Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1886-03-23
LAW RELATING TO sELEcrMEN
ILlroAL poAKps IN OxroKp COUNTY.

fLi.EcAL noAKps N OXFORD COUNTY.
Our sttenlion has several times been
called 10 the Law relating to Selsetmen
a. amended At the las, session OF The
Legislature. To our personal knosledse
the rev Law has been violated in the late
town election. in Oxford County. or
course IL was done unwittinsly. bat a.
al men are presumed TO know the Law,
and Ignorance Of the law excuses no
man. Il becomesa matter Of importance
that al should conform TO the Law. a
subscriber ask. Il Il Il legal for the same
person TO hold At the same time the OFF,
ees Of Selectman and Treasurer or Coll
hector. Our answer u NO. The law IN
regard 10 the election Of Sslec,men may
Be found IN section twelve Of chapter
three Of the Revised Statutes Of the State
Of Maize and reads AZ follows;
"Sec IL. Annual tcsn meetings
shall be held in March. and the voters
shall then choose. by a major vote. q Clerk,
three. ave OF seven Inhabitants OF The
town 20 be Sslectmsn and Overses- Of
the Poor. when other 0veresr are no,
chosen. three OF more Assessors. too or
more fence viewers. Treasurer. Survey
or Of lumber. T~ythingmen. sealers OF
leather. measursrs Of wood and bark
Consiablr.. Collector. Of ,axss, aud other
usual town officers; and II one-,hird OF
the voters prssen, are ia favor thereof.
they ehall choose. by major vote. one
auditor Of accounts. all Of whom shall be
ssorn. Treasurer. OF Collectors Of towns
having more than fifteen hundred inhab'
i,Anis shall not Be Selse,men OF Asses
sou."
Nov Il will be seen by the above that
4, has been legal for the same persoa 10
hold Al the same time the offices Of Ss-
lsctmAn all Treasurer OF Collector. pro-
,ided bis ,own bad no more than fifteen
hundred Inhabitants. and this has been
the custom in the smaller towns. there
fore the answer 20 our subscribers ques-
ton. under the old Law would depend
Wholly upoa the eensas Of his ,own. but
hi, vas changed by the las, Lssisla,urs
and tia, Limitation no loascr exists
The law va, amended and the amend
men, may be found in chapter three hun.
drrd Aaa ,hifiy-fve. page two hundred
.nd eighty Of the Acts and Resolves Of
the State Of Maine far 1855. The
Amsndmsn, /, as follows;
section ,ssl,e Of chapter three OF The
revised statute, Of eighteen hundred and
eishiy.,hree. Is hereby amended by add
ing AFTER the las, word Ia said section,
the following until they have com.
ple,ed their duties a. TreAsursrs and
Collectors and bad . hnal se'ilemen'
with The iown.' and further amended by
striking out the word. having mote thar
fnssn hundred Inhabitants. Ia said see
,ioa twelve. % tia, SAID section. ~her
amended. shall read as follos':
"'Sec. II. AnnuL town meetings
shall Be held ia March. and The Vo,sr'
shall then choose. by = major vote. .
CLERK. three. I've or seven Inhabitants OF
The iovn 70 be Sslee,msn and Ossrseers Of
The Poor. when other Ovsreer ATE not
chosen. three or more Assessors. V OF
more Fence Viewers. Treasurer. Survey
or Of Lumber. Tythingmen, Scalss Of
Leather. Measures Of Wood and Bark,
Cons,Able.. Collectors Of Taxes AID o,hei
usual iovn oAicer; and II one-,hifd Of
The voter. present arc ia favor thereof,
they shall choose. by . major vote. oa'
Auditor Of Accounts. all Of whom shaIl
be s-orn. Tres,urers ard Collectors Of
town, shall no, be Seleeimsn or Asses
.or.. until they have completed their da'
ties a. Treasgr,rs aud Collectors and bad
q faAl se,ilemen, with the town.
The above Ae, ~As approved March
S. 1855.
Thus il vii be seen that Treasures
AID Collectors Of towns Aal Ha be Sc
lse,msn OF Assessors. until they have
completed their duties a. Treasures and
Collectors AID bad q fnAl settlement, with
The io-r. Ia other words. no Psrsor
shall =, The same time be Selec,man snd
Treasurer O. Collector. The question
then ARISES. wha; i the penalty for such
.Ass. We dOub, II Any Is specified. bat
the board would o. course be Illegal and
cause The town az AlmOs, sndles. amoun'
o. trouble. leading. as Il does. 10 eon,ro'
VERSES regarding the legality CT The bus
nee. transacted by . board thus eonsd'
iu,ed We irus, that towns in OUT owr
County tia; have committed this srro'
may correct Il q; onee. and before they
have bcea Jed into difficulty by dolns
business through al Illegally constituted
board Of Selee,men.