Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 3.djvu/809



Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all citizens of the United States, having the qualifications prescribed by the act, entitled “,” approved February the sixteenth, eighteen hundred and nineteen, shall be entitled to vote at any public election in the said territory, and shall be eligible to any office therein.

. And be it further enacted, That the same powers which were granted to the governor, legislative council, and House of Representatives, of the North-western territory, by the ordinance of Congress, passed on the thirteenth day of July, seventeen hundred and eighty-seven, and which powers are transferred to the territory of Michigan by the act, entitled “,” approved January the eleventh, eighteen hundred and five, are hereby conferred upon, and shall be exercised by the governor and a legislative council: which council shall consist of nine persons, any five of whom shall be a quorum, and who shall serve for the term of two years, and be appointed as follows, to wit: At the next election of the delegate to Congress from the said territory, after the passing of this act, the qualified electors shall choose, by ballot, eighteen persons, having the qualifications of electors; and such election shall be conducted, certified, and the result declared, agreeably to the territorial law prescribing the mode of electing such delegate. But the time and manner of electing the members of the legislative council shall, after the first election, be prescribed by the legislature of the said territory; and the names of the eighteen persons, having the greatest number of votes, shall be transmitted by the governor of the said territory, to the President of the United States, who shall nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint therefrom, the said legislative council; and vacancies occurring in the said council shall be filled in the same manner, from the list transmitted as aforesaid: And the President shall have power, in the recess of the Senate, to make the appointments authorized by this act; but all appointments, so made, shall be submitted to the Senate at their next session, for confirmation. The first legislative council shall be assembled at such time and place as the governor shall, by proclamation, designate. No session, in any one year, shall exceed the term of sixty days, nor shall any act passed by the governor and the legislative council be valid, after the same shall have been disapproved by Congress. The members of the legislative council shall receive two dollars each, per day, during their attendance at the sessions thereof, and two dollars for every twenty miles in going to, and returning therefrom, in full compensation for their services, and which shall be paid by the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to affect the right of the citizens of said territory to elect a delegate to Congress; and the duties required of the govenor [governor] and judges by the act referred to in the first section of this act, shall be performed by the govenor [governor] and legislative council.

. And be it further enacted, That the powers and duties of the judges of the said territory shall be regulated by such laws as are, or may be, in force therein; and the said judges shall possess a chancery, as well as common law, jurisdiction. The tenure of office of the said judges shall be limited to four years: and on the first day of February,