The Arkansas banner., 1848-10-10
[PusrIc--No. s9. ]

PUBLIc--No. @. AN ACT 10 establish the Territorial government of Oregon.
 l Be t eaacied by he Senate and House Of Rrpre- senai,Uss ofhe Untei Siatrso .f,nrrica H GoagresS assembied. That from and after the passage of this act. all that part of the Territory of iae United States which lies west of the summit of the Rocky l mountains, north of the forty-second degree of north latitude, known as the Territory of Oregon, shall be organized into and constitute a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Ore gon: Preceded. That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to impair the rights Of person or property pertaining 10 tlie Indians in said Ter rtory SC long such rights shall remain unextin- guished by treaty between tho United States and such indaDs 10 affect the authority Of the gov | ernment of the United States to make any reguil- ton respecting such Indians, oir lands property, or other rights, by treaty, law otherwise, which il would have been competent to the government to | make ii this act had never passed: Aud pr0eidsd, atSo, That the title to the land, not exceeding six hundred and forty acres, occupied mis- sonary stations among the Indian tribes in said Territory together with the improvements thereon, Dc confirmed and established n te several religious societies to which said missionary stations respec- lively belong: find prortied. arihe, That nothing in this act contained shall De construed 10 inhibt the government of the United States from dividing said Territory into two or more Territories. in such l manner and at such times as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching any por- ton Of said Territory to any other State or Terri tory of the United States.
 Sec. 3. Antd de t fartter enaetri, That tho exc cntivc power and authority in and said Ter rtory of Oregon shall be vested in governor, who shall hold his office for four years, and until his 1 eessor shall be appointed and qualified uuless sooner removed by the President of inc United States. The governor shall resie withid sai Ter rtory, shall b. commander in-chief of tho mil ia thereof, shall perform the duties and receive the 1 emoluments of superintendent of Indian affairs, he may grant pardons and respiies for offences against the laws of said Territory and reprieyes for offences against the laws of the United States un'i he deci sion Of the President can be n,ade known thereon he shall commission all officers who shall he ap- pointed 10 office under the laws of the snid Terri tory, where, by law, such commissions shall be re quired, aud shall take that the laws be faith fully executed.
 Sec. g. ind C. il fgyther Caacted That there shall bc secretary of said Territory. who shall reside therein, and hold his office for five years, unless sooner removed by tbo President of the United States; he shall record and pres rye ai the laws and proceedings of the legislative assembly hereinafter constituted and all the acts and proceedings Of ihc governor in his executive pepart,nent he shall transmit one copy of the laws and journals of the legislative assembly within thirty days after the end ot each session. and one copy of the executive pro ceedings aud official correspondence seni-annuay, on the irst day oI January and July ia each year, to the President 0f the United States and two copies Of the laws to the President of the Senate and 10 the Speaker of the House of Representatives for the use ot Congress. And iu oi the dc, th, removal, resignation or absence of the governor from the Territory, the seeratary shall be. and h is hereby authorized and required 10 execute and perform all the powers and duties Of ae governor during such vacancy or absence, or until another gov Fnor sh M be duly appointed and qualified to li such vacancy. Sec i. .5ad 6c t further enaced, That the lc.isla- tive power and authority Of said Territory shall be vested in legislative assembly. The legis- iatiye assembly shall consist of council and house of representatives. The council shatl con. sist of nine members, having the qualifications of voters as hereinafter prescribed whose term of service shall continue three years, Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence ol inc first election, they shall he divided as equally as may be into three classes. The seats of the mem- bers of council of the first class sha be vacated ut ihe expiration of the first year. of the second class the expiration of the secopd year; and ol the third class at the expiration of the third year that third may be chosen every year; and if vacancies happen by resignation otherwise, the same shall be filled at the next ensuing election The house of representatives shall at it's first session, consist of eighteen members, possessing tte saiie quaIiica- tions prescribed for members of the council, aud whose term of service shall continue one year The number oI representatives may be increlsed by the legislative assembly from time 10 time, in propor- ton to the increase of qualified voters; I'rorIded,
 
 An apportonment shall he made, as nearly equa! as pracc 1be, among the several counties districts, for the election oi the council and representatives, giving to each section of the Territory represe ton in tho ratio of it's qualified voters nearly as may be. And the members of tho cOnncil aud of the house of representatives shall reside in and be inhabitants of the district. or county, counties, for which they may be elected respectively. Preyi- ous to the first election, inc governor shall cause census or enumeration of tue inhabitants and quail fled voters of the several counties and districts of the Territory 10 be taken by such persons, anu in such mode, as the governor shall designate and ap' point; and the persons appointed shall receive reasonable compensation therefor; and the first election shall be held ut such time and places, and be conducted in sach manner, both as 10 the per sons who shall superintend such election and the returns thereof. the governor shall appoint and direct; and he shall, at the same time, declare the ! number of members of the council and house oi l representatives to which each of the counties or districts shall be entitled under this act and the governor sha.l, by his proclamation, give at leas sixty days previous notice of such apportionmeni and of the time, places, and manner of holding such election. The persons haviag the highest nambe' of legal votes in each of said council districts for members of the council shall be decisrcd by 'he governor to be duly elected to the councils and the persons having the highest number of legal votes
 for the house otfePresentatives shall be declared oy ! the governor 10 be duly elected members of said house: Pf0 ulied, That in two or more persons voted for shall have equal number of votes, ate in case vacancy shall otherwise occur, in eithel 1 branch of the legislative assembly, the govsrnol shall order new election, and the persons thu elected to the legislative assembly shall aee si sues ! place, and such day, within ninety days af,el such elections, as the governor shall appoint on thereafter, the lime. place and manner of holding and conducting all elections by ths people, and th' appoFtioning the in the severa! coln ties or districts o the council and house of repFe sentatives, according to tho number of qsaiihes voters, shall De prescribed ny law. well heaa.