Another Police Sergeant Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Charge

On September 21, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Connecticut announced that John Miller, an East Haven Police Sergeant, pleaded guilty to using unreasonable force during an arrest. The announcement was made by the United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, David B. Fein, and the Acting Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI, Mary Galligan.

The plea stems from a charge by the federal grand jury for John Miller and three other East Haven officers on January 18 for several different acts of civil rights offenses. Miller was charged with striking a person who was handcuffed and in secure custody.

John Miller faces a maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The FBI reports Miller is also on administrative leave from the East Haven Police Department. Miller’s sentencing is scheduled for February 1, 2013. The other defendants are still waiting for a trial.

U.S Attorney Fein stated, “Police officers serve the people of the Connecticut with dedication and distinction, putting their safety on the line to protect others. This case reminds us that no one is above the law. This police officer abused his authority and violated the civil rights of a person he is sworn to protect.”

FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Galligan stated, “When a police officer uses excessive force, he not only victimizes the person whose civil rights he violated, he undermines public trust in the professionals who are sworn to protect and serve, and do so honorably.”

If the public has information pertaining to the investigation, they are encouraged to call the FBI at 212-384-2240. The case is being investigated by the New York Field Office of the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy United States Attorney, Deirdre M. Daly, and Assistant United States Attorney, Krishna R. Patel.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

New “Maternity Mansion” in California Raises Legal Questions

When neighbors in a Chino Hills, California neighborhood noticed an influx of heavily pregnant Chinese women entering a house that had recently been bought, they became suspicious of what was happening inside. As it turns out, the house was a “maternity mansion,” a growing trend where wealthy Chinese women come to the United States to give birth and secure American citizenship for their children. While the practice is legal, it has raised legal and ethical questions about the business of birthright citizenship and the operation of these mansions.

What are “Maternity Mansions”?

Maternity mansions, also known as “birthing hotels,” are typically large, luxurious homes rented out for months at a time to pregnant women from other countries who want their children to be born in the United States. The practice is popular among wealthy Chinese women who want to give their children American citizenship, which comes with a range of benefits, including visa-free travel to more than 100 countries and access to better education and job opportunities.

These mansions offer a range of services to the expectant mothers, including pre- and post-natal care, meals, and transportation. The mothers typically pay tens of thousands of dollars for the experience, which includes the cost of airfare, accommodation, and other associated expenses.

Legal and Ethical Questions

While the practice of giving birth in the United States to secure citizenship for children is legal, the operation of these maternity mansions raises legal and ethical questions. Some argue that the practice is exploitative, with mothers being taken advantage of and the children being essentially used as a commodity to secure citizenship.

Others argue that the business of birthright citizenship perpetuates immigration issues in the country, with some mothers returning to the U.S. with their children to take advantage of social, educational, and economic benefits available to citizens, while never living in the country again.

The operation of maternity mansions has also raised concerns among neighbors, who complain about noise, traffic, and the presence of unfamiliar individuals in their neighborhoods. In some cases, the operation of these mansions violates zoning and health codes, and the operators of the mansions face legal repercussions.

Conclusion

The operation of maternity mansions in the United States raises legal and ethical questions about the business of birthright citizenship and the exploitation of mothers and children. While some argue that the practice is a legitimate way for mothers to secure a better future for their children, others argue that it perpetuates immigration issues and unjustly takes advantage of U.S. resources. As the popularity of these mansions continues to grow, there will be a need for legal and regulatory frameworks to address the issues at hand and ensure that the practice is conducted in an ethical and lawful manner.

When neighbors first noticed people entering the house that had recently been bought in their Chino Hills, California neighborhood, they noticed something immediately: the women tended to be Chinese and very heavily pregnant. The large mansions in the residential area were used only as homes—what business could all the women entering and leaving the house at odd times be doing there?

The answer, as it turned out, had to do with United States citizenship. The mansion in the quiet California neighborhood was serving as a maternity hotel, allowing Chinese citizens to have their children in the United States so that the child would automatically be an American citizen by birthright.

The seven bedroom mansion is apparently linked to a website that offers women a chance to have an American child for prices ranging up to $15,000. Chino Hills residents are outraged by the business, which they describe as birth tourism and claim is illegal according to the zoning code that applies to the residence.

The mayor of Chino Hills, Art Bennett, has announced that the city has issued a cease and desist order to the people running the maternity hotel. According to Bennett, hotels may not be run inside a normal residential home without proper permitting, which the home in question had not obtained or sought.

Sites that encourage wealthy women in other countries to give birth in the United States are not new. According to abcnews.com, birthing tourism is on the upswing and is expected to continue. Some websites advertise that as soon as the child born in the United States has turned 21, immigration laws allow them to sponsor their remaining family members for permanent residency and eventually citizenship.

Chinese citizens in the economic elite are also interested in sending their children to United States universities and colleges without incurring expensive additional tuition due to their status as foreign citizens. Most United States colleges charge $5,000-15,000 more per year for foreign student tuition.

The website that ran the Chino Hills maternity mansion even went so far as to suggest ways for heavily pregnant women to hide their pregnancies from United States customs officials, to avoid being sent back home. Their tactics included wearing very loose fitting clothing and having bags or accessories that worked to disguise the large pregnant belly.

In addition to Chinese birthing tourism, similar birthing hotels have opened for clientele from all over Asia and Eastern Europe. These tend to be clustered in major United States cities with easy airport access.

Sources: abcnews.com, examiner.com

Women’s Rights Groups Unhappy With New Egyptian Constitution

Egypt’s new constitution has been the subject of intense debate and controversy, with many women’s rights groups expressing their dissatisfaction with the lack of adequate protections for women. The constitution, which was approved in a national referendum in April 2019, has been widely criticized for rolling back many of the gains that women have made in recent years. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the concerns and criticisms of women’s rights groups in Egypt.

Background

Egypt’s history of gender inequality predates the current government. For years, women have been excluded from many sectors of society, including politics, education, and the workforce. Women’s rights groups have been actively advocating for women’s rights and gender equality for decades, and have made significant strides in recent years. However, the current government’s policy changes threaten to reverse these gains.

Criticisms of the New Constitution

The new constitution has drawn significant criticism from women’s rights groups for several reasons. These include:

No Explicit Protection for Women’s Rights: The constitution does not provide explicit protections for women’s rights, which could be used to protect women from discrimination.

Removal of Equal Opportunities Clause: The new constitution removes a provision that mandated the state to ensure equal opportunities for all citizens regardless of gender, religion, or race.

Nationality Law Changes: The constitution allows Egyptian men married to foreigners to pass on their nationality to their children, but requires women to first obtain approval from a high-ranking official to pass on citizenship to their children.

Marriage and Divorce Laws: The new constitution gives religious clerics the power to oversee marriage and divorce laws, which could result in discriminatory laws that disadvantage women.

Implementation Challenges: Women’s rights groups have also expressed concerns that, even if the protections for women were in the new constitution, the implementation could be difficult due to the lack of political will, corruption, and outdated societal norms.

Consequences of Inaction

The consequences of inaction on women’s rights could be severe. Women constitute nearly half of Egypt’s population, and any policies or laws that limit their rights could have rippling effects on the entire nation’s economy, political stability, and societal development. The gender-based discrimination could lead to a larger wealth gap and access gaps in education, healthcare, and opportunities.

Conclusion

The new constitution in Egypt has been a significant setback for the women’s rights movement in the country. Women’s rights groups have voiced their disagreement with various aspects of the new constitution, which threatens to hinder the progress that has been made towards gender equality in recent years. The implementation of policies to combat gender inequality and increase women’s rights could lead to a more prosperous and developed Egypt for everyone. Therefore, it is crucial that efforts for gender equity and protection of women are not only supported but widely promoted and enforced throughout Egypt.

According to Amnesty International, women’s rights and people advocating for minority religious groups in Egypt are unhappy with a new proposed constitution. The new laws, if enacted, would significantly limit freedoms in the country, which has recently been torn apart by revolution and uncertainty about what form the new government should take.

One of the biggest changes that some women’s rights groups wanted to see was an end to child labor. However, many opposition political parties that were opposed to rules for the new governing assembly of Egypt boycotted the assembly to draft a constitution. The leaders of those parties claim that the assembly is not representative of Egyptian society, and say that the people of Egypt will not accept the constitution in its current form.

Only seven women were part of the new 100 seat Egyptian assembly when it started. However, after protests led to even more parties boycotting the assembly, most women have left the assembly. According to the United Nations and Amnesty International, women are discussed only in the context of home and the family.

A State Department spokesperson in the United States said in a press statement that the proposed constitutional changes “raise concerns for many Egyptians and for the international community.” The White House has so far refused to intervene on behalf of the groups who feel they have been unfairly treated by the new proposals.

In addition to women’s rights groups, a number of minority faiths are upset over a provision that allows for only three religious faiths in Egypt: Muslim, Christian, and Jewish. Other religious groups, including the Baha’i, are excluded from the list of approved religions, and the constitution may also prohibit some types of Muslim practice.

One of the reasons these constitutional changes have been so unwelcome for many Egyptians is that the “Arab Spring” uprisings that gave rise to the new governmental negotiations was largely caused by groups who felt that the nation had not done enough to protect human rights. The new constitution also continues to allow trying civilians in military courts, a practice vehemently opposed to many who participated in the Arab Spring revolts.

The one bright spot for women in the new constitutional changes is that a provision forcing women’s issues to be decided solely on the basis of Islamic law was discarded. Excitement over the removal of this provision was short-lived, however, as Egyptian women discovered the new draft had also removed protections for discrimination on the basis of sex that had been proposed in earlier drafts.

According to the U.S. State Department, the “constitutional vacuum” in Egypt has created instability that “can only be resolved by the adoption of a constitution that … respects fundamental freedoms, individual rights, and the rule of law consistent with Egypt’s international commitments.” The State Department encouraged Egyptian leaders to meet with opposition leaders to come to an agreement among all parties.

Sources: amnesty.org, un.org, state.gov

Violence Against Women Act Could Expire Soon

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is one of the largest pieces of legislation to help women in violent situations seek help. Since its enactment in 1994, the VAWA has been instrumental in preventing and addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, and other gender-based violence. However, the legislation is currently set to expire and its reauthorization has been met with opposition. This article explores the importance of VAWA, the challenges to its reauthorization, and what could happen if the law is allowed to expire.

Importance of VAWA

VAWA is a federal law that helps state and local governments, nonprofit organizations, and individuals respond to and prevent domestic and sexual violence. It provides funding for education and training programs, law enforcement and prosecution initiatives, and other support services, including shelters and hotlines for victims of domestic violence. VAWA has demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing domestic violence and has helped countless women in violent situations gain access to the help they need.

Challenges to Reauthorization

Despite its effectiveness, the reauthorization of VAWA has been met with significant opposition from some lawmakers. One of the main points of contention is the language in the bill that expands the protection of individuals who may be particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence, such as immigrants, Native Americans, and the LGBTQ+ community. Supporters of the bill argue that these groups are more likely to experience violence and require additional protections under the law.

Opponents of VAWA have also raised concerns about the cost of the bill, arguing that it is a significant burden on taxpayers. Some have suggested defunding portions of the legislation or redirecting funds to other programs. However, advocates for the renewal of VAWA have stated that any changes to the bill must not sacrifice the protections afforded to victims of domestic and sexual violence.

Impact of Expiration

If the Violence Against Women Act is allowed to expire, it could have far-reaching consequences for women in violent situations. Without the provisions of the law, victims of gender-based violence may find it harder to access the resources and services they need, including legal assistance and counseling. Some advocates for VAWA argue that expiration would set back progress made in addressing gender-based violence and leave survivors more vulnerable.

Conclusion

VAWA has been a critical tool for addressing domestic and sexual violence in the United States for over 25 years. It has provided essential support services to victims and helped to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence in communities across the country. However, its reauthorization is currently facing challenges from some lawmakers, endangering the future of the act. When violence is a national problem, federal legislation protecting and providing resources for those experiencing domestic violence is necessary. As lawmakers consider the future of VAWA, it is important to remain vigilant and vocal for the protection of some of the country’s most vulnerable populations.

One of the biggest pieces of legislation that helps women in violent situations seek help is the Violence Against Women Act. This law was signed into effect by Bill Clinton, and was a bipartisan piece of legislation when it was originally authored in 1996. However, with both houses of Congress increasingly polarized, the Violence Against Women Act is in danger of expiring completely by the end of the year.

Currently, a renewal of the Violence Against Women Act has passed with bipartisan support in the United States Senate with a 68-31 total vote. However, the House of Representatives is Republican controlled, unlike the Senate, and has so far blocked passage of the bill.

Supporters of the Violence Against Women Act point to the over sixty percent reduction in overall rates of domestic violence in the United States since the passage of VAWA. However, with only two more weeks in the legislative session before the law expires, it seems increasingly unlikely that Congress will be able to push through a bill so that Obama can sign it back into law before most of its provisions expire.

The blocking of the Violence Against Women Act was considered by some women’s rights activists to be part of the “war on women” that they claim Republicans are waging. According to these activists, the VAWA renewal block is just another example of policies unfriendly to women’s rights, including resistance to paycheck fairness and anti discrimination laws.

Before the Violence Against Women Act, it was sometimes difficult for police and prosecutors to be able to actually prosecute and convict abusers, even those who had repeatedly been violent toward a spouse or live-in partner. Stalking was also a crime that was difficult to file a criminal charge for.

In addition to blocking the renewal of the Violence Against Women Act, Republicans in the House of Representatives have also held up an increase in the issuance of U visas. This is a type of immigration visa that is issued only to women who have been abused or raped.

If Congress does not vote to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act in the December “lame duck” session before the holiday recess, the legislative process to enact the VAWA will need to begin all over. This may mean significant changes or modifications to the act’s wording or even its basic core elements.

Sources: senate.gov, house.gov

China Angers Women By Requiring Invasive Employment Exam

In a country where women already face numerous barriers to equal opportunity, the Chinese government has implemented a new requirement that many women are calling invasive and discriminatory. The exam, which is required for some jobs, requires women to undergo a gynecological exam and submit their results in order to be hired. The requirement has sparked outrage and protests, with many arguing that it violates their right to privacy and is an attempt to limit their employment opportunities. This article explores the controversy surrounding the exam and its potential impact on women’s rights in China.

The Exam

The requirement for a gynecological exam first became public in a job posting for a position at a police department in southwestern China. The posting stated that female applicants would be required to submit results of a gynecological exam in order to be considered for the position. The requirement was later reported to be common among some public sector and civil service jobs.

Opinions on the exam have been mixed, with some arguing that it is a necessary measure for ensuring employee health and safety. However, many women and human rights groups have expressed outrage at the requirement, stating that it is invasive, discriminatory, and a violation of their right to privacy. Some have gone further and claimed that the requirement is illegal and unconstitutional.

Protests and Backlash

The exam has sparked widespread protests and backlash from women across China. Photos and videos of women wearing giant underwear, emblazoned with a universal “no” symbol around the Chinese word for “exam,” circulated on social media, drawing attention to the issue. The protests have also included online petitions and letters addressed to government officials.

Many have also taken to social media to voice their discontent and share their experiences. Some women have reported being traumatized by the exam, while others have claimed that it is limiting their employment opportunities. One woman, who was required to undergo the exam for her job as a public school teacher, stated that it made her feel like “a piece of meat.”

Implications for Women’s Rights

The requirement for a gynecological exam has far-reaching implications for women’s rights in China. The exam perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes and reinforces the notion that women’s bodies are inherently suspect or problematic. It also sets a dangerous precedent for government intrusion into women’s health and bodily autonomy.

The exam comes at a time when women in China are already facing numerous barriers to equal opportunity. The country has one of the lowest rates of female labor force participation in the world, and women are routinely subject to discrimination and sexual harassment in the workplace. The requirement for a gynecological exam only further limits their employment opportunities and reinforces gender-based discrimination.

Conclusion

The requirement for a gynecological exam as part of certain job applications is a troubling development in a country where women are already facing numerous obstacles to equal opportunity. The requirement is invasive and discriminatory, and violates women’s right to privacy and bodily autonomy. While protests and public outcry have brought attention to the issue, it remains to be seen whether the government will take action to address these concerns and protect the rights of women in China. The need of the hour is for a more gender-inclusive workforce in all industries.

Women in China wore what looked like giant underwear, emblazoned with a universal “no” symbol around the Chinese word for “exam.” The protest, against China’s government, revolves around an employment requirement that many say is invasive and some have claimed is illegal.

Both women and men in the United States often need to submit to brief physical examinations before employment. However, in China, a practice has recently been called into question that requires young women to submit to gynecological examinations in order to enter positions in government.

Protests have begun in several cities, including Wuhan, because of a practice that the Chinese government has implemented in a way that female workers say is unfair. While men are not required to have any kind of invasive medical examination before being allowed to take civil service jobs, women must have an exam that checks for tumors and sexually transmitted infections. Women must also answer questions about their menstrual history that women say are invasive and have nothing to do with their qualifications as civil servants.

Women have consistently been discriminated against in the Chinese labor force, but protests have recently begun in which women have made a stand for greater privacy rights and equality under the law.

Out of China’s over 1.1 billion people, just over a million apply for government jobs. Because only 21,000 government jobs will need filled during the current year, this means that not even two percent of applicants will get the job they are looking for.

The protests come on the heels of the revelation that a Communist Party district chief in Chongquing was allowing contractors to win projects in exchange for sending female employees to sleep with the party chief.

While the Chinese government insists that the rules requiring examinations are simply to make sure that women do not have cancer or sexually transmitted diseases, workers contend that this is not a good enough reason to have the examination. According to them, since their job roles will not require any contact of a type that could spread sexually transmitted diseases, this information is irrelevant to their future employer and could damage their reputation.

China’s official policies regarding employment discrimination may in fact be in conflict with these provisions. The women in the protest movement hope to have the exam requirement found illegal under current labor policies that apply nationwide.

Sources: businessinsider.com, globaltimes.cn

Last Abortion Clinic In Mississippi May Shut Down

Introduction

Mississippi may soon become the only U.S. state without any abortion clinics. This is due to the state’s most recent abortion restrictions, which are set to be argued in court this week. The restrictions, known as TRAP regulations, have been criticized by many as a thinly veiled attempt to limit women’s access to abortion.

Background on Abortion Regulations in Mississippi

Mississippi is just one of several U.S. states that have sought to regulate abortion providers more strictly in recent years. In many cases, these regulations have been challenged in court by abortion providers and pro-choice advocates who argue that they place an undue burden on women seeking abortion services.

In Mississippi, the state’s most recent abortion regulations require that physicians who perform abortions have admitting privileges at a local hospital. This requirement, supporters argue, is necessary to ensure that women who experience complications during the procedure can receive appropriate medical care.

The Last Abortion Clinic in Mississippi

The last remaining abortion clinic in Mississippi is the Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The clinic has provided abortion services in the state since 1996 and has been the subject of numerous legal challenges in recent years.

The most recent challenge to the clinic’s existence stems from the state’s TRAP regulations. According to the Mississippi State Department of Health, none of the physicians at the Jackson Women’s Health Organization have admitting privileges at local hospitals, meaning that the clinic would be forced to close if the regulations are enforced.

Impact on Women’s Access to Abortion

If the last abortion clinic in Mississippi is shut down, women in the state who wish to have an abortion will be forced to travel to other states in order to access the procedure. This will likely be particularly difficult for low-income women and those living in rural areas, who may not have the resources or transportation necessary to travel long distances.

In addition to limiting women’s access to abortion services, the TRAP regulations in Mississippi highlight the ongoing debate over abortion rights in the United States. Supporters argue that these regulations are necessary to protect the health of women seeking abortions, while opponents argue that they are a thinly veiled attempt to restrict women’s access to abortion.

Conclusion

The last abortion clinic in Mississippi may soon be forced to close due to the state’s most recent abortion regulations. This would make Mississippi the only U.S. state without any abortion clinics, severely limiting women’s access to abortion services in the state. The ongoing debate over abortion rights and restrictions in the United States highlights the need for continued advocacy and activism in support of women’s reproductive rights.

Mississippi, one of several U.S. states with only one remaining abortion clinic, goes to court this week to argue in favor of its most recent abortion restrictions. If enacted, the restrictions (commonly referred to by supporters as TRAP, or Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) would almost certainly shut down the last abortion clinic in the state, making Mississippi the only U.S. state without any abortion clinics whatsoever.

According to the new state law, all people performing an abortion must be board certified obstetricians and gynecologists. In some other states, nurse practitioners and general practice doctors are allowed to perform abortion procedures, which are generally considered to be safe and very simple surgery in the first trimester.

While the clinic could comply with this regulation, the second part of the law makes compliance all but impossible. The regulations call for all doctors working in abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a hospital near to their clinic.

In Mississippi, as in North Dakota and other states with few clinics left and politically hostile environments, abortion providers prefer flying in from out of state. This allows them to live in an area where residents are less likely to harass them or their families. However, it also prevents them from obtaining admitting privileges.

The continuing restrictions against abortion providers were challenged by the abortion clinic, and a federal court will hear an appeal in the case this week. According to the clinic’s owners, no abortion clinic in the state would be able to meet the onerous new requirements. Because of this, the laws essentially ban first trimester abortions in the state of Mississippi, a state of affairs forbidden by the United States Supreme Court since its decision in Roe v. Wade.

Targeted Restrictions on Abortion Providers have also been used in several other states. One of the biggest recent cases has involved new Virginia legislation that created new building standards for abortion clinics. None of the state’s ten abortion clinics are likely to be able to meet the standards in time, and many of the standards are not related in any way to patient care or medical outcomes.

The appeals court decision in this case may lead to a Supreme Court case regarding TRAP regulations. It is likely that the Supreme Court will have to draw a line somewhere in order to maintain the precedent on abortion set by previous Supreme Court rulings.

Appeals Court Rules on Parental Notification Waiver

Introduction

Parental notification laws have been a contentious issue in the United States for many years. In Florida, a recent case has brought the issue to the forefront once again. This article will provide an overview of the recent appeals court ruling regarding a parental notification waiver for a teenage girl seeking an abortion.

Background on Florida’s Parental Notification Law

In Florida, a state law requires that parents be notified when their underage daughter seeks an abortion, with some exceptions for cases of medical emergency or judicial waiver. The law has faced legal challenges in the past, with opponents arguing that it places an unfair burden on underage girls seeking abortions.

The Recent Appeals Court Ruling

The most recent challenge to Florida’s parental notification law came in the form of a teenage girl seeking an abortion. The girl requested a waiver of the notification requirement, citing concerns about her safety and well-being if her parents were notified.

After a lower court denied the waiver request, the case went to the appeals court. The three-judge panel ruled 2-1 to reverse the lower court’s decision, granting the teenage girl the waiver she requested.

Impact of the Ruling on Florida’s Parental Notification Law

The recent appeals court ruling has drawn attention to the issue of parental notification laws in Florida and beyond. Pro-choice advocates argue that these laws place undue burdens on underage girls seeking abortions and can be detrimental to their health and well-being.

On the other hand, supporters of parental notification laws argue that parents have a right to be involved in their child’s decision to have an abortion and that these laws are necessary to protect underage girls from potential harm.

Conclusion

The recent appeals court ruling on a parental notification waiver for a teenage girl seeking an abortion in Florida brings attention to the ongoing debate over parental notification laws in the United States. While these laws are designed to protect minors, they also have the potential to cause harm and limit access to necessary healthcare services. As the debate over reproductive rights continues, it is important to consider the impact that these laws have on the lives of underage girls and their families.

Florida’s statute requiring parental notification in most situations where a girl under 18 is seeking an abortion was put to the test earlier this week. According to Florida 10th Judicial Circuit documents, appeals court judges ruled 2-1 to reverse a lower court’s decision denying a waiver of parental notification requirements to a teenage girl.

Initially, a judge in Polk County told the girl that she would not be allowed to obtain a parental notification waiver. The girl had expressed fear over talking to her mother about the procedure and worried that she would be unwelcome in her home. She had no meaningful contact with her father.

The teen is identified as Jane Doe in court documents to protect her privacy in this sensitive case. The 2nd District Court of Appeal’s ruling indicated that two of the three judge panel believed that the girl had exercised reasonable judgment when asking for a parental notification waiver and permission to seek an abortion.

According to the majority, made up of Judge Douglas Wallace and Judge Stevan Northcutt, the girl’s fears about her mother seemed grounded in facts, and the girl had also expressed fears about an inability to continue academically if she were to have her child. Rather than a “frivolous schoolgirl,” they said that the girl had acted maturely and with regard for her academic and economic future.

The 17 year old Jane Doe says she became pregnant after a night of heavy drinking at a party and has only vague recollections of the events in question. This caused the dissenting judge to question her level of judgment and ability to make a decision concerning her pregnancy.

Florida laws allow judges a great deal of discretion in allowing or forbidding a parental notification waiver. Judges are asked to consider several factors in their determinations, including the age of the minor involved, their level of maturity, intelligence, credibility, and whether they are capable of understanding and consenting to the medical risks involved with the abortion procedure.

Judge Anthony Black, in his dissent, said that too much attention had been paid to the words in the girl’s testimony. However, he said, the trial judge in the case had observed what he considered to be troubling demeanor, including what he claimed was a “cavalier” attitude toward the abortion procedure.

Cases involving parental notification waivers can often involve judicial back and forth that delays abortions by weeks or even months—which can mean that by the time the issue is finally decided, a girl is prohibited from having an abortion either by statute or because of the higher price of late term abortions.

Source: flcourts.org

Women’s Rights Take Big Step Back in Iran

Introduction

A new law passed by Iran’s Parliament has dealt a significant blow to women’s rights in the country. Under the new law, women under the age of 40 will need permission from a male guardian in order to obtain a passport or travel outside the country. The passage of this law has sparked outrage and concern among women’s rights advocates and human rights groups around the world.

History of Women’s Rights in Iran

Women’s rights have long been a contentious issue in Iran. Despite making strides in recent years, women in Iran still face significant challenges and restrictions. For example, women are required to wear headscarves in public, and are subject to discrimination in areas such as education and employment.

New Law Restricts Women’s Freedom of Movement

The new law passed by Iran’s Parliament is a significant setback for women’s rights. Under the law, women under the age of 40 will not be allowed to obtain a passport or travel outside the country without the permission of a male guardian, such as a father or husband. This restriction not only limits women’s freedom of movement, but also reinforces patriarchal structures that prioritize male authority and control over women’s lives.

Impact on Women’s Lives

The passage of this law has significant implications for women’s lives in Iran. It limits their ability to travel for work, education, or leisure, and reinforces gender inequality in the country. The law also perpetuates a cycle of discrimination and oppression that affects not only women, but also the broader society.

International Response and Advocacy Efforts

The passage of this law has sparked outrage and concern among human rights groups and women’s rights advocates around the world. Many have demanded that the Iranian government repeal the law and take steps to promote gender equality and women’s rights in the country. International pressure and advocacy efforts may be necessary to effect change and protect the rights of women in Iran.

Conclusion

The passage of the new law in Iran restricting women’s freedom of movement is a significant setback for women’s rights in the country. It reinforces patriarchal structures and perpetuates discrimination against women. Advocacy efforts and international pressure may be necessary to promote gender equality and protect the rights of women in Iran.

The precarious status of women in Iran has taken another step backwards with the passage of a new law in Iranian Parliament. According to the text of the new law, which was passed by Iran’s 290 seat Parliament this week, women under the age of 40 will be required to obtain permission from their father or other male guardian before being permitted to obtain a passport or travel outside the country.

Prior to the passage of the new law by parliament, the nation required all people under 18 to receive permission from their father or other male guardian at the time of obtaining a passport. Women who had attained the age of majority were required to obtain permission from their husbands if they were married, but single women over 18 did not have any requirements that limited their ability to obtain a passport. Now, even single women would be required to have parental permission to travel—Iranian women already required permission to marry, regardless of their age.

Iranian women’s rights activists are furious over the move, which they say is another in a series of escalating political backlashes to women trying to assert their rights in the Islamic republic. They note that Iran’s government still allows girls to marry at age 13, and will even allow this age to drop lower if they believe that Islamic law allows it in a particular circumstance.

The rights of women in Iran have varied substantially over the nation’s history. Historically, while Persia (the older name for Iran) was a male-dominated society, it allowed a substantial amount of room for women’s contributions. Mid-20th century reforms made it so women were permitted to receive an education and even become part of government.

However, when the current Islamic Republic of Iran government started after the 1979 Iranian Revolution, that government immediately ordered a number of traditionalist reforms that restricted the freedoms of women. For example, while many Iranian women had chosen to go about their day in public before the revolution without a hijab, or headscarf, new rules required headscarves to be worn at all times when women were in public.

Some positive reforms for women have stuck in the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the high rates of education for women and girls. However, a recent change to the educational laws of Iran also means that there will be fewer college age women attending school there. Government forces recently moved to restrict women from studying any course of study that was deemed too masculine, including everything from engineering to foreign languages.

Critics of Iran’s new policies say that they are transparent attempts to try to reverse the progress that Iranian women have made over the last decade in overturning oppressive laws and making steps toward equality. Protests are expected in the capital of Tehran over the new travel restrictions for single women, as well as over other recent policy changes that have affected women negatively.

Sources: awid.org, state.gov

Jim Crow Laws

Introduction

Jim Crow laws were a series of state and local laws in the southern United States that enforced racial segregation and discrimination against African Americans. These laws were in effect from the late 1800s until the mid-1960s and had a significant impact on American history.

Origins and Purpose of Jim Crow Laws

Jim Crow laws were named after a popular 19th-century minstrel show character and were designed to maintain white supremacy in the South. The laws were passed by state and local governments and enforced racial segregation in public spaces such as schools, parks, and transportation.

Segregation in Public Spaces

Under Jim Crow laws, African Americans were forced to use separate facilities from whites, including separate schools, water fountains, and restaurants. They were not allowed to sit in the front of buses or attend the same schools as whites.

Voting Rights Restrictions

Jim Crow laws also restricted African Americans’ right to vote, through a range of tactics such as poll taxes, literacy tests, and grandfather clauses. These laws were designed to effectively disenfranchise black voters, denying them the right to participate in the democratic process.

Resistance and Overturning of Jim Crow Laws

Despite their intended purpose, Jim Crow laws sparked widespread resistance and activism among African Americans and their allies. Civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks led protests and movements to challenge these discriminatory laws and push for racial equality.

The legal system also played a role in overturning Jim Crow laws. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled in Brown v. Board of Education that segregation in public schools was unconstitutional, paving the way for further legal challenges to discriminatory laws.

Legacy of Jim Crow Laws

Despite being officially abolished in the 1960s, the legacy of Jim Crow laws continues to impact American society today. African Americans continue to experience systemic racism and discrimination, often in the form of economic and social inequality.

Conclusion

Jim Crow laws were a dark period in American history, reflecting deeply ingrained attitudes of racial superiority. While they have been officially overturned, their legacy continues to shape society today, underscoring the ongoing need to fight against racism and discrimination in all its forms.

Jim Crow Laws

One of the most shameful chapters in United States legal history is the proliferation and enforcement of so-called “Jim Crow laws,” implemented after Reconstruction to take away the rights of newly freed black people. For decades, Jim Crow laws prevented black U.S. citizens and residents from enjoying the same facilities and public spaces that white people were allowed to use. Although these laws were overturned by important court cases and federal statutes in the mid-20th century, some of their effects can still be felt today.

How Jim Crow Laws Began

In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, Congress worked to pass three Constitutional amendments. The first, the Thirteenth Amendment, specifically forbade slavery except as punishment for a crime. The Fourteenth Amendment granted due process rights and equal protection to all American citizens. The Fifteenth Amendment granted black Americans an equal right to vote. Southern states opposed these laws vociferously, but were forced into accepting them in order to rejoin the United States without incurring sanctions.

The Reconstruction period from 1865 to 1877 was a time of patchwork laws regarding the legal status of black Americans. However, soon after, states began to pass a series of laws that limited where black people could go and what they could do. Segregation became the norm, on public transportation, at drinking fountains, and in public restrooms, as well as at restaurants and hotels. Discrimination was widely practiced and extremely pervasive.

Plessy v. Ferguson

The first major challenge to the Jim Crow laws came in the form of Plessy v. Ferguson, in which Homer Plessy, a man who was one-eighth black, sat in a “whites only” part of a public transit vehicle. When he was removed due to Louisiana’s laws, he sued in federal court, saying that his rights to equal protection under the Fourteenth Amendment had been violated.

The court didn’t see it that way. Ignoring the fact that Louisiana’s train cars for blacks and whites were far from equally appointed, the court ruled that mere separation of black and white people didn’t constitute illegal discrimination. Jim Crow laws were allowed to continue under the doctrine of “separate but equal” set down in Plessy v. Ferguson, even though much as in Louisiana, facilities were rarely if ever actually equal for blacks and whites.

Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act

The first court case that reversed the precedent set in Plessy v. Ferguson was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas. The judges in this case ruled unanimously that separate facilities were inherently unequal, and required schools to be integrated.

However, without enforcement powers, it was very difficult for a single Supreme Court ruling to make any dent in the Jim Crow laws. It took the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which made federal funding contingent on integration, to force states to end their discriminatory laws. Slowly, the Jim Crow laws became relegated to history textbooks as they were written out of state codes.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Text

Introduction

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a piece of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress in 1854. It was controversial at the time and is still remembered today for its impact on the issue of slavery in America. In this article, we will provide an overview of the Kansas-Nebraska Act text, including its history, provisions, and impact.

History of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

In the years leading up to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, tensions were growing between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery. In an effort to ease these tensions and facilitate the expansion of the nation, Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois proposed a bill that would divide the territory into two new states: Kansas and Nebraska.

The bill was controversial because it proposed that the issue of slavery in these new states would be decided by popular sovereignty, meaning that the residents of each state would vote on whether or not to allow slavery. This was a departure from the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36° 30′ parallel.

Provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska Act Text

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a complex piece of legislation, but some of its key provisions included:

– The territory of Kansas and Nebraska would be divided, with Kansas situated to the south and Nebraska to the north.

– The issue of slavery in these new states would be decided by popular sovereignty, meaning that the residents of each state would vote on whether or not to allow slavery.

– The Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36° 30′ parallel, would be repealed.

Impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act Text

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was controversial from the beginning and had a significant impact on the issue of slavery in America. The act led to the formation of the Republican Party, which was founded in opposition to the expansion of slavery into new territories.

The act also led to a period of violence in Kansas, known as “Bleeding Kansas,” in which pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces clashed over the issue of whether or not to allow slavery in the state. This violence foreshadowed the coming Civil War and highlighted the deep-seated divisions between the North and South over the issue of slavery.

Conclusion

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a landmark piece of legislation that had a significant impact on the issue of slavery in America. Its provisions, which allowed for popular sovereignty in deciding the issue of slavery in new states, were controversial at the time and led to a period of violence in Kansas. While the act was repealed in 1860, its legacy continues to be felt today and serves as a reminder of the challenges that America has faced in its struggle for equality and justice.

An Act to Organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That all that part of the territory of the United States included within the following limits, except such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly exempted from the operations of this act, to wit: beginning at a point in the Missouri River where the fortieth parallel of north latitude crosses the same; then west on said parallel to the east boundary of the Territory of Utah, the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence on said summit northwest to the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude; thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the territory of Minnesota; thence southward on said boundary to the Missouri River; thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by the name of the Territory Nebraska; and when admitted as a State or States, the said Territory or any portion of the same, shall be received into the Union with without slavery, as their constitution may prescribe at the time of the admission: Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to inhibit the government of the United States from dividing said Territory into two or more Territories, in such manner and at such time as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching a portion of said Territory to any other State or Territory of the United States: Provided further, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to impair the rights of person or property now pertaining the Indians in said Territory’ so long as such rights shall remain unextinguished by treaty between the United States and such Indians, or include any territory which, by treaty with any Indian tribe, is not, without the consent of said tribe, to be included within the territorial line or jurisdiction of any State or Territory; but all such territory shall excepted out of the boundaries, and constitute no part of the Territory of Nebraska, until said tribe shall signify their assent to the President of the United States to be included within the said Territory of Nebraska or to affect the authority of the government of the United States make any regulations respecting such Indians, their lands, property, or other rights, by treaty, law, or otherwise, which it would have been competent to the government to make if this act had never passed.

SEC. 2. And Be it further enacted, That the executive power and authority in and over said Territory of Nebraska shall be vested in a Governor who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President of the United States. The Governor shall reside within said Territory, and shall be commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. He may grant pardons and respites for offences against the laws of said Territory, and reprieves for offences against the laws of the United States, until the decision of the President can be made known thereon; he shall commission all officers who shall be appointed to office under the laws of the aid Territory, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

SEC. 3. And Be it further enacted, That there shall be a Secretary of said Territory, who shall reside therein, and hold his office for five years, unless sooner removed by the President of the United States; he shall record and preserve all the 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 President of the United States, and two copies of the laws to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to be deposited in the libraries of Congress, and in or case of the death, removal, resignation, or absence of the Governor from the Territory, the Secretary shall be, and he is hereby, authorized and required to execute and perform all the powers and duties of the Governor during such vacancy or absence, or until another Governor shall be duly appointed and qualified to fill such vacancy.

SEC 4. And be it further enacted, That the legislative power and authority of said Territory shall be vested in the Governor and a Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly shall consist of a Council and House of Representatives. The Council shall consist of thirteen members, having the qualifications of voters, as hereinafter prescribed, whose term of service shall continue two years. The House of Representatives shall, at its first session, consist of twenty-six members, possessing the same qualifications as prescribed for members of the Council, and whose term of service shall continue one year. The number of representatives may be increased by the Legislative Assembly, from time to time, in proportion to the increase of qualified voters: Provided, That the whole number shall never exceed thirty-nine. An apportionment shall be made, as nearly equal as practicable, among the several counties or districts, for the election of the council and representatives, giving to each section of the Territory representation in the ratio of its qualified voters as nearly as may be. And the members of the Council and of the House of Representatives shall reside in, and be inhabitants of, the district or county, or counties for which they may be elected, respectively. Previous to the first election, the Governor shall cause a census, or enumeration of the inhabitants and qualified voters of the several counties and districts of the Territory, to be taken by such persons and in such mode as the Governor shall designate and appoint; and the persons so appointed shall receive a reasonable compensation therefor. And the first election shall be held at such time and places, and be conducted in such manner, both as to the persons who shall superintend such election and the returns thereof, as the Governor shall appoint and direct; and he shall at the same time declare the number of members of the Council and House of Representatives to which each of the counties or districts shall be entitled under this act. The persons having the highest number of legal votes in each of said council districts for members of the Council, shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected to the Council; and the persons having the highest number of legal votes for the House of Representatives, shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected members of said house: Provided, That in case two or more persons voted for shall have an equal number of votes, and in case a vacancy shall otherwise occur in either branch of the Legislative Assembly, the Governor shall order a new election; and the persons thus elected to the Legislative Assembly shall meet at such place and on such day as the Governor shall appoint; but thereafter, the time, place, and manner of holding and conducting all elections by the people, and the apportioning the representation in the several counties or districts to the Council and House of Representatives, according to the number of qualified voters, shall be prescribed by law, as well as the day of the commencement of the regular sessions of the Legislative Assembly: Provided, That no session in any one year shall exceed the term of forty days, except the first session, which may continue sixty days.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That every free white male inhabitant above the age of twenty-one years who shall be an actual resident of said Territory, and shall possess the qualifications hereinafter prescribed, shall be entitled to vote at the first election, and shall be eligible to any office within the said Territory; but the qualifications of voters, and of holding office, at all subsequent elections, shall be such as shall be prescribed by the Legislative Assembly: Provided, That the right of suffrage and of holding office shall be exercised only by citizens of the United States and those who shall have declared on oath their intention to become such, and shall have taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this act: And provided further, That no officer, soldier, seaman, or marine, or other person in the army or navy of the United States, or attached to troops in the service of the United States, shall be allowed to vote or hold office in said Territory, by reason of being on service therein.

SEC. 6. And Be it further enacted, That the legislative power of the Territory shall extend to all rightful subjects of legislation consistent with the Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this act; but no law shall be passed interfering with the primary disposal of the soil; no tax shall be imposed upon the property of the United States; nor shall the lands or other property of non-residents be taxed higher than the lands or other property of residents. Every bill which shall have passed the Council and House of Representatives of the said Territory shall, before it become a law, be presented to the Governor of the Territory; if he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration two thirds of that 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 reconsidered, and if approved by two thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, to be entered on the journal of each house respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within three days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Assembly, by adjournment, prevents its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

SEC. 7. And be it further enacted, That all township, district, and county officers, not herein otherwise provided for, shall be appointed or elected, as the case may be, in such manner as shall be provided by the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Nebraska. The Governor shall nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council, appoint all officers not herein otherwise provided for; and in the first instance the Governor alone may appoint all said officers, who shall hold their offices until the end of the first session of the Legislative Assembly; and shall lay off the necessary districts for members of the Council and House of Representatives, and all other officers.

SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That no member of the Legislative Assembly shall hold, or be appointed to, any office which shall have been created, or the salary or emoluments of which shall have been increased, while he was a member, during the term for which he was elected, and for one year after the expiration of such term; but this restriction shall not be applicable to members of the first Legislative Assembly; and no person holding a commission or appointment under the United States, except Postmasters, shall be a member of the Legislative Assembly, or hold any office under the government of said Territory.

SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the judicial power of said Territory shall be vested in a Supreme Court, District Courts, Probate Courts, and in Justices of the Peace. The Supreme Court shall consist of a chief justice and two associate justices, any two of whom shall constitute a quorum, and who shall hold a term at the seat of government of said Territory annually, and they shall hold their offices during the period of four years, and until their successor shall be appointed and qualified. The said Territory shall be divided into three judicial districts, and a d district court shall be held in each of said districts by one of the justices of the Supreme Court, at such times and places as may be prescribed by of law; and the said judges shall, after their appointments, respectively, reside in the districts which shall be assigned them. The jurisdiction of the several courts herein provided for, both appellate and original, and that of the probate courts and of justices of the peace, shall be as limited by law: Provided, That justices of the peace shall not have jurisdiction of any matter in controversy when the title or boundaries of land may be in dispute, or where the debt or sum claimed shall exceed one hundred dollars; and the said supreme and districts courts, respectively, shall possess chancery as well as common law jurisdiction. Each District Court, or the judge thereof, shall appoint its clerk, who shall also be the register in chancery, and shall keep his office at the place where the court may be held. Writs of error, bills of exception, and appeals, shall be allowed in all cases from the final decisions of said district courts to the Supreme Court, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law; but in no case removed to the Supreme Court shall trial by jury be allowed in said court. The Supreme Court, or the justices thereof, shall appoint its own clerk, and every clerk shall hold his office at the pleasure of the court for which he shall have been appointed. Writs of error, and appeals from the final decisions of said Supreme Court, shall be allowed, and may be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States, in the same manner and under the same regulations as from the circuit courts of the United States, where the value of the property, or the amount in controversy, to be ascertained by the oath or affirmation of either party, or other competent witness, shall exceed one thousand dollars; except only that in all cases involving title to slaves, the said writs of error, or appeals shall be allowed and decided by the said Supreme Court, without regard to the value of the matter, property, or title in controversy; and except also that a writ of error or appeal shall also be allowed to the Supreme Court of the United States, from the decision of the said Supreme Court created by this act, or of any judge thereof, or of the district courts created by this act, or of any judge thereof, upon any writ of habeas corpus, involving the question of personal freedom: Provided, that nothing herein contained shall be construed to apply to or affect the provisions to the ” act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters,” approved February twelfth, seventeen hundred and ninety-three, and the ” act to amend and supplementary to the aforesaid act,” approved September eighteen, eighteen hundred and fifty; and each of the said district courts shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction in all cases arising under the Constitution and Laws of the United States as is vested in the Circuit and District Courts of the United States; and the said Supreme and District Courts of the said Territory, and the respective judges thereof, shall and may grant writs of habeas corpus in all cases in which the same are granted by the judges of the United States in the District of Columbia; and the first six days of every term of said courts, or so much thereof as shall be necessary, shall be appropriated to the trial of causes arising under the said constitution and laws, and writs of error and appeal in all such cases shall be made to the Supreme Court of said Territory, the same as in other cases. The said clerk shall receive in all such cases the same fees which the clerks of the district courts of Utah Territory now receive for similar services.

SEC. 10. And Be it further enacted, That the provisions of an act entitled “An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters,” approved February twelve, seventeen hundred and ninety-three, and the provisions of the act entitled ” An act to amend, and supplementary to, the aforesaid act,” approved September eighteen, eighteen hundred and fifty, be, and the same are hereby, declared to extend to and be in full force within the limits of said Territory of Nebraska.

SEC. 11. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed an Attorney for said Territory, who shall continue in office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President, and who shall receive the same fees and salary I as the Attorney of the United States for the present Territory of Utah. There shall also be a Marshal for the Territory appointed, who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President, and who shall execute all processes issuing from the said courts when exercising their jurisdiction as Circuit and District Courts of the United States; he shall perform the duties, be subject to the same regulation and penalties, and be entitled to the same fees, as the Marshal of the District Court of the United States for the present Territory of Utah, and shall, in addition, be paid two hundred dollars annually as a compensation for extra services.

SEC. 12. And be it further enacted, That the Governor, Secretary, Chief Justice, and Associate Justices, Attorney and Marshal, shall be nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appointed by the President of the United States. The Governor and a Secretary to be appointed as aforesaid, shall, before they act as such, respectively take an oath or affirmation before the District Judge or some Justice of the Peace in the limits of said Territory, duly authorized to administer oaths and affirmations by the laws now in force therein, or & before the Chief Justice, or some Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, to support the Constitution of the United States, and faithfully to discharge the duties of their respective offices, which said oaths, when so taken, shall be certified by the person by whom the same shall have been taken; and such certificates shall be received and recorded by the said Secretary among the Executive proceedings; and the Chief Justice and Associate Justices, and all other civil officers in said Territory, before they act as such, shall take a like oath or affirmation before the said Governor or Secretary, or some Judge or Justice of the Peace of the Territory, who may be duly commissioned and qualified, which said oath or affirmation shall be certified and transmitted by the person taking the same to the Secretary, to be by him recorded as aforesaid; and, afterwards, the like oath or affirmation shall be taken, certified, and recorded, in such manner and form as may be prescribed by law. The Governor shall receive an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall each receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The Secretary shall receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The said salaries shall be paid quarter-yearly, from the dates of the respective appointments, at the Treasury of the United States; but no such payment shall be made until said officers shall have entered upon the duties of their respective appointments. The members of the Legislative Assembly shall be entitled to receive three dollars each per day during their attendance at the sessions thereof, and three dollars each for every twenty miles’ travel in going to and returning from the said sessions, estimated according to the nearest usually travelled route; and an additional allowance of three dollars shall be paid to the presiding officer of each house for each day he shall so preside. And a chief clerk, one assistant clerk, a sergeant-at-arms, and doorkeeper, may be chosen for each house; and the chief clerk shall receive four dollars per day, and the said other officers three dollars per day, during the session of the Legislative Assembly; but no other officers shall be paid by the United States: Provided, That there shall be but one session of the legislature annually, unless, on an extraordinary occasion, the Governor shall think proper to call the legislature together. There shall be appropriated, annually, the usual sum, to be expended by the Governor, to defray the contingent expenses of the Territory, including the salary of a clerk of the Executive Department; and there shall also be appropriated, annually, a sufficient sum, to be expended by the Secretary of the Territory, and upon an estimate to be made by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, to defray the expenses of the Legislative Assembly, the printing of the laws, and other incidental expenses; and the Governor and Secretary of the Territory shall, in the disbursement of all moneys intrusted to them, be governed solely by the instructions of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and shall, semi-annually, account to the said Secretary for the manner in which the aforesaid moneys shall have been expended; and no expenditure shall be made by said Legislative Assembly for objects not specially authorized by the acts of Congress, making the appropriations, nor beyond the sums thus appropriated for such objects.

SEC. 13. And be it further enacted, That the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Nebraska shall hold its first session at such time and place in said Territory as the Governor thereof shall appoint and direct; and at said first session, or as soon thereafter as they shall deem expedient, the Governor and Legislative Assembly shall proceed to locate and establish the seat of government for said Territory at such place as they may deem eligible; which place, however, shall thereafter be subject to be changed by the said Governor and Legislative Assembly.

SEC. 14. And be it further enacted, That a delegate to the House of Representatives of the United States, to serve for the term of two years, who shall be a citizen of the United States, may be elected by the voters qualified to elect members of the Legislative Assembly, who shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as are exercised and enjoyed by the delegates from the several other Territories of the United States to the said House of Representatives, but the delegate first elected shall hold his seat only during the term of the Congress to which he shall be elected. The first election shall be held at such time and places, and be conducted in such manner, as the Governor shall appoint and direct; and at all subsequent elections the times, places, and manner of holding the elections, shall be prescribed by law. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected; and a certificate thereof shall be given accordingly. That the Constitution, and all Laws of the United States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the said Territory of Nebraska as elsewhere within the United States, except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union approved March sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty, which, being inconsistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with slaves in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legislation of eighteen hundred and fifty, commonly called the Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of sixth March, eighteen hundred and twenty, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery.

SEC. 15. And Be it further enacted, That there shall hereafter be appropriated, as has been customary for the Territorial governments, sufficient amount, to be expended under the direction of the said Governor of the Territory of Nebraska, not exceeding the sums heretofore appropriated for similar objects, for the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat of government, and for the purchase of a library, to be kept at the seat of government for the use of the Governor, Legislative Assembly, Judges of the Supreme Court, Secretary, Marshal, and Attorney of said Territory, and such other persons, and under such regulations as shall be prescribed by law.

SEC. 16. And be it further enacted, That when the lands in the said Territory shall be surveyed under the direction of the government of the United States, preparatory to bringing the same into market, section; numbered sixteen and thirty-six in each township in said Territory shall be, and the same are hereby, reserved for the purpose of being applied to schools in said Territory, and in the States and Territories hereafter to be erected out of the same.

SEC. 17. And be it further enacted, That, until otherwise provided by law, the Governor of said Territory may define the Judicial Districts of said Territory, and assign the judges who may be appointed for said Territory to the several districts; and also appoint the times and places for holding courts in the several counties or subdivisions in each of said Judicial Districts by proclamation, to be issued by him; but the Legislative Assembly, at their first or any subsequent session, may organize, alter, or modify such Judicial Districts, and assign the judges, and alter the times and places of holding the courts, as to them shall seem proper and convenient.

SEC. 18. And be it further enacted, That all officers to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the Territory of Nebraska, who, by virtue of the provisions of any law now existing, or which may be enacted during the present Congress, are required to give security for moneys that may be intrusted with them for disbursement, shall give such security, at such time and place, and in such manner, as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe.

SEC. 19. And be it further enacted, That al1 that part of the Territory of the United States included within the following limits, except such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly exempted from the operations of this act, to wit, beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses the same; thence west on said parallel to the eastern boundary of New Mexico; thence north on said boundary to latitude thirty-eight; thence following said boundary westward to the east boundary of the Territory of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence northward on said summit to the fortieth parallel of latitude, thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri; thence south with the western boundary of said State to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by the name of the Territory of Kansas; and when admitted as a State or States, the said Territory, or any portion of the same, shall be received into the Union with or without slavery, as their Constitution may prescribe at the time of their admission: Provided, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to inhibit the government of the United States from dividing said Territory into two or more Territories, in such manner and at such times as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or from attaching any portion of said Territory to any other State or Territory of the United States: Provided further, That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to impair the rights of person or property now pertaining to the Indians in said Territory, so long as such rights shall remain unextinguished by treaty between the United States and such Indians, or to include any territory which, by treaty with any Indian tribe, is not, without the consent of said tribe, to be included within the territorial limits or jurisdiction of any State or Territory; but all such territory shall be excepted out of the boundaries, and constitute no part of the Territory of Kansas, until said tribe shall signify their assent to the President of the United States to be included within the said Territory of Kansas, or to affect the authority of the government of the United States to make any regulation respecting such Indians, their lands, property, or other rights, by treaty, law, or otherwise, which it would have been competent to the government to make if this act had never passed.

SEC. 20. And be it further enacted, That the executive power and chin authority in and over said Territory of Kansas shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President of the United States. The Governor shall reside within said Territory, and shall be commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. He may grant pardons and respites for offences against the laws of said Territory, and reprieves for offences against the laws of the United States, until the decision of the President can be made known thereon; he shall commission all officers who shall be appointed to office under the laws of the said Territory, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

SEC. 21. And be it further enacted, That there shall be a Secretary of said Territory, who shall reside therein, and hold his office for five years, unless sooner removed by the President of the United States; he shall record and preserve all the 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 President of the United States, and two copies of the laws to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to be deposited in the libraries of Congress; and, in case of the death, removal, resignation, or absence of the Governor from the Territory, the Secretary shall be, and he is hereby, authorized and required to execute and perform all the powers and duties of the Governor during such vacancy or absence, or until another Governor shall be duly appointed and qualified to fill such vacancy.

SEC. 22. And be it further enacted, That the legislative power and authority of said Territory shall be vested in the Governor and a Legislative Assembly. The Legislative Assembly shall consist of a Council and House of Representatives. The Council shall consist of thirteen members, having the qualifications of voters, as hereinafter prescribed, whose term of service shall continue two years. The House of Representatives shall, at its first session, consist of twenty-six members possessing the same qualifications as prescribed for members of the Council, and whose term of service shall continue one year. The number of representatives may be increased by the Legislative Assembly, from time to time, in proportion to the increase of qualified voters: Provided, That the whole number shall never exceed thirty-nine. An apportionment shall be made, as nearly equal as practicable, among the several counties or districts, for the election of the Council and Representatives, giving to each section of the Territory representation in the ratio of its qualified voters as nearly as may be. And the members of the Council and of the House of Representatives shall reside in, and be inhabitants of, the district or county, or counties, for which they may be elected, respectively. Previous to the first election, the Governor shall cause a census, or enumeration of the inhabitants and qualified voters of the several counties and districts of the Territory, to be taken by such persons and in such mode as the Governor shall designate and appoint; and the persons so appointed shall receive a reasonable compensation therefor. And the first election shall be held at such time and places, and be conducted in such manner, both as to the persons who shall superintend such election and the returns thereof, as the Governor shall appoint and direct; and he shall at the same time declare the number of members of the Council and House of Representatives to which each of the counties or districts shall be entitled under this act. The persons having the highest number of legal votes in each of said Council Districts for members of the Council, shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected to the Council; and the persons having the highest number of legal votes for the House of Representatives, shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected members of said house: Provided, That in case two or more persons voted for shall have an equal number of votes, and in case of a vacancy shall otherwise occur in either branch of the Legislative Assembly, the Governor shall order a new election; and the persons thus elected to the Legislative Assembly shall meet at such place and on such day as the Governor shall appoint; but thereafter, the time, place, and manner of holding and conducting all elections by the people, and the apportioning the representation in the several counties or districts to the Council and House of Representatives, according to the number of qualified t voters, shall be prescribed by law, as well as the day of the commencement of the regular sessions of the Legislative Assembly: Provided, That no session in any one year shall exceed the term of forty days, except the first session, which may continue sixty days.

SEC. 23. And be it further enacted, That every free white male inhabitant above the age of twenty-one years, who shall be an actual resident of said Territory, and shall possess the qualifications hereinafter prescribed, shall be entitled to vote at the first election, and shall be eligible to any office within the said Territory; but the qualifications of voters, and of holding office, at all subsequent elections, shall be such as shall be prescribed by the Legislative Assembly: Provided, That the right of suffrage and of holding office shall be exercised only by citizens of the United States, and those who shall have declared, on oath, their intention to become such, and shall have taken an oath to support the Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this act: And, provided further, That no officer, soldier, seaman, or marine, or other person in the army or navy of the United States, or attached to troops in the service of the United States, shall be allowed to vote or hold office in said Territory by reason of being on service therein.

SEC. 24. And be it further enacted, That the legislative power of the Territory shall extend to all rightful subjects of legislation consistent with the Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this act; but no law shall be passed interfering with the primary disposa1 of the soil; no tax shall be imposed upon the property of the United States; nor shall the lands or other property of non-residents be taxed higher than the lands or other properly of residents. Every bill which shall have passed the Council and House of Representatives of the said Territory shall, before it become a law, be presented to the Governor of the Territory; if he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it with his objections to the house in which it originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration, two thirds of that 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 reconsidered, and, if approved by two thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, to be entered on the journal of each house, respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within three days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Assembly, by adjournment, prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

SEC. 25. And be it further enacted, That all township, district, and; county officers, not herein otherwise provided for, shall be appointed or elected as the case may be, in such manner as shall be provided by the Governor and Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Kansas. The Governor shall nominate, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council, appoint all officers not herein otherwise provided for; and, in the first instance, the Governor alone may appoint all said officers, who shall hold their offices until the end of the first session of the Legislative Assembly; and shall lay off the necessary districts for members of the Council and House of Representatives, and all other officers.

SEC. 26. And be it further enacted, That no member of the Legislative Assembly shall hold, or be appointed to, any office which shall have been created, or the salary or emoluments of which shall have been increased, while he was a member, during the term for which he was elected, and for one year after the expiration of such term; but this restriction shall not be applicable to members of the first Legislative Assembly; and no person holding a commission or appointment under the United States, except postmasters, shall be a member of the Legislative Assembly, or shall hold any office under the government of said Territory.

SEC. 27. And be it further enacted, That the judicial power of said Territory shall be vested in a supreme court, district courts, probate courts, and in justices of the peace. The Supreme Court shall Consist of chief justice and two associate justices, any two of whom shall constitute a quorum, and who shall hold a term at the seat of government of said Territory annually; and they shall hold their offices during the period of four years, and until their successors shall be appointed and qualified. The said Territory shall be divided into three judicial districts, and a district court shall be held in each of said districts by one of the justices of the Supreme Court, at such times and places as may be prescribed by law; and the said judges shall, after their appointments, respectively, reside in the districts which shall be assigned them. The jurisdiction of the several courts herein provided for, both appellate and original, and that of the probate courts and of justices of the peace, shall be as limited by law: Provided, That justices of the peace shall not have jurisdiction of any matter in controversy when the title or boundaries of land may be in dispute, or where the debt or sum claimed shall exceed one hundred dollars; and the said supreme and district courts, respectively, shall possess chancery as well as common law jurisdiction. Said District Court, or the judge thereof, shall appoint its clerk, who shall also be the register in chancery, and shall keep his office at the place where the court may be held. Writs of error, bills of exception, and appeals shall be allowed in all cases from the final decisions of said district courts to the Supreme Court, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law; but in no case removed to the Supreme Court shall trial by jury be allowed in said court. The Supreme Court, or the justices thereof, shall appoint its own clerk, and every clerk shall hold his office at the pleasure of the court for which he shall have been appointed. Writs of error, and appeals from the final decisions of said supreme court, shall be allowed, and may be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States, in the same manner and under the same regulations as from the Circuit Courts of the United States, where the value of the property, or the amount in controversy, to be ascertained by the oath or affirmation of either party, or other competent witness, shall exceed one thousand dollars; except only that in all cases involving title to slaves, the said writ of error or appeals shall be allowed and decided by said supreme court, without regard to the value of the matter, property, or title in controversy; and except also that a writ of error or appeal shall also be allowed to the Supreme Court of the United States, from the decision of the said supreme court created by this act, or of any judge thereof, or of the district courts created by this act, or of any judge thereof, upon any writ of habeas corpus, involving the question of personal freedom: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to apply to or affect the provisions of the ” act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their masters,” approved February twelfth, – seventeen hundred and ninety-three, and the ” act to amend and supplementary to the aforesaid act,” approved September eighteenth, eighteen hundred and fifty; and each of the said district courts shall have and exercise the same jurisdiction in all cases arising under the Constitution and laws of the United States as is vested in the Circuit and District Courts of the United States; and the said supreme and district courts of the said Territory, and the respective judges thereof, shall and may grant writs of habeas corpus in all cases in which the same are granted by the judges of the United States in the District of Columbia; and the first six days of every term of said courts, or so much thereof as may be necessary, shall be appropriated to the trial of causes arising under the said Constitution and laws, and writs of error and appeal in all such cases shall-be made to the Supreme Court of said Territory, the same as in other cases. The said clerk shall receive the same fees in all such cases, which the clerks of the district courts of Utah Territory now receive for similar services.

SEC. 28. And be it further enacted, That the provisions of the act entitled ” An act respecting fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from, the service of their masters,” approved February twelfth, seventeen hundred and ninety-three, and the provisions of the act entitled “An act to amend, and supplementary to, the aforesaid act,” approved September eighteenth, eighteen hundred and fifty, be, and the same are hereby, declared to extend to and be in full force within the limits of the said Territory of Kansas.

SEC. 29. And be it further enacted, That there shall be appointed an attorney for said Territory, who shall continue in office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President, and who shall receive the same fees and salary as the Attorney of the United States for the present Territory of Utah. There shall also be a marshal for the Territory appointed, who shall hold his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President, and who shall execute all processes issuing from the said courts where exercising their jurisdiction as Circuit and District Courts of the United States; he shall perform the duties, be subject to the same regulations and penalties, and be entitled to the same fees, as the Marshal of the District Court of the United States for the present Territory of Utah, and shall, in addition, be paid two hundred dollars annually as a compensation for extra services.

SEC. 30. And be it further enacted, That the Governor, Secretary, Chief Justice, and Associate Justices, Attorney, and Marshal, shall be nominated, and, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, appointed by the President of the United States. The Governor and Secretary to be appointed as aforesaid shall, before they act as such, respectively take an oath or affirmation before the district judge or some justice of the peace in the limits of said Territory, duly authorized to administer oaths and affirmations by the laws now in force therein, or before the Chief Justice or some Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, to support the Constitution of the United States, and faithfully to discharge the duties of their respective offices, which said oaths, when so taken, shall be certified by the person by whom the same shall have been taken; and such certificates shall be received and recorded by the said secretary among the executive proceedings; and the Chief Justice and Associate Justices, and all other civil officers in said Territory, before they act as such, shall take a like oath or affirmation before the said Governor or Secretary, or some Judge or Justice of the Peace of the Territory who may be duly commissioned and qualified, which said oath or affirmation shall be certified and transmitted by the person taking the same to the Secretary, to be by him recorded as aforesaid; and, afterwards, the like oath or affirmation shall be taken, certified, and recorded, in such manner and form as may be prescribed by law. The Governor shall receive an annual salary of two thousand five hundred dollars. The Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall receive as an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The Secretary shall receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The said salaries shall be paid quarter-yearly, from the dates of the respective appointments, at the Treasury of the United States; but no such payment shall be made until said officers shall have entered upon the duties of their respective appointments. The members of the Legislative Assembly shall be entitled to receive three dollars each per day during their attendance at the sessions thereof, and three dollars each for every twenty miles’ travel in going to and returning from the said sessions, estimated according to the nearest usually travelled route; and an additional allowance of three dollars shall be paid to the presiding officer of each house for each day he shall so preside. And a chief clerk, one assistant clerk, a sergeant at-arms, and door-keeper, may be chosen for each house; and the chief clerk shall receive four dollars per day, and the said other officers three dollars per day, during the session of the Legislative Assembly; but no to other officers shall be paid by the United States: Provided, That there shall be but one session of the Legislature annually, unless, on an extraordinary occasion, the Governor shall think proper to call the Legislature together. There shall be appropriated, annually, the usual sum, to be expended by the Governor, to defray the contingent expenses of the Territory, including the salary of a clerk of the Executive Department and there shall also be appropriated, annually, a sufficient sum, to be expended by the Secretary of the Territory, and upon an estimate to be made by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, to defray the expenses of the Legislative Assembly, the printing of the laws, and other incidental expenses; and the Governor and Secretary of the Territory shall, in the disbursement of all moneys intrusted to them, be governed solely by the instructions of the secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and shall, semi-annually, account to the said secretary for lit the manner in which the aforesaid moneys shall have been expended; and no expenditure shall be made by said Legislative Assembly for objects not specially authorized by the acts of Congress making the appropriations, nor beyond the sums thus appropriated for such objects.

SEC. 31. And be it further enacted, That the seat of government of said Territory is hereby located temporarily at Fort Leavenworth; and that such portions of the public buildings as may not be actually used and needed for military purposes, may be occupied and used, under the direction of the Governor and Legislative Assembly, for such public purposes as may be required under the provisions of this act.

SEC. 32. And be it further enacted, That a delegate to the House of Representatives of the United States, to serve for the term of two years, who shall be a citizen of the United States, may be elected by the voters qualified to elect members of the Legislative Assembly, who shall be entitled to the same rights and privileges as are exercised and enjoyed by the delegates from the several other Territories of the United States to the said House of Representatives, but the delegate first elected shall hold his seat only during the term of the Congress to which he shall be elected. The first election shall be held at such time and places, and be conducted in such manner, as the Governor shall appoint and direct; and at all subsequent elections, the times, places, and manner of holding the elections shall be prescribed by law. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected, and a certificate thereof shall be given accordingly. That the Constitution, and all laws of the United States which are not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within the said Territory of Kansas as elsewhere within the United States, except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission of Missouri into the Union, approved March sixth, eighteen hundred and twenty, which, being inconsistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with slavery in the States and Territories, as recognized by the legislation of eighteen hundred and fifty, commonly called the Compromise Measures, is hereby declared inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only to the Constitution of the United States: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of sixth of March, eighteen hundred and twenty, either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery.

SEC. 33. And be it further enacted; That there shall hereafter be appropriated, as has been customary for the territorial governments, a sufficient amount, to be expended under the direction of the said Governor of the Territory of Kansas, not exceeding the sums heretofore appropriated for similar objects, for the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat of government, and for the purchase of a library, to be kept at the seat of government for the use of the Governor, Legislative Assembly, Judges of the Supreme Court, Secretary, Marshal, and Attorney of said Territory, and such other persons, and under such regulations, as shall be prescribed by law.

SEC. 34. And be it further enacted, That when the lands in the said Territory shall be surveyed under the direction of the government of the United States, preparatory to bringing the same into market, sections numbered sixteen and thirty-six in each township in said Territory shall be, and the same are hereby, reserved for the purpose of being applied to schools in said Territory, and in the States and Territories hereafter to be erected out of the same.

SEC. 35. And be it further enacted, That, until otherwise provided by law, the Governor of said Territory may define the Judicial Districts of said Territory, and assign the judges who may be appointed for said Territory to the several districts; and also appoint the times and places for holding courts in the several counties or subdivisions in each of said judicial districts by proclamation, to be issued by him; but the Legislative Assembly, at their first or any subsequent session, may organize, alter, or modify such judicial districts, and assign the judges, and alter the times and places of holding the courts as to them shall seem proper and convenient.

SEC. 36. And be it further enacted, That all officers to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the Territory of Kansas, who, by virtue of the provisions of any law now existing, or which may be enacted during the present Congress, are required to give security for moneys that may be intrusted with them for disbursement, shall give such security, at such time and place, and in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe.

SEC. 37. And be it further enacted, That all treaties, laws, and other, engagements made by the government of the United States with the Indian tribes inhabiting the territories embraced within this act, shall be faithfully and rigidly observed, notwithstanding any thing contained in this act; and that the existing agencies and superintendencies of said Indians be continued with the same powers and duties which are now prescribed by law, except that the President of the United States may, at his discretion, change the location of the office of superintendent.

Approved, May 30, 1854.

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