United States Statutes at Large/Volume 3/14th Congress/1st Session/Chapter 155

United States Statutes at Large, Volume 3
United States Congress
Public Acts of the Fourteenth Congress, 1st Session, Chapter 155
2623351United States Statutes at Large, Volume 3 — Public Acts of the Fourteenth Congress, 1st Session, Chapter 155United States Congress


April 29, 1816.

Chap. CLV.An Act to alter certain parts of the act providing for the government of the territory of Missouri.

Act of June 4, 1812, ch. 95.
Act of March 2, 1819, ch. 49.
Electors to choose members of legislative council.
Act of June 4, 1812, ch. 95.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the electors of the territory of Missouri, entitled to vote for members of the house of representatives of the territory at the time of electing the representatives to the general assembly, shall in each county in said territory elect one member of the legislative council to serve for two years and no longer, qualified according to the provisions of the fifth section of the “Act providing for the government of the territory of Missouri,” passed June fourth, one thousand eight hundred and twelve, a majority of whom shall be a quorum, and shall possess the same powers as are granted to the legislative council by the said recited act; and in case of a vacancy of a member of the legislative council by resignation or otherwise, the governor of the territory shall issue a writ to the county to elect another person to serve the residue of the term.

Biennial meetings of the general assembly to be held at St. Louis.
Proviso.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of the eighth section of the said recited act as requires the general assembly of said territory to meet once in each year be repealed, and the said general assembly shall meet once in every other year at St. Louis, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by law appoint a different day: Provided, That the governor for the time being shall have authority by proclamation to convene the general assembly whenever he shall deem the interest of the territory may require it.

Judges of the superior court may be required by the general assembly to hold superior and circuit courts at the times and under rules to be prescribed by it.
Proviso.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the general assembly of the said territory shall be, and are hereby authorized, to require the judges of the superior court of the said territory to hold superior and circuit courts, to appoint the time and places of holding the same, and under such rules and regulations as the general assembly may in that behalf prescribe; the circuit courts shall be composed of one of the said judges, and shall have jurisdiction in all criminal cases, and exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil cases of the value of one hundred dollars, and the superior and circuit courts shall possess and exercise chancery powers as well as common law jurisdiction in all civil cases; Provided, That there shall be an appeal in matters of law and equity, in all cases from the circuit courts to the superior court of the said territory.

Repeal of parts of former acts.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That such part of the said recited acts as is repugnant to, or inconsistent with the provisions of this act, be, and the same is hereby repealed.

Approved, April 29, 1816.