United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/10th Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 19
Chap. XIX.—An Act extending the right of suffrage in the Indiana territory, and for other purposes.[1]
Delegates to Congress, by whom to be elected, and when.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the citizens of the Indiana territory, entitled to vote for representatives to the general assembly thereof, shall, at the time of electing their representatives to the said general assembly, also elect one delegate from the said territory to the Congress of the United States, who shall possess the same powers heretofore1809, ch. 13. granted to the delegates from the several territories of the United States: any thing in the ordinance for the government of the said territory to the contrary notwithstanding.
Returns of the election, how to be made.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the sheriffs of the several counties which now are, or may hereafter be established in the said territory respectively, shall, within forty days next after an election for a delegate to Congress, transmit to the secretary of the territory a certified copy of the returns from the several townships in their counties respectively. And it shall be the duty of the governor, for the time being, to give to the person having the greatest number of votes, a certificate of his election.
Representatives to the legislative council, how to be chosen.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That so soon as the governor of the said territory shall divide the same into five districts, the citizens thereof entitled to vote for representatives to the said general assembly, shall, in each of the said districts, elect one member of the legislative council, who shall possess the same powers heretofore granted to the legislative council in the said territory, and shall hold their offices four years, and no longer; any thing in the ordinance for the government of the said territory to the contrary notwithstanding.
General assembly to apportion the representatives.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the general assembly of the said territory shall have power to apportion the representatives of the several counties therein, or which may hereafter be established therein, according to the number of free white male inhabitants, above the age of twenty-one years, in such counties:Proviso. Provided, that there be not more than twelve, nor less than nine, of the whole number of representatives; any act or acts to the contrary notwithstanding, until there shall be six thousand free white male inhabitants, above the age of twenty-one years, in said territory; after which time the number of representatives shall be regulated agreeably to the ordinance for the government thereof.
Approved, February 27, 1809.
- ↑ See notes to act of February 3, 1809, chap. 13.