The Governor, Secretary, Judges, Members of the Legislative Council, Justices of the Peace, and all other officers, civil and of the militia, before they enter upon the duties of their respective offices, shall take an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and for the faithful discharge of the duties of their office, before a Judge of the Supreme or District Court of the United States, or before a Judge or Justice of the Peace of the Territory. The Governor shall receive an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars; the Secretary, of one thousand five hundred; and the Judges, of fifteen hundred each; to be paid quarterly out of the Treasury of the United States. The members of the Legislative Council shall receive three dollars each per day, during their attendance in Council, and three dollars for every twenty miles in going to, and returning from, any meeting of the Legislative Council, once in each session, and no more. The members of the Legislative Council shall be privileged from arrest, except in case of treason, felony, or breaches of the peace, during their going to, attendance at, and returning from, each session of said council. Sec. 11. And be it further enacted, That the laws of the United States relating to the revenue and its collection, subject to the modification stipulated by the fifteenth article of the treaty of the twenty-second of February, one thousand eight hundred and nineteen, in favor of Spanish vessels and their cargoes, and all other public acts of the United States, not inconsistent or repugnant to the provisions of this act, now in force, or which may hereafter be in force, shall extend to, and have full force and effect in, the Territory aforesaid. Sec. 12. And be it further enacted, That to the end that the inhabitants may be protected in their liberty, property, and religion, no law shall ever be valid which shall impair, or in anywise restrain the freedom of religious opinions, professions, and worship. They shall be entitled to the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus. They shall be bailable in all cases, except for capital offences, where the proof is evident or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate and proportionate to the offence; and excessive bail shall not be required, nor cruel or unusual punishments inflicted. No ex post facto law, or law impairing the obligation of contracts, shall ever be passed; nor shall private property be taken for public uses without just compensation. Sec. 13. And be it further enacted, That all free male white persons, of full age, who are housekeepers, and who shall have resided one year in the said Territory, shall be qualified to act as grand and petit jurors in the Courts of the said Territory; and they shall, until the Legislature thereof shall otherwise direct, be selected in such manner as the Judges of the said Courts shall respectively prescribe, so as to be most conducive to an impartial trial, and be least. burthensome to the inhabitants of the said Territory. Sec. 14. And be it further enacted, That it shall not be lawful for any person or persons to import or bring into the said Territory, from any port or place without the limits of the United States, or cause or procure to be so imported or brought, or knowingly to aid or assist in so importing or bringing any slave or slaves. And any person so offending, and being thereof convicted before any Court within the said Territory, having competent jurisdiction, shall forfeit and pay for each and every slave so imported or brought, the sum of three hundred dollars, one moiety for the use of the United States, and the other moiety for the use of the person or persons who shall sue for the same; and every slave so imported or brought, shall thereupon become entitled to and receive his or her freedom. Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That the citizens of the said Territory shall be entitled to one Delegate to Congress, for the said Territory, who shall possess the same powers heretofore granted to the delegates from the other Territories of the United States: Provided, that no person shall be eligible for that office who shall not have resided at least twelve months in the said Territory. The delegate shall be elected by such description of persons, at such times, and under such regulations as the Governor and Legislative Council may from time to time ordain and direct; soldiers of the United States excepted, who shall, under no circumstances, be qualified to vote. Sec. 16. And be it further enacted, That an act entitled "An act for the establishment of a Territorial Government in Florida," be, and the same is hereby repealed, so far as the same is inconsistent with the provisions of this act; and that the proceedings of the last session of the Legislative Council of Florida shall be, and the same are hereby confirmed to remain in full force and effect, until the end of the next session of said Council, unless sooner altered, modified, or repealed, with the exception of all revenue laws imposing taxes on the inhabitants or their property, and the law authorizing the Governor to borrow five thousand dollars on the credit of the said Territory, and the law establishing County Courts, which are hereby declared null and void: Provided, that no loan of money already made or obtained under said law, shall be affected by this act, and that the act approved the second of September, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-two, by the Governor repealing all the laws and ordinances in force in the said Territory shall be, and is hereby declared to have effect on the day of its passage by the Legislative Council, and not of its approval by the Governor. Approved, March 3, 1823. Note. See the following Acts of Congress: An act to amend an act, entitled "An Act to amend an act for the establishment of a Territorial Government in Florida, and for other purposes;" Approved May 26, 1824. An Act to amend the several acts for the establishment of Territorial Government in Florida; approved May 15, 1826. An Act authorizing the Legislative Council to meet in October instead of December; and repealing the proviso in the sixth section of the act, entitled "An act to amend an act for the establishment of a Territorial Government in Florida, and for other purposes, approved March the third. one thousand eight hundred and twenty-three;" approved April 28, 1828. An Act to authorize the citizens of the Territories of Arkansas and Florida to elect their officers, and for other purposes; approved January 21, 1829. An Act to authorize the establishment of a town on land. reserved for the use of schools; and to direct the manner of disposing of certain reserved quarter sections of land for the seat of Government in Florida; approved March 2, 1829. An Act to alter the time of holding the sessions of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida; approved May 14, 1830. An Act to amend the several acts establishing a Territorial Government in Florida; approved March 22, 1832. An Act to amend the several acts for the establishment of a Territorial Government in Florida; approved July 14, 1832. An Act to equalize representation in the Territory of Florida, and for other purposes; approved June 18, 1834. An Act repealing certain acts of the Legislative Council of the Territory of Florida; approved June 30, 1834. An Act to re-organize the Legislative Council of Florida. and for other purposes; approved July 7, 1838. |