Chap. 106.—JOINT RESOLUTIONS Proposing Amendments to the
State Constitution in relation to County Organization.

Approved March 14, 1874.

Whereas certain joint resolutions proposing amendments
to sections one, two, three, and four of the seventh article of
the constitution of Virginia, in relation to county organiza-
tions, and providing for the publication of the said amend-
ments, and for the communication of a copy thereof and of
the said resolutions to this general assembly, were adopted
by the senate and house of delegates of the last general
assembly (a majority of the members elected to each of the
two houses having agreed thereto); and whereas, in accord-
ance with said resolutions, a certified copy of said amend-
ments and of said resolutions, together with a certificate of
publication by the publisher of the newspaper in which said
proposed amendments have been published, that the same

ave been published for three months previous to the time
of choosing the senators and members of the house of dele-
gates of this general assembly; therefore,

Resolved by the senate and bouse of delegates of the gen-
eral assembly (a majority of the members elected to each of
the two houses agreeing thereto), That the following amend-
ments to the constitution of Virginia be, and the same are
hereby agreed to, which said amendments shall be submitted
to the people, in a manner hereafter to be prescribéd, for
their approval and ratification, in conformity with the provi-
sions of article twelve of said constitution, viz:

“Strike from the constitution of Virginia the first and
second sections of the seventh article, in reference to county
organizations, which are in these words:

“County Organizations.

““§ 1. There shall be elected by the qualified voters of the
county, one sheriff, one attorney for the commonwealth (who
shall also be the commonwealth’s attorney for the circuit
court), one county clerk (who shall also be the clerk of the
circuit court, except that in counties containing fifteen thou-
sand inhabitants there may be a separate clerk for the cir-
cuit court), one county treasurer, and one superintendent of
the poor; and there shall be appointed, in the manner pro-
vided for in article eight, one superintendent of schools:
provided, that counties containing less than eight thousand
inhabitants may be attached to adjoining counties for the
formation of districts for superintendents of schools: provi-
ded also, that in counties contajning thirty thousand inhabit-
ants there may be appointed an additional superintendent of
schools therein. All regular elections for county officers
shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in
November; and all officers elected or appointed under this
provision shall enter upon the duties of their offices on the
What township ‘“§ 2. Each county of the staté shall be divided into so

officers were _ many compactly located townships as may be deemed neces-

stricken out sary—not less than three: provided, that after three have
been formed, no additional township shall be made contain-
ing less than thirty square miles. Each township shall be
known as the township of ,in the county of ;
and may sue and be sued by such title. In each township
there shall be elected annually, one supervisor, one township
clerk, one assessor, one collector, one commissioner of roads,
one overseer of the poor, one justice of the peace (who shall
hold his, office three years), on® constable (who shall hold his
office three years): provided, that at the first election held
under this provision there shall be three justices of the peace
and three constables elected, whose terms shall be one, two,
and three years, respectively. All regular elections for town-
ship officers shall take place on the fourth Thursday in May,
and all officers so elected shall enter upon the duties of their
respective offices on the first day of July next succeeding
their election. The supervisors of each township shall con-
stitute the board of supervisors for that county, and shall
assemble at the court-house thereof on the first Monday in
December in each year, and proceed to audit the accounts of
said county, examine the books of the assessors, regulate and
equalize the valuation of property, fix the county levies for
the ensuing year, apportion the same among the various
townships, and perform such other duties ag shall be pre-
scribed by law.

Amendment ‘And insert in lieu thereof the following:
proposed

“ ArticLe VII. ‘
“County Organizations.

Sheriff, attor- “$1. There shall be elected by the qualified voters of the
ney for com- —_ county, one sheriff, one attorney for the commonwealth (who
county andcir- shall also be the commonwealth’s attorney for the circuit
cuit court clerks court), one county clerk (who shall be clerk of the circuit

court, except that in counties containing fifteen thousand
County tree. inhabitants there may be a separate clerk for the circuit
surer ote Court), One county treasurer, and sO many commissioners of
of revenue the revenue as may be provided by law; and there shall be
of oan engent appointed, in a manner to be provided by law, one superin-
surveyor tendent of the poor and one county surveyor; and there
Superintendent shall also be appointed, in the manner provided for in article
When elections eight, one superintendent of schools. All regular elections

cerstobeheld for county officers shall be held on the fourth Thursday in
May ; and all officers elected or appointed under this provision
shall enter upon the duties of their offices on the first day of
July next succeeding their election, and shall hold their re-
spective offices for the term of four years, except that county
and circuit court clerks shall hold their offices for six years.

“*§ 2. Each county of the state shall be divided into so
many compactly located magisterial districts as may be
deemed necessary—not less than three: provided, that after
these have been formed no additional districts shall be made
containing less than thirty square miles—each magisterial
district to be known as magisterial gistrict o
county. In each district there shall be elected one supervisor,
three justices of the peace, one constable, and one overseer
of the poor, who shall hold their respective offices for the
term of two years. All regular elections for magisterial dis-
trict officers shall take place on the fourth Thursday in May;
and all officers so elecced shall enter upon the duties.of their
respective offices on the first day of July next succeeding
their election. The supervisors of the district shalt consti-
tute the board of supervisors for that county, whose duty it
shall be to audit the accounts of the county, examine the
books of the commissioners of the revenue, regulate and
equalize the valuation of property, fix the county levies of
the ensuing year, and perform any other duties required of
them by law.

‘‘Strike out the third section of the same article, which is
in these words:

“School Districts.

Ҥ 3. Hach township shall be divided into so many com-
pactly located school districts as may be deemed necessary:
provided, that no school district shall be formed containing
less than one hundred inhabitants. In each school district
there shall be elected or appointed annually one school trus-
tee, who shall hold his office three years: provided, that at
the first election held under this provision there shall be
three trustees elected, whose terms shall be one, two, and
three years, respectively.
‘‘And insert in lieu thereof the following:

“School Districts.

Ҥ 3. Each magisterial district shall be divided into so
many compactly located school districts as may be deemed
necessary: provided, that no school district shall be formed
containing less than one hundred inhabitants. In each
school district there shall be elected or appointed annually
one school trustee, who shall hold his office three years: pro-
vided, that at the first election held under this provision
there shall be three trustees elected, whose terms shall be
one, two, and three years, respectively.

‘From the same article strike out the fourth section, which
is in these words:
“$4. Each township shall be divided into one or more
road districts. In each road district there shall be elected
annually one overseer of roads, under whose direction the
roads shall be kept in repair, at the public expense, in a mode
prescribed by law.”