United States Statutes at Large/Volume 2/11th Congress/3rd Session/Chapter 38
Chap. XXXVIII.—An Act to extend the right of suffrage in the Indiana territory, and for other purposes.
Act of Feb. 27, 1809, ch. 19.
Act of Dec. 15, 1809, ch. 2.
Qualifications of voters.
1814, ch. 19.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That each and every free white male person, who shall have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have paid a county or territorial tax, and who shall have resided one year in said territory, previous to any general election, and be at the time of any such election a resident of said territory, shall be entitled to vote for members of the legislative council and house of representatives of the territorial legislature, and for a delegate to the Congress of the United States for said territory.
Biennial elections.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the citizens of the Indiana territory, entitled to vote for representatives to the general assembly thereof, may on the third Monday of April next, and on the third Monday of April biennially thereafter (unless the general assembly of said territory shall appoint a different day) elect one delegate for said territory to the Congress of the United States, who shall possess the same powers heretofore granted by law to the same.
Penalty of one thousand dollars for neglect or refusal of sheriffs.
1809, ch. 19.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That each and every sheriff, that now is, or hereafter may be appointed in said territory, who shall either neglect or refuse to perform the duties required by an act, entituled “An act extending the right of suffrage in the Indiana territory, and for other purposes,” passed in February, one thousand eight hundred and nine, shall be liable to a penalty of one thousand dollars, recoverable by action of debt, in any court of record, within the said territory, one half for the use of the informer, and the other for the use of the territory.
Persons holding places of profit, excluded from council, &c.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That any person holding, or who may hereafter hold, any office of profit from the governor of the Indiana territory (justices of the peace and militia officers excepted) shall be ineligible to, and disqualified to act as a member of the legislative council or house of representatives for said territory.
Sheriff to cause elections to be held under penalty of one thousand dollars.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That each and every sheriff, in each and every county, that now is or hereafter may be established in said territory, shall cause to be held the election prescribed by this act, according to the time and manner prescribed by the laws of said territory and this act, under the penalty of one thousand dollars, to be recovered in the manner and for the use pointed out by the third section of this act.
Approved, March 3, 1811.