The emigrant aid journal of Minnesota. [volume] (Nininger City, Minn. Terr. [i.e. Minn.]) 1856-1858, 1858-05-05

Synopsls o. The law ProvDd1ng Get = ToWhA
ship O-rGao12o1to04
This Law il altogether too long for Newspaper columns,
or We should publish it entire. We give q synopsis Of
its main and important provisions, which We take from
the Albert Lea &ar, which will be found useful.
Sec. l Of the law provides that the County Comnis-
sioners Of each county shall divide their towns into ss
many towns as there arc townships by Government sur.
vey. This part Of the law has already been complied
With by our County Commissioner.
Sec. 2 provides that towns shall be named in accord.
.nce with the expressed wish Of a plurality Of its in.
habitants.
Sec. 3 makes it the duty Of the County Clerk to make
out and deliver to the Sheriff notices Of town meetings
for each town, which are to be posted in three Of tie
most public places in such town fifteen days before the
18th day Of May, on which day the 6st town meetings
are to be held. The annual town elections after SO 10
be held on the FIST Tuesday of April.
Sec. 4 relates to the duties Of tho Auditor Of State.
Sec. 5 makes each organized town . body corporate,
with capacity to sue or be sued in manner prescribed b.
State laws-to purchase and hold lads, make contracts,
DO.
Sec. 6 prescribes the time Of holding town meetings,
and the duty of the Town Clerk in issuing and posting
up notices Of the same, ten days prior to said meeting.
Sec. 7 provides for the election in each town Of three
Supervisors, one of whom shall be designated as Chair
man, one Town Clerk, one Assessor, one Collector, one
Overseer Of the Poor, two Constables, two Justices Of
the Peace, and as many Overseers Of Roads as there are
Road Districts in the town the Justices and Ceusta-
eles to hold two years aud the others one. The A.
SCISSORS and Supervisors in each town are made fence
viewers Of such town.
Sec. s gives the electors of each town at their town
meetings the sole control of the affairs Of the town.
Sec. y provides for special town meetings to be held
when any twelve freeholders Of the town shall 30 request.
Upon such request being made in writing, the Town
Clerk shall call such meeting BY posting up notices in
five Of the most public places in the town, ten days
prior to said meeting.
Sec. 10 authorizes the Town Clerk to call all town
meetings to order, and in case of his absence, the elec.
tors shall appoint q Chairman, after which they are 70
choose a moderator to preside over the meeting. The
Town Clerk, if present, shall be Clerk Of the meeting !;
if not there one shall be chosen by the electors. The
Clerk is to keep faithful minutes Of the proceedings Of
the meeting, and enter the same in . book provided for
the purpose, together with all the rules aud regulations
made by such meeting.
Sec. IL says town meetings shall be kept open from
the time of opening until S o'clock, P. NJ; unless the
majority present vote to adjourn one hoar from IL t. l
o'clock.
Sec IL. All questions or motions at town meetings
shall be determined by a majority Of the electors voting;
the sesul: to be ascertained and declared by The mode.
rator.
Sec. IL relates to the qualification Of voters-chal
lenged votes to be dealt With in the same manner a. BY
Judges Of Elections under the Territorial Statutes
Town voters must be qualified to vote at general cleo.
tons, and shall be an actual resident Of the town where
he shall offer to vote.
Sec. IA. The minutes of the town meetings Of each
town shall be recorded in a book and subscribed BY tit
Clerk and presiding officer, whiting two days after town
meeting. "
Sec. Is make it the duty Of the presiding officer to
open the polls BY proclamation, and to make ~proclama.
tion Of each adjournment, &c. The Tow Clerk, A.
SCISSOR, Overseer of the Poor, Collector, Supervisors,
(0OafahInc md .Juofi~eo sh0u AA wnknl g.. -
ticket. The voter shall be canvsssed BY the moderator.
a nd the result proclaimed immediately upon the closing
Of the polls.
Sec. l6 makes legal voters eligible to any town Office.
Persons elected to any town Office are required, within
ten days after his election, to take and subscribe an
form the duties Of bis Office, and file the same in the
Office Of Town Clerk. Every person., notified of bis
election as OveEseer of Roads, shall, within ten day.
thereafter, file q notice Of his acceptance ia the Office Of
the Town Clerk: A neglect to file such notice will be
deemed a refusal to serve. Any person elected to either
Of the above named Offices who shall refuse to serve
ehall forft it to the town the sum Of ten dollars.
Sec. II relates to the penalty attached to the refusal
Of any town OK county officer to pay over sny money
collected or received BY hin in bis Official capacity, when
the same is demanded by the person or persons to
whom it is due or belonging-the same to be deemed .
felony, and to be punished by Imprisonment in the
County Jail or State Penitentiary, one year for every
thousand dollars the person so offending to be forever
incapacitated from holding Office in the Stsse.
Sec: 1S. Towns not organizing shall be attached to
adjoining towns, and if a vacancy occur in any town
office, the Justices, With the Chairman Of the Super.
visors, are empowered to fill said vacancy by appoint
ment. Justices Of the Peace are authorised to accept
the resignation Of town officers.
Sec. 10 provides that the Chairman Of each town
shall receive and pay over all moneys raised therein for
~defraying town charges, except those raised for high
ways and bridges, and keep an account Of same.
Sec On. The Chairman If Ao~h <nun oh~ll he a ror.
Der Of the County Beard Of Supervisors, and shall re-
ceive and lay before the Board Of Town Auditors al &C.
counts against his town.
Sec. Fl. Every person chosen as Collector, before en-.
tering upon his duties, and within eight days after re-
ceiving notice Of the amount of taxes to b collected By
him, shall execute to the Supervisors q bond with one
Or more securities in double the amount Of such taxes,
conditioned for the performance Of his duties as Co..
lector.
Sec. % relates to the fling Of said bond in the Office
OF Clerk Of the District Court, there to be recorded.
Sec. %. Constables are also required to give bond or
instrument with one or more suretes conditioned for
payment Of all money received by them officially.
Sec. "a. The above bond to be approved by tho Su-
pervisor or Town Clerk, and Sled in the Office Of tho
Town Clerk.
Sec. rs. All actions against a Constable or his sure
ties to be prosecuted within two years after the expire
ton of his term Of Office.
Sec. 26. Persons elected to Office aud not giving bend
az above prescribed are deemed to have refused to serve.
ART. II, Sec. l, gives the Town Clerk Of each town
custody of all books and records of his town.
Sec. 2. He is to transcribc in tho book Of records tho
proceedings of town meeting, &C..
Sec. 3. He shall deliver to the Chairman certified
copies Of all entries.
Sec. 4 makes it the duty Of the Town Clerk to return
to the Clerk Of the County Board the warrants Of al
Justices or Constables elected or appointed Immediately
after such election Or appointment.
Sec. s. Copies Of all papers fled in Office Of Town
Clerk, and transcripts from the book Of records certified
by him shall be evidence in all Courts the same a. If
the original we're produced.
ART. III makes the Town Clerk and Justices S
Board Of Town Auditors to examine the accounts CT
Overeeers Of the Poor, and Supervisors, and the CON-
~pensation Of town affairs, &c.; the said Board to meet
for such purpose annually on the Tuesday preceding the
annual town meeting. Accounts, after being audited,
shall be delivered to Town Clerk, and by him kept Oh
Gle for inspection they are also to be read at the an