MERIDIAN LINE STANDARD. erect meridian 164. It shall be lawful for the county commissioners of each 1870, c. 359, s. 1. County commiscounty in the State, if they shall at any time deem it expedient, to sioners may cause to be erected at some public spot adjacent to the court-house marks. of each county, two good and substantial stone pillars, one hundred feet distant apart, the one from the other, and upon the same true meridian line. And upon the summit of one of the said pillars there shall be placed a distinctly visible needle-point; and upon the summit of the other there shall be erected a hair-sight, in such a manner that a straight line passing through the centre thereof and continued until the same shall strike the centre of the needle-point upon the other, shall be in and upon the line of the true meridian running north and south, and they shall inclose and protect the same properly; the said pillars and inclosures to be subject to the custody of the county clerk, to be free to the access of any surveyor Surveyors to of lands or civil engineer residing in said county, or engaged in surveying therein, for the purpose of testing the variation of the compass for the time being, and to cause the said meridian line to be verified at any time when required so to do by order of the Circuit Court of the said county, and furthermore, it shall be lawful for the said county commissioners to cause to be determined the accurate latitude and longitude of the pillars aforesaid, reckoning Latitude and the latter from the meridian of Washington, and to have the same marked. marked distinctly and legibly in degrees, minutes, seconds and parts of seconds on one of the pillars aforesaid. have access. longitude to be measure. 165. The said county commissioners shall provide and keep a Id. s. 2. standard measure of one rod in length, by which surveyors of lands Standard in said county may compare, test, and verify their several chains, the said standard measure to be kept under control and in the custody or the county clerk, and to be accessible to all surveyors as aforesaid, under such restrictions and regulations as may be deemed by the said county commissioners compatible with the safety and proper preservation of the said standard measure. 166. It shall be the duty of each and every surveyor, surveying 1a. s. 3. land in any county of this State, that shall adopt the provisions of this act, to test and note the actual variation of his compass from Compasses to be the aforesaid true meridian line at least once in every year, and to tested. deposit a copy of the same, with the date and time of such test, accompanying therewith an affidavit verifying its correctness, with the clerk of the county in which he may reside, to be by him recorded in a book kept for that purpose; and every surveyor neglecting or refusing to comply with the provisions of this section shall be liable to a penalty of fifty dollars, to be recovered with costs as Penalty for neglect. debts of like character are recovered before any justice of the peace in the county, to be applied to such county uses as the county commissioners may direct. Id. s. 4. 167. For recording each certificate of variations and affidavits clerk for record of the correctness of the same appended, and for copies or abstracts Fees of county, ing certificates of variations, etc. Id. s. 5. Penalty for de marks. of the same, and for drawing certificate and seal therefor, the county clerk shall be allowed the same fees as are now allowed by law for similar services in regard to matters of record in his office, the said fees to be paid by the parties presenting the same for record, or demanding abstracts or copies as aforesaid. 168. Any person or persons who shall wilfully erase, deface, facing meridian displace, or otherwise injure said pillars, or any part thereof, or destroy, break down or carry away the inclosure aforesaid, or any lock, bolt, bar, or any part thereof, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by a fine of not less than fifty nor more than five hundred dollars. Id. s. 6. Expenses, how paid. 169. The commissioners of any county adopting the provisions of this act are hereby authorized to provide for the payment of the costs of carrying out its provisions in the same manner that other county expenses are paid. Art. 31, s. 1. 1820, c. 66. CROWS. 170. If any person shall bring to any justice of the peace of the 1831, c. 227, s. 1; county in which such person resides, the head of any crow, he shall for every such head be allowed in the county levy for said county the sum of six and a quarter cents. Reward for killing crows. Id. s. 2. 1846, c. 343, s. 2; 171. No person shall be entitled to an allowance for any crow's 1831, c. 227, s. 2; heads without first making oath before the justice that such crow or crows were taken and killed in the county where such person resides, and that no certificate had been obtained from any other justice of the peace for the same; and the justice shall take such oath without entitled to allowance. Id. s. 3. 1831, e. 227, s. 1; fee or reward. 1846, c. 343, s. 1. Heads to be destroyed. Certificate to person bringing. 172. The justice before whom such heads shall be brought shall burn or destroy the same, and shall give the person bringing them a certificate thereof to be laid before the county commissioners. 173. The preceding three sections shall not apply to Alleghany, Calvert, Caroline, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Garrett, Harford, ties not appli- Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's, and Talbot 1864, c. 250; 1876, c. 12; 1878, c. 301. To what coun cable. counties. 1853, c. 444; 1854, c. 196. SECTION 1. Every person holding any office created by, or existing under the Constitution or laws of the State (except justices of the peace, constables, and coroners), or holding any appointment under any court of this State, whose pay or compensation is derived from fees, or moneys coming into his hands for the discharge of his official duties, or, in any way, growing out of, or connected with his office, shall keep a book in which shall be entered every sum, or sums of money, received by him, or on his account, as a payment or compensation for his performance of official duties, a copy of which entries in said book, verified by the oath of the officer, by whom it is directed to be kept, shall be returned yearly to the comptroller of the State for his inspection, and that of the General Assembly of the State, to which the comptroller shall, at each regular session thereof, make a report showing what officers have complied with this section; and each of the said officers, when the amount received by him for the year shall exceed the sum which he is by law entitled to retain, as his salary, or compensation for the discharge of his duties, and for the expenses of his office, shall yearly pay over to the treasurer of the State the amount of such excess, subject to such disposition thereof as the General Assembly may direct; Excess over if any of such officers shall fail to comply with the requisitions of this section for the period of thirty days after the expiration of each and every year of his office, such officer shall be deemed to have vacated his office, and the governor shall declare the same vacant, and the vacancy therein shall be filled as in case of vacancy for any other cause, and such officer shall be subject to suit by the State for the amount that ought to be paid into the treasury; and no person holding any office created by, or existing under this Constitution, or laws of the State, or holding any appointment, under any court in this State, shall receive more than three thousand dollars a year as a compensation for the dis- Salaries limited charge of his official duties, except in cases specially provided in this Consti tution. salary to be paid over. governor to vacant. to $3000. SEC. 2. The several courts existing in this State at the time of the adoption The courts to of this Constitution, shall, until superseded under its provisions, continue with continue until like powers and jurisdiction, and in the exercise thereof, both at law and in 32 Md. 147. superseded. Governor and all officers to superseded. equity, in all respects, as if this Constitution had not been adopted; and when said courts shall be so superseded, all causes, then depending in said courts, shall pass into the jurisdiction of the several courts, by which they may [be], respectively, superseded. SEC 3. The governor and all officers, civil and military, now holding office hold office until under this State, whether by election, or appointment, shall continue to hold, exercise, and discharge the duties of their offices (unless inconsistent with, or otherwise provided in this Constitution) until they shall be superseded, under its provisions, and until their successors shall be duly qualified. 24 Md. 202: 25 Md. 173; 28 Md. 244; 32 Md. 398. 1854, c. 26. New election in case of tie. Jury judges of Right of trial General election to be held in November. Sheriffs to give notice of elections. Terms of office to commence from election. Exceptions. Librarian and commissioner of the Land Office. How officers may qualify. Copy of oath to be recorded. SEC. 4. If at any election directed by this Constitution, any two or more candidates shall have the highest and an equal number of votes, a new election shall be ordered by the governor, except in cases specially provided for by this Constitution. SEC. 5. In the trial of all criminal cases, the jury shall be the judges of law, as well as of fact. SEC. 6. The right of trial by jury of all issues of fact in civil proceedings in the several courts of law in this State, where the amount in controversy exceeds the sum of five dollars, shall be inviolably preserved. SEC. 7. All general elections in this State shall be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday in the month of November, in the year in which they shall occur; and the first election of all officers, who, under this Constitution, are required to be elected by the people, shall, except in cases herein specially provided for, be held on the Tuesday next after the first Monday of November, in the year eighteen hundred and sixty-seven. SEC. 8. The sheriffs of the several counties of this State, and of the city of Baltimore, shall give notice of the several elections authorized by this Constitution, in the manner prescribed by existing laws for elections to be held in this State, until said laws shall be changed. SEC. 9. The term of office of all judges and other officers, for whose election provision is made by this Constitution, shall, except in cases otherwise expressly provided herein, commence from the time of their election; and all such officers shall qualify as soon after their election as practicable, and shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices immediately upon their qualification; and the term of office of the State librarian and of the commissioner of the Land Office shall commence from the time of their appointment. SEC. 10. Any officer elected or appointed in pursuance of the provisions of this Constitution, may qualify, either according to the existing provisions of law, in relation to officers under the present Constitution, or before the governor of the State, or before any clerk of any court of record in any part of the State; but in case an officer shall qualify out of the county in which he resides, an official copy of his oath shall be filed and recorded in the clerk's office of the Circuit Court of the county in which he may reside, or in the clerk's office of the Superior Court of the City of Baltimore, if he shall reside therein. 1856, c. 183. 1. The governor shall take and subscribe the oath prescribed by Art. 68, s. 1. the Constitution, on the second Wednesday of January next ensuing oath his election, or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, between the by governor. hours of twelve and two o'clock P.M., in the Senate Chamber, before the chief judge of the Court of Appeals, or in case of his sickness, absence, or inability from any other cause, to attend, before one of the associate judges of said court; and the said oath shall be recorded in the test-book of the Court of Appeals. 2. The secretary of state, the judges of the Court of Appeals and their clerk, the State reporter, the State librarian, the adjutant-general, the treasurer, comptroller, and commissioner of the Land Office, shall take and subscribe the said oath before the governor, and the same shall be preserved in a book to be kept by the secretary of state. State reporter, librarian, adjutant-general, treasurer, comptroller, commissioner of Land Office. 9 Md. 83; 10 Md. 451. 3. The oath required to be taken and subscribed by the members of the General Assembly, shall be administered by a member of the Senate to the president, who shall administer the same to the other members of that body and to its officers, and the same shall be subscribed accordingly, and be administered by one of the members of the House of Delegates to the speaker, and by him to the other members of that body and to its officers, and the same shall be subscribed accordingly. Id. s. 2. 1852, c. 172, s. 3; 1854, c. 18, s. 4; 1856, c. 132, s. 1. tary of state, Court of Appeals, clerk, Oaths of secre judges of Id. s. 3. 1852, c. 172, s. 7. of members of General Assembly. 1854, c. 18, s. 7. 4. The clerks of the Circuit Courts for the counties, the Superior Id. s. 4. Court of Baltimore City, the Court of Common Pleas, the Baltimore Clerks of courts. City Court, the Circuit Court of Baltimore, and the Criminal Court of Baltimore, shall severally take and subscribe the oath prescribed by the Constitution, before the judges of their respective courts. 5. All corporation officers, except the mayor or chief magistrate, Id. s. 5. shall take such oath as may be prescribed by law or ordinance, be- Corporation 6. fore the mayor or chief magistrate of the corporation. officers. 1854, c. 18, s. 5. 6. All other officers elected or appointed to any office of trust or Id. s. 6. profit under the Constitution and laws of this State, including the mayors or other chief magistrates of municipal corporations, shall take and subscribe the said oath, in the city of Baltimore before the clerk of the Superior Court, and in the several counties before the 1832, c. 172, s. 1. other officers. 25 Md. 217. 23 Md. 513; |