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 district of country within the following bounds and limits to-wit : Commencing at the north west corner of township No. two, north of range No. five west ; thence east to the north east of township No. two north on the third principal meridian line ; thence south with the said meridian line to the south east corner of township No. three south ; thence west to the south west corner of township three south of range five west ; thence north between ranges five and six west to the beginning, shall constitute a separate and distinct county, to be called Washington : and the seat of justice for said county shall be the house of James Bankson, until it shall be permanently established, in the following manner, that is to say, there shall be appointed five persons, to-wit: Jacob Turman, Thomas Rattan, Leven Maddux, Reuben Middleton and James Fisher, who, or a majority of them, being duly sworn before some judge or justice of the peace of this territory, faithfully and impartially to take into view the situation of the settlement, the geography of the county, the convenience of the citizens, and the eligibility of the place, shall meet on the first Monday in March next, and proceed to examine and determine on the place for the permanent seat of justice, and designate the same