Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-01-29

printed, and referred to Committee on Ter
r~itories:
4 BILL.
To establish a territorial government in
each of the districts of country embraced
within the limits of the recent States of
South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia,
Florida. Alabama, Mississippi, LOuisi-
ana, Texas, Arkansas, and Tennessee,
and for other purposes.
Whereas instructions have arisen in
that part of the United States heretofore
knolgn as the States of South Carolina,
North "a rolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
M;ssissippi. Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas,
and Tennessee. which have, by violence,
overthrow the cons itutional State gov
ernments therein: and whereas eombina-
tons Of persons in said States are in open
revolt against the Constitution OF the
United States, and are making war on the
government thereof; aud whereas the lpyaI
citizens of the United States residing in
said districts, and in other parts of the
United States, on account of the overthrow
of the State governments, and the tribunals
Of Justice, buth State and federal, are de-
prived of all adequate legal redress for in
jnries to their person and property, and
are deprived of all civil remedies for the
redress of grievances: Therefore.
BE it enacted By tile SeRote and House
Of Representatives. Of the United States Of
america III Congress assembled, That
the President be, and he is hereby, author
lied and required to take possession of
said districts, and establish and protect,
with the military and naval forces Of the
United States, a territorial government in
each, as hereinafter provided, as soon after
the passage of This act as in his judgement
it is practicable.
SEC. 2. ARd be 1t further enacted-
That the territorial government hereby
authorized for each of said districts, when
instituted by the President, shall consist
of an executive, a le ~islItive, and a Judi
cial Department. The executive power of
each shall be vested in a governor, who
shall reside at the seat of government es-
tablished in his district, and hold his Office
during the term of four years, unless o
removed by the President; he shall be
commander-in-chief of the militia of his
district, shall have power to grant pardons
for offences against said territorial govern
ment and to appoint and commission all
officers, civil or military. whose appoint
monts are not herein otherwise provided
fer, and which shall be established by law;
he shall take clre that the laws are faith
fully executed.
SEC. 8 Aad Je It further enacted,-
That there shall be a secretary of each of
said districts, who shall reside therein and
hold his Office for four years, unless sooner
removed by the President; he shall record
aud preserve all laws and proceedings OF
the legislative council hereinafter constitu
ted, and all the acts and proceedings Of
the governor in his executive department;
and shall transmit one cory of the laws
and journals of the legislative council with
in sixty days from and after the end of
each session, and one copy Of the executive
proceedings and official correspondence,
annually, % the. first day of January of
each wear. to the President of the United
States, and two copies of the laws to the
President of the Senate and to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives for the use
of their respective houses; and n case Of
the death, removal, resignation, of the gov
ernor from the district, the secretary shall
be, and be is hereby, empowered to perform
all the duties of governor during such va
ca ncy or absence, or until another governor
shall be duly appointed and qualified tOfi
such vacancy.
SEC. 4. And be IL further enacted
That the legislative authority of each Of
said districts shall be vested in the gov
ernor and twenty-five male citizens of the
United States AMI inhabitants of said dis
trict, to be called the legislative council.
and who shall be appointed by the Presi-
dent Of the United States, until otherwise
directed by Congress, and hold their Office
for three years and until their successors
are appointed and qualified, unless removed
by the President for cause. In "a e of a
vacancy in said council, from any cause.
the same shall be filed by the governor.
and 4 majority of said council from the
persons whom the President may appoint;
but no person shall be appointed by the
President or by the governor and council
who, at the time Of his appointment, shall
hold any Office under the government here
by established, or the government of the
United States; The members of the leeis-
l1tivc council shall assemble. in the first
instance. at such time and place in their
respective districts as the President of the
United States shall designate, and after
wards at such time ard place as may be
fixed by law By the legislative authority
of the district, and from their number
elect a speaker who shall preside over
said council; and they may also elect a
clerk and sergeant-at-a arms, who shall hold
their Office for three years, and who hal
perform the usual duties of such officers;
and such clerk ard sergeant-at-arms may
be allowed such number of assistants, as,
in the opinion of said council, may be
necessary for them to discharge efficiently
their respective duties. The pay of the
said members of the council shall be four
dollars per day for the time the council
shall be in session; and the compensation
of the clerk and sergeant-at-arms and their
assistants shall be such as the legislative
authority may provide by law. The gov
ernor, by and with the advice and consent
of said legislative council. or a maj )rity of
them, shall have power to enact, modify.
OF repeal any law pertaining to rightful
subjects of Legislation not inconsistent
with the Constitution and laws of the
United States, or the provisions of this act
The governor shall cause to be published.
as extensively as is practicable throughout
his district, all laws which shall be made,
and shall annually, on or before the first
day of January of each year, report the
same to the President of the United States.
to be by him laid before Conoress e HIGH