Section 1 ^st Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly. That all that tract of country within the following boundaries To wit beginning at the North West Corner of Section numbered Eighteen in Township numbered Twenty-one ^North^ in Range numbered One West of the 3^rd principal Merridian and running thence East on the Section lines to the North East corner of Section numbered Thirteen in Township numbered Twenty-one North in Range numbered Six East, Thence South on the Range line between Ranges Six and Seven to the Township line between Townships numbered Eighteen and Nineteen North, Thence West on the last mentioned Township line to the 3^rd principal Merridian, Thence North on Said Merridian line to the Township line between Township numbered Twenty and Twenty-one North, Thence West on said last mentioned Township line to the Range line between Ranges numbered One and Two West, and Thence North on said last mentioned Range line to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new County to be called the County of De Witt.

Section 2nd. For the purpose of permanently establishing the seat of Justice of said County the legal voters thereof shall meet at the several places of holding elections for Representatives and Senators in said County hereby created, on the first Monday in May next, and proceed to vote for the following points To wit The Towns of Clinton and Marrion of said

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County, and the place of receiving the largest number of votes given shall be the established seat of Justice of said County

Section 3^rd The legal voters of said County shall at the same time and places above specified elect one Sheriff, one Coroner, one Recorder, one County Treasurer, one Probate Justice, one Clerk of the County Commissioners Court, and Three County Commissioners, who shall hold their offices until the next succeeding general election, and untill their successors are elected and qualified, which said elections shall be conducted in all respects agreeable to the provisions of the laws regulating elections

Section 4^th It shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of said County to give at least Thirty days notice of the time and places of holding said elections above provided for by posting up notices thereof at at least six public places in the County and the returns of said election shall be made to said Clerk who gave the notice as aforesaid and by him in presence of one or more Justices of the Peace shall be opened and examined, and they jointly shall give to the persons elected County Commissioners’ Certificates of their election, and shall transmit abstracts of the election for the County officers to the Secretary of State as now required by law. It shall further be the duty of said Clerk and Justice or Justices of the Peace as the case may be, to furnish the Clerk of the County Commissioners Court with an abstract of the votes given for the seat of Justice of said County, which said abstract shall be recorded in the Record of the proceedings of said Commissioners Court and shall for ever exist as evidence of the established seat of Jus-

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tice of said County.

Section 5^th For the purpose of holding said election it shall be the duty of the present Judges of election embraced within the limits of said County to act as Judges of the same; Provided however that should said Judges decline acting, or be absent on the day of election, the qualified voters present may elect from among their own numbers three qualified voters to act as Judges of said election, who shall have power to appoint Two persons to act as clerks, as in other cases.

Section 6^th The present Justices of the Peace and Constables, embraced within the limits of said County, shall be and are hereby continued in office as Justices and Constables of said County of De Witt until the next regular election of Justices of the Peace and other County Officers.

Section 7^th The Proprietor or proprietors of the Town where the County Seat may be located as aforesaid shall donate the sum of Two thousand Dollars, payable within a period not less than Twelve nor more than Twenty-four months, from the time said location shall be made; or in lieu thereof at their discretion, shall grant and convey by good and sufficient warrantee deeds, Town Lots, or other lands situated at or about the Town where the County seat shall be so located; the aggrigate value of which shall not be less than Two thousand Dollars, to be appraised by Three disinterested free holders, to be mutually agreed upon by the Proprietor or Proprietors of said Town and the County Commissioners of said County, provided said Proprietor or Proprietors and the

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County Commissioners of said County cannot agree upon the value of the same; Provided however, and said donations or grants are upon this express condition that the Court House and Public Offices of said County shall be erected on the present established Public Square of the Town in which the County Seat may be located.

Section 8^th It shall be the duty of the County Commissioners Court at as early a period as practicable to appropriate said Two thousand Dollars so donated as aforesaid, or the proceeds of said Real Estate, granted as aforesaid, as the sale may be, in the erection of a Court House or other necessary public buildings; for which purpose, should the donations be consist of Real Estate the County Commissioners shall have power to dispose of said Real Estate in such manner and upon such terms as they may deem most consistent with the Public interests.

Section 9 ^th Said County shall be attached to and form a part of the 8^th Judicial Circuit, and until the County seat shall be located as provided in the Act, the Circuit and County Commissioners Courts shall be held at the Town of Marrion.

Section 10 ^th For Judicial and other purposes said County shall continue to form part of M^cLean and Macon Counties, untill organised as above provided for, and shall continue to be attached to said Counties in all general elections untill otherwise provided by law.

Section 11 ^thAfter the election of County officers, as herein provided, the persons elected County Commissioners, are hereby authorised to administer oaths of office to all other County officers; and the said County Commissioners shall within Ten days after their election meet togeather as a Court, lay off the County into Prescincts and Justice[’]s Districts, appoint a School Commissioner for the County, and transact any other business which may be deemed necessary.

Section 12 ^th The School Funds belonging to the several Townships in said County, togeather with all interest arising out of said money that has not heretofore been expended for Schools, embraced with the limits of the Counties of M^cLean and Macon now proposed to be set off into the County of De Witt; and all notes and mortgages appertaining to the same shall be paid and delivered over to the School Commissioner of said County of De Witt, by the School Commissioners of the Counties of M^cLean and Macon, as soon as said County shall be organised, and the Commissioner of Schools Lands shall be appointed and qualified according to law.

Section 13 ^th It shall be the duty of the County Commissioners of said County, before the erection of public buildings to provide some suitable room or buil-

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ding in which to hold the Circuit and County Commissioners Courts.

This Act to be in force from and after its passage.