Year: 1864

tocteHW COHSTeS".


TPUBL1c-No. 46.


AN Act to enable the people of Nebraska to


form constitution and State Government,


and for the admission of such State into


the Union on an equal footing with the


original States.


BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States
of america in C0ngress assembled, That
the inhabitants of that portion of the Terri
tory OF Nebraska included in the boundaries
hereinafter designated be and they are here
by authorized to form for themselves State
Government, with the name aforesaid, which
State, when so formed. shall be admitted in
to the Union as hereinafter provided.


Sec 2. Ind be 1t ,turther enacted, That
the said State of Nebraska shall consist of
all the territory included within the follow
ing boundaries, to wit Commencing at a
poin: formed by the intersection of the west
crn boundary of the State of Missouri with
the fortieth degree of north latitude; extend
idg thence due west along said fortieth de-
gree of north latitude to point formed by
its intersection with the twenty-fifth degree
of longitude west from Washington; thence
north along said twenty fifth degree of longi-
tudc to a point formed by its intersection
with the forty first degree of north latitude;
thence west along said forty-first degree Of
north latitude to Il point formed by its inter-
section with the twenty-seventh degree of
longitude west from Washington: thence
north along said twenty degree of
west longitude to a point formed by its in
terscction with the torty-third degrees of
north latitude; thence east along said forty
third degree of north latitude to the Reya
river: thence down the middle of the chan.
mel of said river, with its meanderings, to its
junction with the Niobrara river; thence
down the middle of the channel of said Mo-
brara river. and following the meanderngs
thereof, to its junction with the Missouri
river; thence down the middle of the chan
mel of said Missouri river, and following the
meandcrings thereof, to the place Of begin
ming


Sec. 8. Ind be Il further enacted, That
all persons qualified by law to vote for repre-
sentatives to the General Assembly of said
Territory shall be qualified to be elected and
they arc hereby authorized to vote tor and
choose representatives to form Convention,
under such rules and regulations as the Gov
crnor of said Territory may prescribe, and
also to vote upon tho acceptance or rejection
Of such constitution as may be formed by said
Convention, under such rules and regulations
as said Convention may prescribe; and if any
CT said citizens are enlisted in the army of
the United States, and are still within said
Territory, they shall be permitted to vote at
their place of rendezvous, and if any are alb
sent from said Territory. by reason of their
enlistment in the army of the United States,
they shall be permitted to vote at their place
of service, under the rules and regulations in
in each case to bo prescribed as aforesaid
and the aforesaid reprcsn ,tatives to form the
aforesaid Convention shall be appointed
among the several counties in said Territory
in proportion to the population as near as
may be- and said appointment shall be made
for said Territory by the governor, United
States district attorney, and chief justice
thereof, or any two of them. And the gov
ernor of said Territory shall, by proclama-
ton, on or before the first Monday Of May
next, order an election Of the representatives
aforesaid to be held on the first Monday in
June thereafter throughout the Territory /;
and such election shall be conducted in the
same manner as is prescribed by the laws of
said Territory regulating elections therein for
members of the House Of Representatives; /;
and the number of members To said Conven-
ton shall be the same as now constitute both
branches Of the Legislature Of tho aforesaid
Territory.


Sec. 4. Ind be IL further enacted, That
the members of the Convention thus elected
shall meet at the capitol of said Territory on
the first Monday in July next, and after or
ganization shall declare, on behalf Of the peo.
ple Of said Territory. that they adopt the
Constitution of the United States where
upon the said Convention shall be and is
hereby authorized to form constitution and
State Government: Prorided, That the
constitution when formed shall be republi-
can. and not repugnant to the Constitution of
the United States and the principles OF the
Declaration of independence: AYd procided
further, That said constitution shall provide
by an article forever irrevocablr, without the
consent of the Congress Of the United States :


First. That slavery or involuntary servi-
tude shall be forever prohibited iu said
State.


Second. That perfect liberation ofreligious
sentiment shall be secured. and 10 inhabi-
tant of said State shall ever be molested in
person or property on account of his or her
mode of ligious worship.


Third. That the people inhabiting said
Territory do agree and declar" that they for
ever dsclaim all right and title to the unap-
propriated public lands lying within said Ter
ritory, and that the same shall be and re-
main at the sole and entire disposition Of the
IY,;tod Stotos and that the lands belonging
to citizens of the United States residing with.
out tho said State shall never be taxed
higher than the land belonging to residents
thereof; and that no taxes shall be imposed