The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-21
County Officers,

The following Bill has passed the Senate, and is
now before the House. We presume there is no
doubt about its becoming law:
An Act to Provide for the Qualification of Certain
Officers Recently Elected under the Provisions of
the Constitution of North Carolina
Section l. The General Assembly of North Caro-
lima do enact That it shall be the duty of the County
Commissioners elect in each County respectively, to
meet Immediately and designate one of their number,
who shall at once go before Judge of tne Supreme
Superior Court, United States Commissioner,
any other officer of the United States authorized to
administer oath, and be qualified by taking the
oath prescribed in section four, article six of the
Constitution of this State, and the County Commits
sioner thus qualified, shall forthwith proceed to quail
fy IN like manner the other four Commissioners elect
Sec. 2 That the Board of County Commissioners
being thus constituted, SHALL without delay proceed
to qualify in like aforesaid, each and all
the County officers, elected or appointed, including
Justices OF the Peace and CUnsables, and shall take
the bonds required by law specified in the Revised
Code for the due discharge of their duties from such
of these officers may be required by law to
give such bonds and shall the said bonds to be
recorded by the Register of Deeds in separate book
to be known the Registry of Official Bonds and
the original of said bonds shall also be filed in the
Office of the Clerk of the Superior Court except the
bond of said Clerk Of the Superior Court which shall
be fled in the Office of the Register of Deeds, and
officer shall be surety any bond required to be
filed in his office; Provided, The Sheriff shall execute
three several bonds payable to the State of North
County and poor taxes for the preceding year,
ditioned for the collection payment and settlement
of the county and poor taxes as required by law;
in the sum of twice the amount of the public
taxes paid by the County for the proceeding year,
conditioned for the collection, payment and settle
ment of the public taxes required by law and the
third in the of five thousand dollars, conditioned
follows: ''The condition of the above bounden -
is elected and appointed Sheriff of - County, -
if therefore, he shall well and truly execute and due
return make Of all process and precepts to him
directed, and pay and satisfy all fees and sums of
money by him received, or levied by virtue OF any
process into the proper Office into which the same by
the tenor thereof ought to be paid to the person
or persons to whom the shall be due, his her,
their executors, administrators, attorneys, or
agents. and in all other things well, truly and faith
fully execute the said Office of Sheriff during his
continuance therein then the above obligation to be
void, otherwise to remain in full force and effect;
Provided, Those Commissioners and other County
officers who have heretofore been qualified by other
means than those prescribed in this Act, shall
qualify, according to the provisions Of this Acts but
all official acts done by such officers heretofore, in
good faith, shall be deemed valid in all respects
Sec 3. That majority Of the Board of County
Commissioners shall have power to perform the duties
imposed by this act upon said Board. The sufciency
of any bond required by this act, shall be certified
by Endorsement Of such bond by each member Of said
Board asserting thereto, and if any bond with in
sufficient sureties be taken of any officer by said
Board, or by majority acting for them, each and
every member of the Board asserting to such suffi-
cheney shall himself be liable in all respects,
surety such bond, and sub ject to suit such, by
any person entitled to said bond, but the
Commissioners shall not be liable if they act in good
faith, and the bond is sufficient when taken.
See 4. That if any of the aforesaid county Off
GERS elected appointed, shall ailto give sufficient
bond bonds, as required by this act within twenty
DAYS after receiving notice from the aforesaid Board
to appear and qualify, it shall be the duty Of said
Board to declare the office Of the said officer elected
appointed vacant and to take such action at once
as may be necessary to have said vacancy filled in
the prescribed by the Constitution and laws
ofthis State.
Sec 5. That the solicitor of each judicial district
of the State shall be qualified by the Judge Of the
superior ceurt of 50 i'll judicial district by taking the
oath aforesaid; and if there be Judge in the judi
cial District then the Solicitor may be qualified by
the Judge of some other judicial district; and if any
Solicitor elect shall for insufficient reasons, fail to
qualify within twenty days after notice from the
Judge Of said district, to appear and qualify it shall
be the duty of the Judge aforesaid to declare the
office of said officer elect, vacant, and to report the
said vacancy to the Governor.
Sec 6. All officers herein mentioned including
the County Commissioners when they are qualified
herein directed, shall be furnished by the author
ity qualifying them with certificates duly signed,
stating the fact of their having been qualified and
the date when together with the Office to which each
has been qualified which certificates shall be
ded in the office of the Register OF Deeds who shall
endorse upon each certificate the book and page OF
the book on which the same is recorded
Sec. 7. That all persons now holding Offices OF
trust profit in this State shall, Immediately ater
demand is made and the aforesaid certificate Of quail
ification is exhibited to them by their successors
chosen under the present Constitution of this State
to their said successors, all moneys, books
papers, processes executions, lists of taxes collected
and uncoeced, County and State, for the year 1865
and all other effects whatsoever, pertaining to their
respective offices, taking receipts for the same, but
such officer is hereby authorized to retain the fees
and commissions accrued up to the time OF transfer
Pr0uided that within the meaning of this section,
the Register of Deeds shall be deemed the successor
of the late County Register, and the County Treas
urer shall be deemed the successor of the County
trustee.
Sec 8. No person prohibited from holding office
under any State, by section 3 of the Amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States known as art-
Gle H. shall qualify under this act or hold office In
this State, and officer whose election is contest
cd shall qualify until the fact of election has been
determined by competent authority.
Sec. 8. That any person now holding an office OF
trust or profit who shall wilfuly fail refuse to
ton to turning the appurtenances of his Office
to his successor, under the present Constitution OF
this State OF shall violate section of this act shall
be liable 10 indictment for high misdemeanor, and
on conviction shall be fined not less than thous
and dollars five thousand dollars, impris-
oned not exceeding two years. or both at the o:scre-
ton of the court
Sec 10 That all laws and part oflaws inconsistent
with the provisions of this act hereby repealed.
Sec. II. That this act shall take effect from and
after the date Of its ratification.
MURDER IN WILKEsBORo'-A atrocious
murder was committed in the town of Wilkes
bor tho 1th On that day the