New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-06
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
Passed at the Third Session of the Forty
First Congress.
IGENERAL NATURE-No. 81


of America in Congress assembled, That
all that part of the territory OF
the United States included within
the limits of the District of Columbia
be, and the same is hereby, created into a
government by the name of the District OF
Columbia, by which name it is hereby con-
stituted a body corporate for municipal pur-
poses, and may contract and be contracted
| with, sue and be sued, plead and be I'M
pleaded, have a SEAL and exercise all other
| powers of municipal corporation not in
| consistent with the constitution and the
| laws of the United States and the prOvi-
sions of this act
SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That
| the executive power and authority In
and over said District of Columbia shall be
vested in a governor, who shall be APP
pointed by the President, by and with the
| advice and consent of the Senate, and who
shall hold his office for four years, and until
his successor shall be appointed and quail
fed. The governor shall be citizen of
and shall have resided within said District
twelve months before his appointment, and
have the qualifications of an elector. He
may grant pardons and respites for otfenses
against the laws of said District enacted by
the legislative assembly thereof; he shall
commission all officers who shall be elected
or appointed to office under the laws of said
District enacted as aforesaid and shall take
care that the laws be faithfully executed.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That
every bill which shall have passed the coun-
Gil and house of delegates shall, before it
becomes law, be presented to the COVER
nor of the District of Columbia; if he ap-
prove, he shall sign it, but if not, he shall
return it, with his objections. to the house
in which it shall have originated, who shall
enter the objections at large on their jour
nal and proceed to reconsider it. If, after
such reconsideration, two-thirds of all the
members appointed or elected to the house
shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent,
together with the objections, to the other
house, by which it shall likewise be recon
sidered, and if approved by two-thirds of all
the members appointed or elected to that
house, it shall become a law. But in all such
cases the votes of both houses shall be deter
mined by yeas and nays, and the names of
the persons voting for and against the bill
shall be entered on the journal of each
house respectively. If any bill shall not be
returned by the governor within ten days
Sundays excepted) after it shall have been
presented tO-him, the same shall be law in
like manner as if he had signed it, unless
the legislative assembly, by their adjourn
ment, prevent its return, in which case it
shall not be a law.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That
there shall be appointed by the President,
by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, secretary of said District, who
shall reside therein and possess the uualif-
cation of an electOr, and shall hold his office
for four years, and until his successor shall
be appointed and qualified he shall record
and preserve all laws and proceedings of
the legislative assembly hereinafter con-
stituted, and all the acts and proceedings of
the governor in his executive department; he
shall transmit one copy of the laws and
journals of the legislative assembly within
thirty days after theend ofeach session, and
one copy of the executive proceedings
and official correspondence semi-annually,
on the first days of January and July in
each year. to the President of the United
States, and four copies of the laws to the
President of the Senate and to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, for the use
of Congress; and in case of the death, re-
moval, resignation, disability, or absence,
of the governor from the District, the secre-
tary shall be- and he is hereby, authorized
and required to execute and perform all the
powers and duties of the governor during
such vacancy, disability, or absence, or I'M
til another governor shall be duly appointed
and qualified to fill such vacancy. And in
case the offices of governor and secretary
shall both become vacant, the powers, du-
ties and emOluments of the Office of gov
ernor shall devolve upon the presiding Off
Ger of the council and in case that office
shall also be vacant, upon the presiding
officer of the house of delegates, until the
office shall be filled by new appointment.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That |
legislative power and authority in said
District shall be vested in a legislative as
sembly as hereinafter provided. The assem-
bly, shall consist of a council and a house of |
delegates. The council shall consist of |
- IL
dents of the city of Georgetown, and two |
residents of the county outside of the cities
of Washington and Georgetown, who shall |
be appointed by the President, by and with |
the advice and consent of the Senate, who |
shall have the qualification of voters as here
matter prescribed, five of whom shall be |
irst appointed for the term of one
year, and six for the period of |
Two years, provided that all subsequent |
shall be for the term
If two years. The house of delegates shall
consist of twenty-five members, possessing
he same qualifications as prescribed for the
members of the council, whose term of SER
nee shall continue one year. An appOr-
ionment shall be made, as nearly equal
Is practicable, into eleven districts for the
appointment of the council, and into twenty
wo districts for the election of delegates,
giving to each section of the District repre-
|
nearly as may be. And the members of the
council and of the house of delegates shall
'eside in and be inhabitants of the districts
rom which they are appointed or elected,
For the purposes of the first
election to be held under this act, the gov
rnor and judges of the supreme court of the
District of Columbia shall designate the dis
riots for members of the house of delegates,
4ppoint board of registration and persons
ctrna init md fln oil ot,d tIa, |
hereof, prescribe the time places and man
Ter Of conducting such election, and make
il needful rules and regulations for carry
ng into effect the provisions of this act not
otherwise herein provided for; provided,
hat the first election shall be held within
ixty days from the passage of this
sot. In the first and all subsequent
)ections the persons having the high
st number of legal votes for the house
~ the governor duly elected members of
aid house. In case two or more persons
Toted for shall have an equal number of
7Otes for the same Office, or if a vacancy
hall occur in the house of delegates, the
governor shall order new election. And
he persons thus appoin ted and elected to
he legislative assembly shall meet at such
irne and at such place within the District
IS the governor shall appoint; but there
4tter the time, place and manner % holding
md conducting all elections by the people,
md the formation of the districts for mem
,ers of the council and house of delegates,
hall be prescribed by law, as well as the
lay OF the commencement of the regular
essions of the legislative assembly; pro-
ided, that no session in any one year shall
xceed the term of sixty days, except the
rst session, which may continue one hun
red days.
SEC. s. And be it further enacted, That
ha legislative assembly shaN hnrn rnrnr |