Chapter VII: Section 1: In each county there shall be elected biennially by the

qualified voters thereof, as provided for the election of members of the General Assembly, the following officers: A treasurer, register of deeds, surveyor, and five commissioners.

[Sidenote: Duty of county commissioners.]

SEC. 2. It shall be the duty of the commissioners to exercise a general supervision and control of the penal and charitable institutions, schools, roads, bridges, levying of taxes, and finances of the county, as may be prescribed by law. The register of deeds shall be, _ex officio_, clerk of the board of commissioners.

[Sidenote: Counties to be divided into districts.]

SEC. 3. It shall be the duty of the commissioners first elected in each county to divide the same into convenient districts, and to report the same to the General Assembly before the first day of January, 1869.

[Sidenote: Said districts shall have corporate powers as townships.]

SEC. 4. Upon the approval of the reports provided for in the foregoing section by the General Assembly, the said districts shall have corporate powers for the necessary purposes of local government, and shall be known as townships.

[Sidenote: Officers of townships.]

SEC. 5. In each township there shall be biennially elected by the qualified voters thereof a clerk and two justices of the peace, who shall constitute a board of trustees, and shall, under the supervision of the county commissioners, have control of the taxes and finances, roads and bridges of the townships, as may be prescribed by law. The General Assembly may provide for the election of a larger number of the Justices of the Peace in cities and towns and in those townships in which cities and towns are situated. In every township there shall also be biennially elected a school committee, consisting of three persons, whose duties shall be prescribed by law.

[Sidenote: Trustees shall assess property.]

Sec. 6. THE TOWNSHIP BOARD OF TRUSTEES SHALL ASSESS THE TAXABLE property of their townships and make returns to the county commissioners for revision, as may be prescribed by law. The clerk shall be, _ex officio_, treasurer of the township.

[Sidenote: No debt or loan except by a majority of voters.]

SEC. 7. No county, city, town or other municipal corporation shall contract any debt, pledge its faith or loan its credit, nor shall any tax be levied or collected by any officers of the same except for the necessary expenses thereof, unless by a vote of the majority of the qualified voters therein.

[Sidenote: Drawing of money.]

SEC. 8. No money shall be drawn from any county or township treasury except by authority of law.

[Sidenote: Taxes to be ad valorem.]

SEC. 9. All taxes levied by any county, city, town or township shall be uniform and _ad valorem_ upon all property in the same, except property exempted by this Constitution.

[Sidenote: When officers enter on duty.]

SEC. 10. The county officers first elected under the provisions of this article shall enter upon their duties ten days after the approval of this Constitution by the Congress of the United States.

[Sidenote: Governor to appoint justices.]

SEC. 11. The Governor shall appoint a sufficient number of justices of the peace in each county, who shall hold their places until sections four, five and six of this article shall have been carried into effect.

[Sidenote: Charters to remain in force until legally changed.]

SEC. 12. All charters, ordinances and provisions relating to municipal corporations shall remain in force until legally changed, unless inconsistent with the provisions of this Constitution.

[Sidenote: Debts in aid of the rebellion not to be paid.]

SEC. 13. No county, city, town or other municipal corporation shall assume to pay, nor shall any tax be levied or collected for the payment of any debt, or the interest upon any debt, contracted directly or indirectly in aid or support of the rebellion.

[Sidenote: Powers of General Assembly over municipal corporations.]

SEC. 14. The General Assembly shall have full power by statute to modify, change or abrogate any and all of the provisions of this article and substitute others in their place, except sections seven, nine, and thirteen.

ARTICLE VIII.

CORPORATIONS OTHER THAN MUNICIPAL.

[Sidenote: Corporations under general laws.]