The weekly Arizona miner., 1870-03-19
Arizona Affairs in Congress.
From the To. Ang,ls. Star of March s.l


 From the proceedings reported below, it will be seen tia; the affairs of the Territory are being investigated in Congress. Some time ago. a case was brought before one ef the judges of the Territory involving the le- gality of certain official acts of Governor Me CorJnick, and challenging the legality of re- cent legislation. This state of atlaIrs has at tracted the attention of Congress, and a bill has been passed by the House legalizing all acts of the Legislature. This will put a stop to a controversy which Has had a bad effect on the interests of the Territory, and we are glad to perceive that stumbling block has been removed from the path of our neigh bors Tue proceedings are copied from the | Duty Globe of February l7th:
 | MT. Cullom, from the Committee on tue ' Territories, reported back, with tbe recom- Inendation that 1t do pass, the bill (H. R. ! No. s66) to confirm the apportionment and amend certain laws of the Territory of Ari Zona.
 The bill, which was read, declares in it's 1 first section the apportonment of members ' of the Legislative Assemblies of the Terri tory of Arizona elected and convened in the ! years 1866, 1867, and 1868, made by the Gov ernor in accordance with the laws of said Territory, to'be legal and valid under the or 1 ganc act
 The second section provides that an cleo 1 ton for members of the next Legislative As sembly, for all township, county, and district officers, and for Delegate to the Forty. Sec l ond Congress of the United States. shall be held upon the Tuesday after the first Mon day of November in the year ls70 and the Governor shall order such election by procla- nation, Co be issued not less than two months previous to said day. In said proc lamation he shall declare the number of mem bers of each branch of the Legislature to which each county or district of said Terri tory shall be entitled, and such apportion- ment shall be based upon the population as | shown by the census to be taken in the year 1870 under the law of the United States, and if such census is not completed in time, then the apportionment shall be made according 10 the population as shown by the best infor- nation to bc obtained Said election shai be conducted in conformity to the laws of the Territory and of Congress, and the term of office of all township, county and district officers shall expire on the 3lst day of De- cember, 1870, and that of all such officers elected as provided in this bill shall begin on the lst day of January, 1871.
 The third section provides that the persons thus elected to the next Legislative Assem- ply shall meet at the capital on the second Wednesday in January, 1871.
 The fourth section provides that the Gov eInor shall tll by appointment all the vacan- cles m the township, county or district offices in said Territory until the 3lst day of Dc. ceInber, 16i0, and until the same time he may remove township, county, and district off. cers, and fill their places whenever in his judgment the public interest will be promot- ed thereby.
 The fifth and last section provides that jus- tices of the peace in said Territory shall not have jurisdiction of any matter in contro- yersy where the title or boundaries of land may be in dispute, or where the debt or sum claimed shall exceed $500.
 Mr. Cox. would inquire of the chair man of the Committee on the Territories, what is the necessity for the first part of thls bill, which proposes that Congress shall interfere with respect to the abportionment ot members of the Legislature g-.
 Mr. Cullom will explain the facts The Legislature of Arizona Territory passed law which authorized the Governor of the Ter ritory to make an apporponment. It has since been decided by one of the judges there that the Governor had no authority to make the apportionment; and the result Is tbat all the laws passed by tue Legislature oi Inc Territory and the tenures of all the officers ih the Territory are in doubt. As frgaEds tho officers it is a matter of doubt whether they have any legal standing or not. U IS equallya matter of doubt whether any