed, shall, dur·ing c continuance of this temporary government, be appointed by the governor. Sec. 8. For the prevention of crimes and injuries, the laws to be adopted or made shall have force in all parts of the district, and for the execution of process, criminal and civil. the governor shall make proper divisions thereof; and he shall proceed, from time to time, as circumstances may require, to lay out the parts of the district in which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished, into counties and townships, subject, however, to such alterations as may thereafter be made by the legislature. Sec. 9. So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants, of full age, in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the governor, they shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect representatives from their counties or townships, to represent them in the eneral assembly: Provided, That for every five hundred free male inhabitants there shall be one representative, and so on, progressively, with the number of free male inhabitants, shall the right of representation increase, until the number of representatives shall amount to twenty-five; after which the number and proportion of representatives shall be regulated by the legislature: Provided, That no person be eligible or qualified to act as a re resentative, unless he shall have been a citizen of one of the nited States three years, ami) be a resident in the district, or unless he shall have resided in the district three years; and, in either case, shall likewise hold in his own right, in fee-simple, two hundred acres of land within .the same: Provided also That a freehold in fifty acres of land in the district, havin been a citizen of one of the étates, and being resident in the district, o1· the like freehegd and two years' residence in the district, shall be necessary to qualify a man as an elector of a representative. Suc. 10. The representatives thus elected shall serve for the term of two years; and in case of the death o a representative, or removal from office, the governor shall issue a writ to the county or township, for which he was a member, to elect another in his stead, to serve for the residue of the term. Sec. 11. The general assembly, or legislature, shall consist of the overnor, legislative council, and a house of rgrresentatives. The legislative council 51all consist of tive members, to continue in office five years, unless sooner removed by Congress: any three of whom to be a quorum; and the members of the council shall be nominated and appointed in the following manner, to wit: As soon as representatives shall be elected the governor shall appointatime and place for them to meet together, and when met they shall nominate ten persons, resident in the district, and each possessed of a freehold in five hundred acres of land, and return their names to Con ress, five of whom Con ss shall appoint and commission to serve as aforesaid; and whenever a vacancy shallhisppen in t e council, by death or removal from office, the house of representatives shall nominate two persons qualified as aforesaid, for each vacancy, and return their names to Congress, one of whom Congress shall appoint and commission for the residue of the term; and everv five years, four months at east before the expiration of the time of service of the members of the council, the said house shall nominate ten persons, qualified as aforesaid, and return their names to Congress, five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as members of the council five years, unless soonerrremovedlo And the governor, legislative council, and house of representatives shall have authority to make laws in all cases for the good government of the district, not repu ant to the princi les and articles in this ordinance established and declared. And all bihii, having passed liiy a majority in the house, and bly a. majority in the council, shall be referred to the governor for his assent; but no bill, or egislative act whatever, shall be of any force without his assent. The governor shall have power to convene, prorogue, and dissolve the general assembly when, 1h his opinion, it shall be expedient. Sm. 12. The governor, judges, legislative council, secretar, and such other officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an oath or adrmation of fidelity, and