An Act forming a new county out of the county of Madison, 1817

AN ACT forming a new county out of the county of Madison.

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 south west corner of township number three north of range four west, thence east to the south east corner of township number three north, of range number one east, to the third principal meridian line; thence north to the boundary line of the territory; thence west with said boundary line so far that a south line will pass between ranges four and five west; thence south with said line to the beginning, shall constitute a separate county, to be called Bond; and the seat of justice for said county shall be at Hill’s fort, until it shall be permanently established in the following manner, that is to say, there shall be five persons appointed, to-wit:—William Roberts, John Powers, Robert Gillaspie, John Whitley, senior, and John Loston, who or a majority of them, being duly sworn before some judge or justice of the peace of this territory, to faithfully take into view the situation of the settlements, the geography of the county, the convenience of the people, and the eligibility of the place, shall meet on the first Monday in March next at Hill’s fort on Shoal creek, and proceed to examine and determine on the place for the permanent seat of justice, and designate the same: Provided, that 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 in 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 present and future settlements of said county, or should the said commissioners fix it upon lands belonging to the United States, in that case, the judges of said county or any two of them may apply to the Register of the land oflice for their district, and in hehalf of the county purchase one quarter section for the use of the county, and the seat of justice shall be established thereon, and the county shall be bound for the purchase money; which place when fixed upon and determined, the said commissioners shall certify under their hands and seals, and return their certificate of the same to the next county court in the county aforesaid; and as a 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.

SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of Madison and Bond counties, that are entitled to vote, may at any election for a member of the legislative council and house of representatives to represent said district, proceed to vote at their respective seats of justice for such members; and it shall moreover be the duty of the sheriff of the said county of Bond, within ten days after the close of said election, to attend at the court-house of the county of Madison with a statement of the votes given in the said county of Bond, to compare the polls of the respective counties; and it shall be the duty of the sheriffs of Madison and Bond to attend at such time and place with a statement of the votes of Madison and Bond counties and upon counting the votes of the said counties, it shall he the duty of the sheriffs of Madison and Bond counties to make out and deliver to the persons duly elected a certificate thereof. If the said sheriffs or either of them shall refuse or fail to perform the duty required of them 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, the other half to the person sueing for the same.

SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said county of Bond, are hereby declared to be entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges in the election of a delegate to congress of this territory, that are by law allowed to other counties of this territory; and all elections are to be conducted at the same time and in the same manner as is provided for other counties. This act shall commence and be in force from and after its passage.

GEO. FISHER,
Speaker of the House of Representatives;

PIERRE MENARD.
President of the Legislative Council.

Approved—January 4, 1817.

NINIAN EDWARDS.