Washington sentinel., 1854-01-10
A BILL TO ORGANIZE THE TERRI
TORY OF NEBRASKA.

| of the United States included within the following
limits, except such portions thereof as are herein
after expressly exempted from the operations OF
| this act, 10 wit: Beginning al the southwest cor
4 ner Of the State of Missouri, thence running west
on the line of thirty-six degrees and thirty minutes
| of north latitude until it intersecs the one hun
| dred and third meredan OF longitude west OF
| Greenwich; thence north, on the said meridian,
until IL ntersects the thrtyeghth parallel OF north
| latitude; thence west, on the.sad parallel of lati-
tude 10 the summit of the Rocky Mountains; /;
1 thence northward along and upon the summit
Of said range Of mountains 10 the forty y-ninth par
/ allel of North latitude, thence eastward on said
parallel 10 the western boundary of the Terri
/ tory OF Minnesota; thence southwark, on and
with said boundary, to the Missouri river thence
i down The centre of the main channel of said river
| TO the State of Missouri thence south, on and
| with the western boundary of said State TO the
| place OF beginning, be aud the same is hereby
created into temporary government by the name
\ of the Territory OF Nebraska, and when admitted
| as State or States, the saaf-Territory, any
portion OF the same, shall be received into the
| Union with or without slavery, as their const-
| tuition may prescribe al the time of their admis
sion. Prociaed, That nothing in this act contained
| shall be construed 10 nhibit the government OF
/ the United States from dividing said Territory into
two or more Territories in such manner and al
| such times as Congress shall deem convenient
| and proper, or from attaching any portion OF said
Territory 10 any other State or Territory of the
| United States. Proridca further, That nothing in
tiS act Sliull De the
| rights OF person or property now pertaining to the
Indians i'll said Territory. so long as such rights
| shall remain uneXtinguished by treaty between
the Y nited States ana such indians, to include
any Territory which, by treaty with any Indian
tribe, is not without the consent OF said tribe TO
be included within the territorial limits or jursdic
| tion OF any State or Territory; but all such Ter
ritory shall be excepted out Of the boundaries and
| constitute no part Of the Territory of Nebraska
until said tribe shall signify their assent to the
President of the United Sinfes IN bn I'M luda oil
| within the said Territory of Nebraska or 10 ac
feet the authority of the government of the United
States 10 make any regulation respecting such
Indians, their lands, property, or other rights, by
| treaty. law, or otherwise, which il wonld have
been competent to the government to make if this
| act had never passed.
| SEC. 2. Aad be a further enacted That the ex-
ecutive power and authority in and over said Ter
ritory OF Nebraska shall be vested in governor,
who shall hold his Office for four years and until
| his successor shall be appointed and qualified un-
| less sooner removed by the President of the Uni
| ted States. The governor shall reside within said
Territory, shall be chief the militia
| thereof shall perform the duties and receive the
emoluments of superintendent Of Indian affairs,
and shall approve all laws passed by the legisla-
tive assembly before they shall take effect he
may grant pardons and respites for offences against
the laws of said Territory, and reprieves for Of
fences against the laws of the United States until
the decision the President can be made known
| thereon: he shall commission oil officers who
shall be appointed TO office under the laws OF the
| the said Territory, and shall take care that The
i laws shall be faithfully executed
| SEC. 3. ind be nJnrther enacted That there shall
be secretary of said Territory, who shall reside
therein, and hold his Office for five wears unless
| sooner removed by the President of the United
States: he shall record and preserve all the laws
and proceedings of the Legislative assembly here
inafter constituted, and al the acts and proceed
Jugs OF the governor in his executive department
| he shall transmit enc copy of the laws and Jour-
mails of the legislative assembly within thirty days
after the end Of each session, and one copy of the
executive proceedings and official correspondence
semi-annuay. on the first days Of January and
July in each year, to the President OF the United
States, and two copies Of the laws 10 the President
| of the Senate and 10 the Speaker of the House of
Representatives. for the use of Congress. And in
case oftha death, removal resignation or absence
of the governor from the Territory, the secretary
shall be, and he is hereby, authorized and required
10 execute and perform all The powers and duties
| Of the governor during such vacancy or absence,
or until another governor shall be duly appointed
and qualified TO fiji such vacancy
SEC A. And be it further enacted That the legis-
lative power and authority of said Territory shall
| be vested in the governor and legislative assem-
| bly,. The Legislative assembly shall consist of a
council and house of representatives. The coun.
| Gil shall consist of thirteen members having the
qualifications OF voters, as hereinafter prescribed
| whose term of service shall continue two wears
The house OF representatives. shall, at its first ses
sloH, CONSIST OI tWcnty-SfX members, possessing
| the same qualifications prescribed for members
| OF the councils and whose term Of service shall
continue one year. The number of represen nta-
| tves may be increased by the Legislative assem-
| bly,, from time to time, in proportion to the in.
| crease of qualified voters Provided That the
whole number shall never exceed .hirtynne. An
| apportonment shall be made, as nearly equal as
practicable, among the several counties or dis
tricts for the election Of the council and represen-
atyes. giving to each section of the Territory rep
| ofin IN fbar rotir rc ,ta
| nearly as may be. And the members Of the co,,n-
Gil and Of the house Of representatives shall reside
| in, and be inhabitants of, the district or county,
! or counties, for which they may be elected, re-
| spectvely. Previous TO the first election, the
! governor shall cause a census enumeration OF
the inhabitants and qualified voters Of the several
counties and districts of the Territory to be taken
by such persons, and in such mode, as the COVER
nor shall designate and appoint; and the persons
! so appointed shall receive reasonable compen-
sation therefor And the first election shall be
held at such time and places, and be conducted in
such manner, both as to the persons who shall SUI
perintend such election and the returns thereof as
the governor shall appoint and direct and he shall
AT the same time declare the number OF members Of
The council and house of representatives to which
each OF the counties or districts shall he entitled
under this act The persons having the highest
number of legal votes in each of said council dis
tricts for members Of the council shall be declared
by the governor to be duly elected to the council
and the persons having the highest number OF
legal votes for the house of representatives shall
be declared by the governor to be duly elected
members Of said house: Prorided That in case
two or more persons voted for shall have an equal
| number of votes, and in case vacancy shall
otherwise occur in either branch of the legislative
assembly, the governor shall ordera new election
and the persons thus elected TO the legislative as
sembIy shall meet at such place. and on such day,
as the governor shall appoint; but thereafter the
time, place, and manner Of holding and conducting
all elections by the people, and the apportioning
| the representation in the several counties or dis.
trcts 10 the council and house of representatives.
according 10 the number Of qualified voters, shall
be prescribed by law, as well as the day of the
commencement of the regular sessions of the
legislative assembly: Prorided That no session in
any one year shall exceed the term of forty days,
except the first session, which may continue sixty
days,
SEC. ). And BE- n further enacted, That every
free white male inhabitant above the age of TWEEN.
tY-Onr Nyhn shall I've al