Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1878-05-31
Territorial Municipal Corporations.

pa' corporations ny special charters.
Delegate Jacobs of Washington Terri
tory, the people Of whose territory had
been afflicted with a conflict Of opinion
between one Of its judges, and the cor
porate authorities of one of its cities
Seattle, to have the question settled.
caused Fill to be introduced into the
Senate, explanatory of this territorial
legislative authority, and we find the
following proceedings in the Senate as
reported in the Record of the 10Th OF
April. The Interpretation of this legis
lativc authority as given by the Senate,
seems to fully sustain this authority in
the territorial legislatures. The pro.
ceedings arc as follows:
"The next bill on the Calendar was
the bill Is. No. $500 explanatory Of sec
ton 1889 of the Revised Statutes of the
United States, and to ratify and confirm
certain territorial legislation, and for
other purposes; which was considered
as in Committee of the Whole.
The bill was reported from the Com
mittee on Territories, with amendments.
The first amendment was, in line IL
of section /, after the word "them" and
before the word corporate" to inser:
''the," and after the word "krivileges,"
IN line III, to insert necessary to their
local administration" so as to read:
That the words 9Th, Legislative AS
semblies of the several Territories shall
not grant private charters or special
privileges" in section 1889 of the Re.
vised Statutes Of the United States shall
not be construed as prohibiting the
Legislative Assemblies of the several
Territories Of the United States from
creating towns. cities, or other munich.
pal corporations. and providing for the
government of the same, aud comforting
upon them the corporate powers and
privileges necessary to their local ad-
minlstration, by either general or special
acts.
The amendment was agreed to.
The next amendment was, in lue Is
of section |, after the word ''conierring"
to insert ''such," and in line l6, after
the word "same," to insert "as ncces.
sary to their local Administrations" so as
to read:
And that all general and special acts
Of such Legislative Assemblies hereto.
fore passed creating and providing for
the government of towns, cities, or other
municipal corporations. and comforting
such rights. powers, and privileges upon
the same, as were necessary to their
local administration. be, and the same
fare hereby. ratified and confirmed and
declared to be valid. any law to the con
trary Notwithstanding. subject, however,
to amendment or repeal hereafter by
such Territorial Assemblies.
The amendment was agreed to.
The next amendment was at the end
OF the next section to insert:
But nothing herein shall have the eff
feet to create any private right, except
that Of holding and executing municipal
Offices. or to divest any such right, or to
make valid or invalid any contract or
obligation heretofore made by or on be
half Of any such town, city, or other
municipal corporation, or 60 authorize
any such corporation to incur hereafter
any debt or obligation other than such
; as shall be necessary to the administra
ton Of its internal affairs.
The amendment was agreed to,
; The next amendment was to strike
out The second section, in the following
word:
Il Sec. 2. That the Legislative Asscm-
blies of the several Territories are here.
. by authorized and empowered to create
court for any town or city within such
: Territories, to be called the recorders
court Of such town or city. to provide
for the election and qualification Of the
Judges thereof, and to define the juris
diction Of such courts; Provided, Tha,
such recorders courts shall not have
jurisdiction in any case in which tho
title to land or boundary thereof shall
$ 10 any wise come in question, or wher
$ the debt or damage claimed shall ex
+ coed the sum of $500. or IL any crimi
p nal case where the charge is felony
, except for the purpose of commitment
. for trial in the district court: And pro.
. vided further. That appeal. shall lie il
!. all cases, both civil and criminal, from
!. said recorders court to the district court
: under such rules and regulations as ma,
, be prescribed by the Leg islative Assem-
r. blies Of such Territories.
: Mr.. Davis. Of Illinois. If the Sena
/. tor from Arkansas. who reported Thu
:. bill, would state the amendments, &c.
! at length, should be pleased to hea
:, him.
" Mr.. Garland. It will be observe,
> that the secord section of the origiua
:, bill gave authority to create new court
q in cities aud towns. On looking owe
n The territorial legislation of this countr
10 the committee found that the ordinsr