An Act for forming a new county out of Randolph and St. Clair counties, 1816


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Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatve of the Illinois Territory' and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same ; That all that part of the country within the following bounds, viz, Beginning on the Mississippi River where the base line, which is about three fourths of a mile below Judge Biggs' present residence strikes the said River, thence with the base line untill it strkes the first township line therefrom, thence S.E. to the S.E. corner of township two, south range, nine West, thence south to the south East corner of township four, south range nine West, thence south Westwardly to the Mississippi so as to include Alexander M'Nabb's farm, and thence up the Mississippi to the be- ginning, shall constitute a sepparate county to be called Monroe.

Sec. 2, Be it further enacted, That William Alexander, James Lemon senr. James B. Moore, John Prim, and James M 'Roberts, be, and they are hereby appointed commissioners to fix upon the proper place for the seat of Justice for said county of Monroe, who shall meet for that purpose, on the third Monday of July next at the town of Harrison and they, or a majority of them, when so assembled togeter, shall take an oath to fix the said seat of justice at such place as they shall think best calculated to promote the convenience, and interest of said county without favour or affection to any individual or individuals, provided the owner or owners of the land will give to the county for the purpose of erecting public buildings, a parcell of land at the said place, not less than twenty acres, and laid off into lotts and sold for the above purpose, but should said owner or owners refuse to make said 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 the different settlements in said county, and when fixed upon by said commissioners they shall certify under their hands and seals, and return the same to the next county court in the county, which said court shall cause an entry thereof to be made on their records of the said court. Provided however, that if the said commissioners or a majority of them, shall not be able to meet on the said third Monday in July next they shall meet as soon thereafter as it may be convenient, and either at the first or any subsequent meeting they may continue from day to day so long as they may think it necessary to form a correct decision ; and said commissioners shall be entitled to two dollars each per day that they are nessarily employed in fixing the county seat, to be paid out of their county levy ; and provided also, that the town of Harrison shall be the seat of Justice for said county until some other place shall be chosen as aforesaid and public buildings be erected thereon.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That the said county of Monroe shall be, and hereby is allowed one representative in the House of Representatives of this territory, who shall be elected in the same manner that Represetatives are now authorised by law to be elected in other counties, and he shall be authorised to exercise all the powers, possess all the privileges, and be entiled to all the emoluments that any other Representative can exercise possess or receive according to law.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That whereas the said county of Monroe was taken off of two districts for the election of Members of Council, all qualified voters who shall reside within those bounds which previous to the passage hereof was a part of St. Clair county, shall have a right to vote for a member of the Legislative Council to represent them and the qualified voters of St. Clair county as one district ; and all those qualified voters who shall reside within those bounds, which previous to the passage hereof, was a part of Randolph county shall have a right to vote for a member of the Legislative council to represent them, and the qualified votors of Randolph county as one district, and it shall be the duty of the Sheriffs of the counties of Monroe and St. Clair within eight days after the election to attend at Bellville and compare the polls and make out and deliver to the person duly elected for that district their joint certificate thereof; And it shall be the duty of the said sheriffs of Randolph and Monroe to attend at Kaskaskia within ten days after the election, to compare the polls and make out and deliver to the person duly elected for that district their joint certificate thereof, provided however, that any part of the said duty may be performed by a legally authorised deputy sheriff, the principal sheriff being responsible for the faithful dis- charge thereof, and if the said sheriff, or any of them shall refuse or fail to perform the duties hereby required, such delinquent, or delinquents, shall severally forfeit and pay the sum of two hundred dollars to be recovered by action of debt or indictment one half to the use of the territory and the other half to the person sueing or prosecuting for the same.

Seb. 5. Be it further enacted, That the qualified voters in said county of Monroe shall be entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges in the election of a deligate to Congress, that are allowed by law to the qualified voters of any other county ; and all elections hereby authorised, shall be held at the seat of Justice for the said county of Monroe, and shall in all respects be held and conducted as elections are authorised and required to be held and conducted in other counties. This law to commence and be in force from and after the first day of June next.

Risdon Moore,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Pierre Menard,
President of the Council.

Approved, Jan. 6th 1816.
Ninian Edwards.

 

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