so formed, shall have power to nominate six persons to the President of the United States, three of whom shall be selected by him for members of the legislative council, in addition to the number which the said territory may possess, agreeably to the foregoing provisions of this section. The said legislative council and house of representatives, shall also have power to elect a delegate to Congress,A delegate to Congress. who shall, in all respects, possess the same rights and immunities as other delegates from territories of the United States.
Time at which this act shall commence and be in force, &c.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That this act shall commence and be in force, so soon as the convention, the appointment whereof has been authorized to Congress at their present session, shall have formed a constitution and state government, for that part of the Mississippi territory lying west of the territory herein described; of which act of convention the governor of the Mississippi, for the time being, shall give immediate notice to the President of the United States, who shall thereupon forthwith proceed to the execution of the powers vested in him by the second section of this act; but in case said convention shall fail to form a constitution and state government, as aforesaid, then this act shall become null and void, except so far as relates to the third section thereof, which shall take effect, and be in force, from and after the passage of this act.
Persons in office to continue, &c.Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That all persons who shall be in office, within the territory hereby established, when the said convention shall have formed a constitution and state government, as aforesaid, shall continue to hold and exercise their offices, in all respects as if this act had never been made; and the governor and secretary of the Mississippi territory, for the time being, shall continue to exercise the duties of their respective offices, in relation to the territory hereby established, until a governor and secretary shall be appointed therefor, in pursuance to this act.
Judicial process as heretofore, &c.
Act of March 1, 1817, ch. 23.Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That all judicial process in the said territory of Alabama, shall be issued, and bear test, as heretofore; nor shall any suit be discontinued, or the proceedings of any cause stayed, or in any wise affected by any thing contained in this act, entitled “An act to enable the people of the western part of the Mississippi territory to form a constitution and state government, and for the admission of such state into the union on an equal footing with the original states.”
St. Stephens the seat of government.Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the town of St. Stephens shall be the seat of government for the said Alabama territory, until it shall be otherwise ordered by the legislature thereof.
Balance in the treasury to be divided between the new state, and territory.Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That whatever balance may remain in the treasury of the Mississippi territory, at the time when the convention authorized to form a constitution and state government, for the western part of said territory, may have formed a constitution and state government for the same, shall be divided between the new state and territory, according to the amount which may have been paid into said treasury, from the counties lying within the limits of such state and territory respectively.
Approved, March 3, 1817.
Statute II.
Chap. LX.—An Act to amend and explain “An act giving pensions to the orphans and widows of persons slain in the public or private armed vessels of the United States.”
Widows, &c. of officers and men in the navy entitled to half pay for five years, &c.Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That if any officer, seaman, or marine, belonging to the navy of the United States shall die, or shall have died, since the eighteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord one
