SEC. 8. Until the first census shall be taken as directed by this constitution, the county of Madison shall be entitled to one senator and three representatives; the county of St. Clair, to one senator and three representatives; the county of Bond, to one senator and one representative; the county of Washington, to one senator and one representative; the county of Monroe, to one senator and one representative; the county of Randolph, to one senator and two representatives; the county of Jackson, to one senator and one representative; the counties of Johnson and Franklin to form one senatorial district, and to be entitled to one senator, and each county to one representative; the county of Union, to one, senator and two representatives; the county of Pope, to one senator and two representatives; the county of Gallatin, to one senator and three representatives; the county of White, to one senator and three representatives; the county of Edwards, to one senator and two representatives; and the county of Crawford, to one senator and two representatives.

SEC. 9. The president of the convention shall issue writs of election, directed to the several sheriffs of the several counties, or in case of the absence or disability of any sheriff, then to the deputy sheriff, and in case of the absence or disability of the deputy sheriff, then such writ to be directed to the coroner, requiring them to cause an election to be held for governor, lieutenant-governor, representative to the present congress of the United States, and members to the general assembly, and sheriffs and coroners, in the respective counties; such election to commence on the third Thursday of September next, and to continue for that and the two succeeding days; and which election shall be conducted in the manner prescribed by the existing election laws of the Illinois territory; and the said governor, lieutenant-governor, members of the general assembly, sheriffs and coroners, then duly elected, shall continue to exercise the duties of their respective offices for the time prescribed by this constitution, and until their successor or successors are qualified, and no longer.

SEC. 10. An auditor of public accounts, an attorney general, and such other officers for the state as may be necessary, may be appointed by the general assembly; whose duties may be regulated by law. SEC. 11. It shall be the duty of the general assembly to enact such laws as may be necessary and proper to prevent the practice of duelling.

SEC, 12. All white male inhabitants above the age of twenty-one years, who shall be actual residents of this state, at the signing of this constitution, shall have a right to a vote at the election to be held on the third Thursday and the two following days of September next. SEC. 13. The seat of government for the state shall be at Kaskaskia until the general assembly shall otherwise provide. The general assembly, at their first session holden under the authority of this constitution, shall petition the congress of the United States, to grant to this state a quantity of land, to consist of not more than four, nor less

than one section, or to give to this state the right of pre-emption in the purchase of the said quantity of land. The said land to be situate on the Kaskaskia river, and as near as may be, east of the third principal meridian on said river. Should the prayer of such petition be granted, the general assembly, at their next session thereafter, shall provide for the appointment of five commissioners to make the selection of said land so granted; and shall further provide for laying out a town upon the land so selected; which town, so laid out, shall be the seat of government of this state for the term of twenty years, Should, however, the prayer of said petition not be granted, the general assembly shall have power to make such provisions for a permanent seat of government as may be necessary, and shall fix the same where they may think best.

SEC. 14. Any person of thirty years of age who is a citizen of the United States and has resided within the limits of this state two years next preceding his election, shall be eligible to the office of lieute ant-governor any thing in the thirteenth section of the third article of this constitution contained to the contrary notwithstanding.

Done in convention at Kaskaskia, the twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and of the independence of the United States of America, the forty-third.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, we have hereunto subscribed our names,

JESSE B. THOMAS, President of the convention and representative from the county of St. Clair.

WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States, in the act entitled "An act to enable the people of the Illinois 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, passed the 18th of April, 1818," have offered to this convention for their free acceptance or rejection, the following propositions, which, if accepted by the convention are to be obligatory upon the United States, viz:

1st. That section numbered sixteen in every township, and when such section has been sold, or otherwise disposed of, other lands equivalent thereto, and as contiguous as may be, shall be granted to the state for the use of the inhabitants of such township for the use of schools.

2d. That all salt springs within such state, and the lands reserved for the use of the same shall be granted to the said state for the use of the said state, and the same to be used under such terms and conditions and regulations as the legislature of said state shall direct; provided the legislature shall never sell nor lease the same for a longer period than ten years at any one time.

3d. That five per cent. of the net proceeds of the lands lying within such state, and which shall be sold by congress from and after the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, after deducting all expenses incident to the same, shall be reserved for the purposes following, viz: Two-fifths to be disbursed under the direction of congress, in making roads leading to the state; the residue to be appropriated by the legislature of the state for the encouragement of learning, of which one-sixth part shall be exclusively bestowed on a college or university.

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4th. That thirty-six sections or one entire township, which shall be designated by the president of the United States, together with the one heretofore reserved for that purpose, shall be reserved for the use of a seminary of learning, and vested in the legislature of the said state, to be appropriated solely to the use of such seminary by the said legislature."

And whereas, the four foregoing propositions are offered on the condition that this convention shall provide by ordinance, irrevocable without the consent of the United States, that every and each tract of land sold by the United States, from and after the first day of January, 1819, shall remain exempt from any tax laid by order, or under the authority of the state, whether for state, county or township, or any other purpose whatever, for the term of five years, from and after the day of sale. And further, that the bounty lands granted, or hereafter to be granted for military services during the late war, shall, while they continue to be held by the patentees or their heirs, remain exempt as aforesaid from all taxes for the term of three years from and after the date of the patents respectively; and that all the lands belonging to the citizens of the United States, residing without the said state shall never be taxed higher than lands belonging to persons residing therein.

Therefore, this convention, on behalf of, and by the authority of the people of the state, do accept of the foregoing propositions; and do further ordain and declare, that every and each tract of land sold by the United States, from and after the first day of January, 1819, shall remain exempt from any tax laid by order, or under any authority of the state, whether for state, county or township, or any purpose whatever, for the term of five years from and after the day of sale. And that the bounty lands granted, or hereafter to be granted, for military services during the late war, shall, while they continue to be held by the patentees or their heirs, remain exempt, as aforesaid, from all taxes for the term of three years from and after the date of the patents respectively; and that all the lands belonging to the citizens of the United States, residing without the said state, shall never be taxed higher than lands belonging to persons residing therein. And this convention do further ordain and declare, that the foregoing ordinance shall not be revoked without the consent of the United States.

Done in convention at Kaskaskia, the twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, and of the independence of the United States of America, the forty-third.

JESSE B. THOMAS, President of the Convention..

For the government of the territory of the United States north-west of the river Ohio.

Be it ordained by the United States in congress assembled, That the said territory, for the purposes of temporary government, be one district; subject, however, to be divided into two districts, as future circumstances may, in the opinion of congress, make it expedient.

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the estates both of resident and non-resident proprietors in the said territory, dying intestate, shall descend to, and be distributed among their children, and the descendants of a deceased child, in equal parts, the descendants of a deceased child or grand child to take the share of their deceased parent in equal parts among them: and where there shall be no children or descendants, then in equal parts to the next of kin, in equal degree; and among collaterals, the children of a deceased brother or sister of the intestate shall have, in equal parts among them, their deceased parent's share; and there shall, in no case, be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half blood; saving in all cases to the widow of the intestate, her third part of the real estate for life, and one third part of the personal estate; and this law relative to descents and dower, shall remain in full force until altered by the legislature of the district. And until the governor and judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter mentioned, estates in the said territory may be devised or bequeathed by wills in. writing, signed and sealed by him or her, in whom the estate may be, (being of full age,) and attested by three witnesses; and real estates may be conveyed by lease and release, or bargain and sale, signed, sealed. and delivered, by the person, being of full age, in whom the estate may be, and attested by two witnesses, provided such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances be acknowledged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within one year after proper magistrates, courts, and registers, shall be appointed for that purpose; and personal property may be transferred by delivery; saving, however, to the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, Saint Vincents, and the neighboring villages, who have heretofore professed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among them, relative to the descent and conveyance of property.

Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be ap pointed, from time to time, by congress, a governor, whose commission shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner revoked by congress: he shall reside in the district, and have a freehold estate therein, in one thousand acres of land, while in the exercise of his office.

There shall be appointed, from time to time, by congress, a secrc