An Act for the division of Gallatin County, 1815


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Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois Territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all that tract of Country within the following boundaries, (to wit,) beginning at the mouth of the little Wabash running up the same to Joseph Boon's mill, thence due West to the third principal meredian, thence North to the South Best corner of Edwards County, thence with Edwards County line East to the Big Wabash, thence down the same to the beginning ; shall constitute a separate County to be called White ; and for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of Justice for the said county the following persons be appointed commissioners (to wit,) James Ratliff, Benjamin White, Samuel Hay, Thomas E. Craig and Stephen Hog, which said commissioners or a majority of them being duly sworn before some Judge or Justice, of the Peace in this Territory to faithfully take into view the situation of the settlement, the geography of the county ; the convenience of the people and the eligibility of the place, shall meet on the first Monday in February next at the house of Lowny Hay on the little Wabash and proceed to examine and determine on the place for the permanent seat of Justice and designate the same ; provided the proprietor or proprietors of the land shall give to the said county for the purpose of erecting public buildings a quantity of land at the said place not less than twenty acres to be laid off into lots and sold for the above purpose; But should the said proprietor or proprietors refuse or neglect to make the donation aforesaid, then and in that case it shall be the duty of the commissioners to fix upon some other place for the seat of Justice as convenient as may be to the different settlements in said county, which place fixed and determined on the said commissioners shall certify under their hands and seals and return the same to the next county court in the county aforesaid, and as compensation for their services they shall each be allowed two dollars for every day they may be necessarily employed in fixing the aforesaid seat of Justice to be paid out of the county levy, which said court shall cause an entry thereof to be made on their records; and untill the public buildings may be fixed the courts shall be holden at the house of Lowny Hay on the little "Wabash.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That it shall and may be lawful for the Governor of this territory immediately to constitute the militia within the county thus laid off into one regiment, the commanding officer of which shall have the same power to order out the militia as is now possessed by the Lieutenant Colonel of the respective regiments.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the said county of White is hereby allowed one representative in the House of representatives of this territory, who shall be elected agreeably to law and be entitled to all the immunities powers and privileges prescribed by law to members of the House of Representatives.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That whereas the Counties of Gallatin Edwards and White compose one destrict for the purpose of electing a member of Legislative Council, the citizens of the said county entitled to vote may at any election for a member of the Legislative Council to represent said district proceed to vote for such member, and it shall moreover be the duty of the Sheriff of the said county of White within ten days after the close of said election to attend at the court house of the county of Gallatin with a statement of the votes given in said county of White to compare the polls of the respective counties and to join with the sheriff of Gallatin and Edwards counties in making out and delivering to the person duly elected a certificate thereof, and for a failure thereof he shall forfeit and pay the same penalties and for the same purposes that the sheriffs of Gallatin and Edwards are subject.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said county of White are hereby declared to be entitled in all respects to the same right and privilege in the election of a Delegate to Congress as well as of a member to the House of Representatives of the Terri- tory that are allowed by law to the other counties of this territory, and all elections are to be conducted at the same times and in the same manner as is provided for other counties. This act to be in force from and after the first day of February next.

Risdon Moore
Speaker of the house of representatives,

Pierre Menard
President of the Council

Approved this 9th Decr. 1815
Ninian Edwards.

 

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