Be it enacted, &c., That the President of the United States be and he is hereby authorized to establish within the Territory of Orleans, a government in all respects similar (except as is herein otherwise provided) to that now exercised in the Mississippi Territory, and shall, in the recess of the Senate, but to be nominated at their next meeting, for their advice and consent, appoint all the officers necessary therein, in conformity with the ordinance of Congress, made on the 20th day of July, 1787, and that from and after the establishment of the said government, the inhabitants of the Territory of Orleans shall be entitled to and enjoy all the rights, privileges, and advantages, secured by the said ordinance, and now enjoyed by the people of the Mississippi Territory.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That so much of the said ordinance of Congress as relates to the organization of a General Assembly, and prescribes the power thereof, shall, from and after the —— day of —— next, be in force in the said Territory of Orleans; and in order to carry the same into operation, the Governor of the said Territory shall cause to be elected twenty-five representatives, for which purpose he shall lay off the said Territory into convenient election districts, on or before the —— day of —— next, and give due notice thereof throughout the same and first appoint the most convenient place, within each of the said districts, for holding the elections; and shall nominate a proper officer or officers to preside at and conduct the same, and to return to him the names of the persons who may have been duly elected. All subsequent elections shall be regulated by the Legislature; and the number of representatives shall be determined, and the apportionment made in the manner prescribed by the said ordinance.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the representatives to be chosen as aforesaid, shall be convened by the Governor, in the city of Orleans, on the —— day of —— next. The General Assembly shall meet at least once in every year, and such meeting shall be on the —— Monday in —— annually, unless they shall by law appoint a different day. Neither House, during the session, shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other place than that in which the two branches are sitting.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the laws in force in the said Territory, at the commencement of this act, and not inconsistent with the provisions thereof, shall continue in force, until altered, modified, or repealed by the Legislature.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That the second paragraph of the said ordinance, which regulates the descent and distribution of estates; and also the sixth article of compact which is annexed to and makes part of said ordinance, are hereby declared not to extend to, but are excluded from all operation within the said Territory of Orleans.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That the Governor, Secretary, and Judges, to be appointed by virtue of this act, shall be severally allowed the same compensation which is now allowed to the Governor, Secretary, and Judges, of the Territory of Orleans. And all the additional officers authorized by this act shall respectively receive the same compensations for their services, as are by law established for similar offices in the Mississippi Territory, to be paid quarterly out of the revenues of import and tonnage, accruing within the said Territory of Orleans.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That whenever it shall be ascertained by an actual census or enumeration of the inhabitants of the Territory of Orleans, taken by proper authority, that the number of inhabitants included therein shall amount to at least —— thousand souls, which shall be determined by adding to the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons, the inhabitants of the said Territory, upon application to Congress for that purpose, and upon producing satisfactory proof that the number of souls included therein, ascertained as aforesaid, does actually amount to at least —— thousand, shall thereupon be authorized to form for themselves a constitution and State government, and be admitted into the Union upon the footing of the original States, in all respects whatever, conformably to the provisions of the third article of the Treaty concluded at Paris, on the 30th of April, 1803, between the United States and the French Republic: Provided, That the constitution so to be established, shall be republican, and not inconsistent with the Constitution of the United States, nor inconsistent with the ordinance of the late Congress, passed the 13th day of July, 1787, so far as the same is made applicable to the Territorial government hereby authorized to be established: Provided, however, That Congress shall be at liberty, at any time prior to the admission of the inhabitants of the said Territory to the rights of a separate State, to alter the boundaries thereof as they may judge proper: except only, that no alteration shall be made which shall procrastinate the period for the admission of the inhabitants thereof to the rights of a State Government, according to the provision of this act.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That so much of an act entitled, “An act erecting Louisiana into two Territories, and providing for the temporary government thereof,” as is repugnant with this act, shall, from and after the —— day of —— next, be repealed.