gard to donations and the other advantages of its location, and nominate the same for the County Seat of the county, to be voted for at an election to be held as hereinafter provided: and provided that said Commissioners shall nominate one place, situated any where in said county, beside the centre and the present seat of justice of said county for the same object, and have power to contract for such place or places selected for the use of the county, conditioned that such place is determined on for the seat of justice by the voters of the county. A majority of all the votes polled in such election shall be necessary to a choice, and successive elections shall be held until this result shall be attained.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That said Commissioners shall make a full return of their proceedings within ninety days after their election to the Chief Justice, the names of the places they may have selected, defining as near as may be, the local advantages or respective situations, and where located in the county, who shall file the same in the Clerk's office for record.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That upon the reception of the report of the Commissioners, by the Chief Justice he shall order an election to be holden by the qualified electors of the county, giving due notice thereof, specifying the object of the election, the names of the places put in nomination and selected by the Commissioners to be voted for, for the seat of justice.

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of all county officers to remove their offices to such place as the seat of justice may be located, and all courts in and for said county shall be held at that place, excepting that of the magistrates in their respective beats, so soon as the necessary buildings have been constructed for that purpose by order of the County Court, which shall cause a town to be surveyed and laid off in convenient lots in such manner as they may deem best, with power to sell and convey the same in the name and for the use and benefit of the county, first applying the avails arising therefrom to the construction of the necessary public buildings for the use of the county, and the payment of the costs, if any, of such site to the county, and other costs attending the same, of survey, &c., as agreed upon by the Commissioners, who shall also be entitled to a reasonable compensation for their services, in the discretion of the court, in an equitable and just amount.

Sec. 7. Be it further enacted, That all elections held under

this act, shall be conducted by said Chief Justice, in manner and form as prescribed by law; and that all laws conflicting with the provisions of this act, be and the same are hereby repealed. Approved, March 7, 1848.

CHAPTER 67.

An Act to authorize and require the Secretary of State, to cause all of the unbound Enrolled Acts and Joint Resolutions of the late Republic of Texas, and of the first Legislature of the State of Texas, to be substantially bound for preservation in his office.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Secretary of State shall be, and he is hereby authorized and required to arrange according to date, all the unbound enrolled acts passed, and Joint Resolutions adopted, by the Congress of the late Republic of Texas, at the different regular and extra sessions thereof, and all the acts passed and Joint Resolutions adopted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, during its first session, and cause them to be substantially bound in volumes corresponding numerically with the sessions during which said acts and Joint Resolutions were respectively passed and adopted, and to preserve the same among the records in his office.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the sum of fifty dollars is hereby appropriated, to be drawn by the Secretary of State on the Comptroller of Public Accounts, provided that it shall not exceed seven dollars in amount for any one session. Approved, March 7, 1848.

CHAPTER 68.

An Act to amend an act creating the County of Polk, approved March 30, 1846.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Board of Commissioners constituted by the third section of said act shall within six months from and after the passage of this act report to the county court of said county, making in said report a statement of all the proceedings of said Board, and the moneys, notes and proceeds of the sales of the town lots lying in the town of Livingston belonging to said county, and it is hereby made the duty of the Chief Justice of said county, to notify in writing said Board to meet in the town of Livingston, at such time or times, as he the said Chief Justice may deem necessary, for the settlement of the business above mentioned within the specified time.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That after the final settlement of said Board in such manner, and within such time as mentioned in the first section of this act, it shall be the duty of the county court, to transact the business of the county in relation to said moneys, notes, and proceeds of the sales of lots in the town of Livingston, by suit, settlement, or otherwise; and also, to control, and direct the sales of the remaining unsold lots, in said town, and belonging to said county, as said court shall think best for the interest of the county.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Chief Justice of said county to pay over, for the use of the county, to the County Treasurer, the proceeds of the sales of said lots. Approved, March 7, 1848.

CHAPTER 69.

An Act providing for the sale of the property belonging to the State of Texas, formerly used by the late Government for Custom purposes.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Comptroller of Public Accounts, be, and he

is hereby authorized and required to cause to be offered at auction to the highest bidder, the public buildings and block of ground, situated in the City of Galveston, formerly used and occupied by the late Republic of Texas for Custom purposes, and also the like premises situated in the town of Matagorda, San Augustine, and at Sabine Pass, alse, all other property belonging to the State, which may have been used by the late Government in the collection of Impost duties, after giving at least sixty days public notice of such sale, which sale shall be had at the several points where the property is situated.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, That the proceeds of the sale of the property authorized by this act, shall be paid in specie, in the following manner, to wit: one fourth part thereof to be paid down, and the other three-fourths, to be paid in three equal instalments, of six, twelve, and eighteen months. the purchaser or purchasers executing his or their notes accordingly, payable to the Comptroller, and his successors in office.

Sec. 3. Be it further enacted, That if any person or persons shall fail to make payment of the several instalments, in conformity with this act, he or they shall forfeit all such sums, as they may have previously paid, and the ground and improvements situated thereon, shall by such default, revert to the State, and the Comptroller shall thereupon proceed to sell said property again as directed by this act.

Sec. 4. Be it further enacted, That the Commissioner of the General Land Office, shall issue patents in the name of the State to the purchaser or purchasers of the property authorized to be sold by this act, on their filing with him the Comptroller's certificate that the full amount for which the same may have been sold, has been duly paid.

Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That the Comptroller be authorized to pay the expense of advertising and sale, out of the first money received from the sale of the aforesaid property.

Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That this act shall take effect, from and after its passage.

Approved, March 7, 1848.

CHAPTER 70.

An Act to amend the third section of "an act to provide for the disposition of the funds received from the United States," approved third January, 1848.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the above recited section be so amended as to read, that the nett proceeds of the sum of one thousand nine hundred and seventy-five dollars received from the General Government as an indemnity for the disarming of a portion of the command of Col. Snively, by order of Capt. Cook of the U. S. Army, in 1843, after deducting therefrom the expense of collection and transportation to the City of Austin, shall be divided equally among the one hundred and five men, composing the party disarmed, their assigns or legal representatives. Any person applying for the benefit of this act, shall prove by the affidavit in writing of at least one of the party disarmed, that he, or those in whose right he claims, was of the party disarmed.

Sec. 2. Be it further enacted. That this act shall take effect and be in force, from and after its passage. Approved, March 8, 1848.

CHAPTER 71.

An Act to regulate the Public Printing.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That there shall be elected by a joint vote of the two Houses of the Legislature of the State, at each and every session thereof, some suitable person or persons to print the laws and journals of the respective sessions, for which such persons may be elected.

sons.

Sec. 2. That there shall be printed by the person or perso elected to do the Public Printing, two thousand five hundred copies of the laws of a general nature, and five hundred copies of all acts for private relief, and all acts incorpo