of the United States, or under the authority of the same, of any tract, piece or parcel of land, from any individual or individuals, bodies politic or corporate, within the boundaries or limits of the State, for the purpose of erecting therein light houses and other needful public buildings whatever; and all deeds, conveyances of title papers for the same shall be recorded, as in other cases, upon the land records of the county in which the lan so conveyed may lie; and in like manner may be recorded a sufficient description, by metes and bounds, courses and distances of any tract or tracts, legal divisions of any public land belonging to the United States, which may be set apart by the General Government for any or either of the purposes before mentioned, by an order, patent or other offi cial document or papers so describing such land. The consert herein and hereby given being in accordance with the seventeenth clause of the eighth section of the first article of the Constitution of the United States, and with the acts of Congress in such cases made and provided.

SEC. 2. The lots, parcels or tracts of land so selected, together with the tenements and appurtenances for the purposes before mentioned, shall be held exempt from taxation by the State of Texas. SEC. 3. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 4, 1871.

CHAPTER XXVII.

AN ACT AMENDATORY OF "AN ACT TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE TIMES OF HOLDING THE DISTRICT COURTS IN THE SEVERAL JUDICIAL DISTRICTS IN THE

STATE,' APPROVED AUGUST 10, 1870," APPROVED MARCH 4, 1871.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the second section of the above recited act, be, and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: That the thirtythird section of the above recited act, be and the same is hereby amended so as to read as follows: That the district courts of the Thirty-second Judicial District shall be holden at the times hereinafter specified, to-wit: In the county of Williamson, on the first Mondays in November, March and July, and may continue in session four weeks; in the county of Burnett, on the first Mondays in

December, April and August, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Llano on the third Mondays in December, April and August, and may continue in session cue week; in the county of San Saba, on the fourth Mondays in December, April and August, and may continue in session one week; in the county of Brown on the first Mondays in January, May and September, and may continue in session one week; in the county of Lampasas on the second Mondays in January, May 2nd September, and may continue in session until the business is disposed of. That for judicial purposes the counties of McCulloch and Concho shall be attached to the county of San Saba, and the counties of Coleman and Runnels to the county of Brown.

SEC. 2. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 4, 1871.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE EMPLOYMENT OF PRIVATE CLERKS FOR THE JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT.

WHEREAS, The number of the judges of the Supreme Court is fixed by the Constitution at three; and it is found that more labor is required of the court than can without oppression be performed by so limited a number of judges, and it is larned that it may materially aid the judges of said court in the proper discharge of their duties, to be allowed the assistance of private clerks, wherefore:

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That each of the judges of the Supreme Court shall be allowed to employ one private clerk to assist him in such manner as he may direct, at a salary of not more than twelve hundred dollars. per annum, to be paid monthly out of such money as may be appropriated by law for that purpose.

SEC. 2. Each of said clerks of the Supreme Judges, shall upon producing the certificates of the judge by whom he is employed to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, be entitled to have a warrant upon the State Treasurer, drawn in his favor for the amount of his monthly pay at the end of each and every month, or in case of his being discharged at any time, for so much money as may be due him; provided that said certificate of said judge of the Supreme Court shall set forth that the said clerk has been employed by him, and that he has discharged his duties to the satisfaction of the judge

employing him. Any one of the clerks herein provided for, may be discharged at any time by the judge who employs him, whenever he shall have failed to give satisfaction in the discharge of his duties.

SEC. 3. The sum of seven thousand one hundred and twentyfive dollars is hereby appropriated for the payment of the salaries of the clerks herein provided for, from and after the passage of this act, until the first day of September, eighteen hundre i and seventy-two. SEC. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 5, 1871.

CHAPTER XXIX.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE RELEASE OF CHILDREN OR OTHER PERSONS, CITIZENS OF THE STATE OF EXAS, WHO ARE, HAVE BEEN, OR MAY HEREAFTER BE HELD AS CAPTIVES BY THE INDIANS.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the sum of five thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the saine is hereby appropriated out of any funds now in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be used by the Governor, under such rules as he may prescribe, in procuring the release of children or other persons, citizens of this State, who are now, have been, or may hereafter be held as captives by the Indians.

EC. 2. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved April 5, 1871.

CHAPTER XXX.

AN ACT FOR THE PERMANENT LOCATION OF THE COUNTY SITE OF HAMILTON COUNTY.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the county site of Hamilton county be and it is hereby de dared permanently located.

its

SEC. 2. That this act take effect and be in force from and after passage.

Approved April 5, 1871.

CHAPTER XXXI.

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY COURT OF TITUS COUNTY TO ISSUE INTEREST-BEARING BONDS, AND TO LEVY A TAX TO PAY THE SAME.

WHEREAS, The county of Titus is without a court house or jail,. and the tax authorized by laws to be levied by the county court is inadequate to the paying of the current expenses of said county, and to erect the public buildings aforesaid; therefore,

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the County Court of Titus county be, and they are hereby authorized to issue bonds for the sum of fifteen thousand dollars, bearing interest at ten per cent. per annum, payable in one, two and three years; said bonds to be issued in such sums as said court may determine, and that said bonds when isued shall not be sold or used at less than their par value.

SEC. 2. That the County Court of said Titus county be and they are hereby authorized to levy and collect, annually, on all property in said county, real, personal and mixed, an ad valorem tax, not to exceed one-half of one per cent., and a capitation tax of one dollar on ali male citizens over the age of twenty-one years.

SEC. 3. That the taxes authorized to be levied in section two of this act, when collected, shall be paid to the Treasurer of the county,. and shall be appropriated to the building of a court house and jail, and the paying off the bonds authorized to be issued in section one hereof.

SEC. 4. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

The foregoing act, received in the office of Secretary of StateApril twenty-two, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, having been presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval, and not having been returned by him to the house in which it originated within the time prescribed by the Constitution, has become a law without his approval.

JAMES P. NEWCOMB,
Secretary of State..

CHAPTER XXXII.

AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED "AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE ENPOLLMENT OF THE MILITIA, THE ORGANIZATION AND DISCIPLINE OF THE STATE GUARDS, AND FOR THE PUBLIC DEFENSE," APPROVED JUNE 24, 1870.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the twenty-first section of the act to which this is an amendment, shall hereafter read as follows: "Section 21. All fines, forfeitures and assessments of money imposed by this and other laws of the State, by way of punishment for violation of laws governing the State Guard and Reserve Militia, and all fines, forfeitures and. assessments of money imposed upon the people, or any part of the people of any county or counties of this State, under the provisions of sections twenty-six and twenty-seven of the act to which this is an amendment, may be applied to the payment of the State Guard or Reserve Militia, when called into the field under said sections twenty-six and twenty-seven, or according to the necessity of the case, may be paid into the Treasury of the State as a fund for aiding in the armament, uniforming, equipment and mounting the. State Guard, and when so paid into the Treasury the same may be paid out, under the direction of the Governor, for these purposes.'

SEC. 2. That section twenty-two of the said act shall hereafter read as follows: "Section 22. All persons liable to serve in the Reserve Militia of the State may avoid such service by paying to the officer duly authorized to receive the same, the sum of five dollars, but this payment shall be made at such time in each year, and to such officer as may be directed by the Governor, and the same shall be, by the officer collecting the same, paid into the Treasury of the State, under the direction of the Governor, to be used, under the direction of the Governor, for the purposes desig-. nated in section twenty-one. The Governor shall also prescribe all necessary regulations for collecting this tax, and all fines, forfeitures and assessments provided by the laws governing the State Guards and Reserve Militia."

SEC. 3. The fourth day of July in each year shall be a general muster day of the Reserve Militia and State Guards of the county, and said general muster shall be held at or near the county seat of the county.

SEC. 4. The musters of the Reserve Militia for the purpose of enrollment or discipline, shall be held only in the respective pre