AN ACT

TO PROVIDE

A GOVERNMENT FOR THE DISTRICT OF

COLUMBIA.

TERRITORIAL SCOPE OF THE ACT.

(General Clause 1.)

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives Enacting clause. of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all that part of the territory of the United States included within the limits of the District of Columbia* be, and the same is hereby, created into a government by the name of the District of Columbia.

(General Clause 2.)

Name of territory included in the act.

Municipal charac

By which name it is hereby constituted a body corpo- ter defined. rate, for municipal purposes, and may contract and be contracted with, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, have a seal, and exercise all other powers of a municipal corporation not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United States and the provisions of this act.

* Congress shall have power to exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular States and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of government of the United States.-[Extract from sec. 8 of the Federal Constitution.]

The jurisdiction of the United States over the District of Columbia vested on the first Monday of December, 1800.-[U. S. vs. Hammond, 1st Cranch C. C. Reports, 15.]

Alexandria and that portion of Virginia originally included in the area of the District of Columbia was authorized to be retroceded to Virginia by Congress in 1846.-[Vide 9th vol. U. S. Statutes-at-Large, chap. XXXV, page 35-Act of 1st sess. 29th Cong., Approved July 9,

1846.]

The retrocession of Alexandria to Virginia was consummated, and dates from the 7th day of September, A. D. 1846.-[Vide Proclamation of President JAMES K. POLK announcing the same—No. 3 Appendix to 9th rol. U. S. Statutes-at-Large, p. 1000.]

The Governorhow appointed.

THE EXECUTIVE POWER-HOW VESTED AND CARRIED
INTO EFFECT.

THE GOVERNOR OF THE DISTRICT.

(General Clause 3.)

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the executive power and authority in and over said District of Columbia shall be vested in a Governor, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Term of his office. Senate, and who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified.

His eligibility.

His power as to pardons and respites.

His obligations as

to elected and ap

(General Clause 4.)

The Governor shall be a citizen of, and shall have residence within, said District twelve months before his appointment, and have the qualifications of an elector.

(General Clause 5.)

He may grant pardons and respites for offences against the laws of said District enacted by the Legislative Assembly thereof.

(General Clause 6.)

He shall commission all officers who shall be elected or pointed officers, and appointed to office under the laws of the said District enacted as aforesaid, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

execution of the laws.

His duty as to the reception from, and return of

ments to, the Legis

(General Clause 7.)

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That every bill which enact shall have passed the Council and House of Delegates lative body of the shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the Governor of the District of Columbia; if he approve, he shall

District.

bills.

His objections to sign it, but if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it shall have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it.

When Legislature may ignore his objections.

(General Clause 8.)

If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of all the members appointed or elected to the house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be considered,

and if approved by two-thirds of all the members appointed or elected to that house, it shall become a law. But, in all such cases, the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the Journal of each house respectively.

(General Clause 9.)

Bill to become a law if not returned

in ten days after

presentation to Gov

If any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if ernor. he had signed it, unless the Legislative Assembly by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

THE SECRETARY OF THE DISTRICT.

HIS QUALIFICATIONS-POWERS-DUTIES-TENURE OF OFFICE.

(General Clause 10.)

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a Secretary of said District, who shall reside therein, and possess the qualifications of an be a voter in the elector, and shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified.

(General Clause 11.)

Must reside and

District.
Term of his office.

To record proceedture and acts of the

ings of the Legisla

Governor.

He shall record and preserve all laws and proceedings. of the Legislative Assembly hereinafter constituted, and all the acts and proceedings of the Governor in his Executive Department; he shall transmit one copy of the laws and Journals of the Legislative Assembly within thirty days after the end of each session, and one copy of the Executive proceedings and official correspondence semi-annually on the first days of January and July in each year, to the supply copies President of the United States, and four copies of the

laws to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, for the use of Congress.

(General Clause 12.)

And in the case of the death, removal, resignation, disability, or absence of the Governor from the District, the

To

of laws and acts of Governor to the

President and to the

Senate and House of
Representatives.

in case of vacancy

full powers.

To act as Governor Secretary shall be, and he is hereby, authorized and rein that office with quired to execute and perform all the powers and duties. of the Governor, during such vacancy, disability, or absence, or until another Governor shall be duly appointed and qualified to fill such vacancy.

When offices of

Governor and Secre

who to perform duties of.

(General Clause 13.)

And in case the offices of Governor and Secretary shall tary become vacant both become vacant, the powers, duties, and emoluments of the office of the Governor shall devolve upon the presiding officer of the Council, and in case that office shall also be vacant, upon the presiding officer of the House of Delegates, until the office shall be filled by a new appointment.

THE LEGISLATIVE POWER-HOW VESTED-ITS OPERA-
TION AND EFFECT.

THE ASSEMBLY-COUNCIL AND HOUSE OF DELEGATES.

The Legislaturehow composed.

(General Clause 14.)

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That legislative power and authority in said District shall be vested in a Legislative Assembly, as hereinafter provided.

(General Clause 15.)

The Assembly and House of Delegates.

The Assembly shall consist of a Council and House of Delegates.

The Council-how

composed. Qualifi

7

(General Clause 16.)

The Council shall consist of eleven members, of whom cations of members. two shall be residents of the city of Georgetown, and two residents of the county outside of the cities of Washington and Georgetown, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, who shall have the qualification of voters as hereinafter prescribed, five of whom shall be first appointed for the term of one year, and six for the period of two years, provided that all subsequent appointments shall be for the term of two years.

Term of office.