An Act for the division of Galletin County, 1814

An Act for the division of Galletin County.

Section 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 (towit) Beginning at the month of Bompast Creek on the big Wabash, and running thence due west to the Meridian line which runs north from the mouth of the Ohio River. Thence with said Meredian line and due North ’till it strikes the line of upper Canada, Thence with the line of upper Canada to the line that separates this Territory from the Indiana Territory and thence with the said dividing line to the beginning shall constitute a separate county to be called Edwards and the seat of Justice for said county shall be at the Town now called Palmyra on the Wabash provided the proprietor or proprietors of said land shall give to the said county for the purpose of erecting the public Buildings a quantity of land at said place not less than twenty acres to be laid off into lots and sold for the above purpose. But should said proprietor or proprietors refuse or neglect to make the donation aforesaid then and in that case it shall be the duty of the Court of Common pleas who shall be appointed for said county to fix upon some other place for the seat of Justice as convenient as may be
to the different settlements in said county.

Section 2. Be it further enacted that the Court of Common pleas shall set in said county at the following periods (towit) The courts for civil and criminal business on the fourth mondays of March July and November yearly and every year, and the three other courts shall be holden on the fourth mondays of January May and September yearly and every year.

Section 3. 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 Battalion the commanding officer of which shall have the same power to order out the militia as is now possessed by the Lieutenant Colonels of the respective Regiments.

Section 4. And be it further enacted that the said county of Edwards 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 & privileges prescribed by law to members of the house of Representatives. And whereas the next general election for representatives to the Legislature will not take place before the month of September in the year 1816 and in consequence thereof the said county will be unrepresented in the house of Representatives until that time, for remedy whereof, An election is hereby directed to be held at the seat of Justice for said county on the first Thursday in March next and continue open three days and to be conducted in all other respects, by the persons and in the manner prescribed by law at which said election the persons entitled to vote may elect a representative to the house of Representatives who shall continue in oflice until the 10th day of October 1816 and shall during his continuance in offce be bound to perform the same duties and entitled to the same privileges and immunities that are prescribed by law to a member of the House of Representatives.

Section 5. Be it further enacted, That Whereas the counties of Gallatin and Edwards compose one District for the purpose of electing a member of the Legislative Council, the citizens of 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 morever be the duty of the Sheriff of the said County of Edwards within ten days after the close of said Election to attend at the Court House of the County of Galletin, with a. statement of the votes given in said county of Edwards to compare the polls of the respective Counties, and it shall be the duty of the sheriff of Galletin County to attend at such time and place, with a statement of the votes of Galletin County and upon counting the votes of the respective counties, it shall be the duty of the said sheriff of Galletin & Edwards counties to make out and deliver to the person duly elected a certificate thereof. If the said Sheriffs or either of them shall refuse or fail to perform the duty required by this section, such delinquent, shall 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 suing for the same.

Section 6. Be it further enacted that the citizens of said county of Edwards are hereby declared to be entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges in the Election of a Delegate to Congress as well as of a member to the House of Representatives of the Territory 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, except as is excepted in this law as is provided for other counties. This
act shall commence and be in force from and after the passage thereof.

RISDON MOORE
Speaker of the House of Representatives

BENJAMIN TALBOTT
President of the Council pro tem

Approved this 28th Nov 1814

NINIAN EDWARDS