An Act to erect a new county out of the counties of Randolph and Johnson, 1816

Sec. 1. Be it enacted by the Legislative Council and House of Representatives of the Illinois Territory, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That all that part of the counties of Randolph and Johnson included within the following bounds to wit : Begining at the mouth of Big Muddy river and running up the same to the township line between ten and eleven ; thence east with said line to the principal meridian line running from the mouth of the Ohio river; thence north with the meridian line thirty miles; thence west twenty four miles to the corner of range between four and five west of the principal meridian line ; thence south six miles to the township corner between six and seven ; thence to the head waters of the creek called Gagnic, and down it to the Mississippi ; thence down the Mississippi to the beginning, shall be a seperate and distinct county and called and known by the name of Jackson. And for the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice for the said county, the following persons are appointed commissioners, Robert Cox, William Boon, Zephna Brooks, Jesse Griggs and James Gill, which said commissioners, or a majority of them after having been duly sworn before some judge or justice of the peace in this territory to faithfully take into consideration the situation of the settlements, the interest of the people and the eligibility of the place, shall meet on the first Monday of April next at the house of Nathan Davis, on Big Muddy, and proceed to examine and determine on the place for the seat of justice and designate the same ; Provided, the owner or owners of the land will give to the county for the purpose of erecting public buildings, a parcel of land at the said place not less than twenty acres, and laid off in lots and sold for the above purpose ; but should said owner or owners refuse to make said donation aforesaid, then and in that case it shall be the duty of the commissioners to fix upon some other place for the seat of justice, as convenient as may be to the different settlements in said county, which place when so fixed upon by the said commissioners, they shall certify under their hands and seals and return the same to the next county court in the county ; and as a compensation for said services, they shall each be allowed two dollars for every day they may be necessarily employed in fixing the aforesaid seat of justice to be paid out of the county levy, which said court shall cause an entry thereof to be made on their records; and until the public buildings shall be fixed the court shall be holden at the house of Nathan Davis, on Big Muddy river.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the said county of Jackson is allowed one representative in the House of Representatives in this territory, who shall be elected agreeably to law, and shall be entitled to all the powers, liberties, privileges and immunities allowed by law to other members of the House of Representatives.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That hereafter the counties of Randolph and Jackson, and that part of Monroe county which lies within those bounds which previous to the erection of said Monroe county made a part of Randolph, shall compose one district for the purpose of electing a member to the Legislative council, and the citizens of said county shall be entitled at any election for a member to the Legislative council to represent said district, to proceed to vote for such member ; and it shall further be the duty of the Sheriff of Jackson within ten days after the close of the said election to attend at the court house of Randolph county, with a statement of the votes, and the sheriff of Randolph county shall attend at the same time and place with the votes of his county to compare the poles of the respective counties, and join with the sheriffs of Jackson and Monroe counties in making out and delivering to the person elected a certificate of his election ; and for a failure thereof they shall forfeit and pay the sum of one hundred dollars each, to the use of the territory to be recovered by motion of the prosecuting attorney before any court having competent jurisdiction thereof.

Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said county of Jackson shall be entitled in all respects to the same previleges in the election of a delegate to congress, that, are allowed to the citizens of any other county ; and all elections are to be conducted at the same time and in the same manner as are prescribed by law. This act to commence and be in force from and after the first day of April next.

Risdon Moore, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Pierre Menard, President of the Council.

Approved, January 10, 1816. Ninian Edwards.