district courts, sheriffs, justices of the peace, and all other peace officers, shall be taxed and payable in United States currency. SEC. 2. That all laws, or parts of laws, not consistent herewith, be and the same are hereby repealed. Approved April 27, 1871. CHAPTER LXI. SPECIAL AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE GOVERNOR TO ORDER A SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the Governor is hereby authorized and required, within sixty days after the passage of this act, to order an election by the qualified voters of Grimes county to determine the permanent location of the county seat. SEC. 2. In said election the vote shall be for either the town of "Anderson" or the town of "Navasota," and each ballot shall have written or printed thereon either the word "Navasota" or "Anderson." SEC. 3. That the Governor shall appoint commissioners to hold the election in both the towns of Anderson and Navasota, and said election shall be held for the period of three days, and shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State regulating elections, except as herein otherwise provided. SEC. 4. That when the ballots shall have been counted, the returns, together with the ballots, shall be returned to the county court, and said county court shall certify the result of said election the second Monday after said election, to the Secretary of State, whereupon the Governor shall issue a proclamation declaring the town Navasota to be the permanent county seat; provided the said town of Navasota shall have received a majority of two-thirds of the votes cast in said election, of the qualified voters of said county. SEC. 5. That this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved April 27, 1871. CHAPTER LXII. AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE COUNTY COURT OF ELLIS COUNTY TO ISSUE COUPON INTEREST-BEARING BONDS, TO AID IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A COURT HOUSE AND JAIL IN SAID COUNTY. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the County Court of Ellis county, State of Texas, be and the same is hereby authorized and empowered to issu? coupon interest-bearing bonds, nct to exceed the sum of thirty thousand dollars, for the purpose of raising money to complete the construction of the court house and jail in said county. Said bonds shall be of the denomination of one hundred to one thousand dollars each, to bear interest at the rate of ten per centum, which interest shall be paid annually. SEC. 2. That said bonds may be sold either at public or private sale, by order of the county court, and the proceeds arising therefrom shall be paid into the county treasury, and by the treasurer paid out on the order of the county court. The interest due on said bonds shall be received by the collector of taxes for all county dues. SEC. 3. That the said county court is further authorized to levy and collect a special ad valorem county tax not to exceed one per. centum, for the purpose of paying the interest, and providing a sinking fund for the final payment of said bonds. SEC. 4. That said bonds shall be made payable five years from the date of issuance, but the county court shall have power to redeem the same at an early time, if it sees proper. SEC. 5. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Passed April 27, 1871. The foregoing act, received in the office of Secretary of State May eleven, 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, CHAPTER LXIII. AN ACT TO AMEND AN ACT ENTITLED AN ACT PRESCRIBING THE TIMES OF HOLDING THE DISTRICT COURTS IN THE SEVERAL JUDICIAL DISTRICTS IN THE STATE," APPROVED AUGUST 10, 1870. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That section twenty-seven of an act entitled "An act prescribing the times of holding the district courts in the several judicial districts in the State," approved August 10, 1870, be so amended as to read as follows: "Section 27. That the district courts of the Twenty-sixth Judicial District shall be holden at the times hereinafter specified, to-wit: In the county of Comal on the first Mondays in October, February and June, and may contiune in session two weeks; in the county of Blanco on the third Mondays in October, February and June, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Gillespie on the fourth Mondays after the first Mondays in October, February and June, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Kerr on the sixth Mondays after the first Mondays in October, February and June, and may V continue in session one week; in the county of Kendall on the seventh Mondays after the first Mondays in October, February and June, and may continue in session until the business is disposed of. That for judicial purposes the county of Edwards shall be attached to the county of Kerr, and the county of Kimball to the county of Gillespie." SEC. 2. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved April 28, 1871. CHAPTER LXIV. AN ACT APPROPRIATING MONEY FOR FURNISHING THE COMPTROLLER'S BUILDING. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the sum of two thousand one hundred and thirty-eight dollars and twenty cents be, and the same is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to pay for furniture for the Comptroller's Department, delivered in June, 1870, and the Comptroller is hereby authorized to draw his warrant upon the Treasurer for that amount. SEC. 2. That this act shall take effect from and after its passage. Approved April 28, 1871. CHAPTER LXV. AN ACT EXEMPTING TELEGRAPHIC OPERATORS IN THIS STATE FROM SERVING ON JURIES AND IN THE STATE MILITIA. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That all telegraphic operators actually employed on working telegraph lines in this State, are exempt from serving on juries and in the State militia. SEC. 2. That this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Passed April 28, 1871. The foregoing act, received in the office of Secretary of State May thirteen, 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.. CHAPTER LXVI. AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE PAYMENT OF THE PUBLIC DEBT OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Teras, That the Attorney General, Comptroller of Public Ac counts and State Treasurer, be and they are hereby constituted an auditorial board, of which the Attorney General shall be the president and legal advisers as to all matters coming before them; and it shall be their duty to examine all claims for money against the State, reported on by the beard organized under the provisional act of November 9, 1866, and the amount of indebtedness on account of the penitentiary, incurred under competent authority; and to audit and allow all of such claims as to them appear just and valid claims against the State and were authorized by pre-existing laws and are not inconsistent with the Constitution of the State; and the amount of indebtedness on account of the penitentiary, if in specie, they shall estimate at its present value in currency, and where a bond or bonds have been issued to the holders of claims ascertained by the board herein created, to be valid, it shall not be necessary to make provision for the payment of such claims in the manner bereinafter directed; but the board herein created shall, by its president, endorse on said bond or bonds that they are valid, and on presentation of such bond or bonds, or any int rest coupons thereof at the treasury, the same shall be paid when due, and for this purpose the sum of fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary is hereby appropriated; and provided further, That where any bond above referred to, shall be found by the board herein created, to be in part or in the whole, given for claims void under the Constitution, the said bond or bonds are hereby declared to be void, and shall be canceled, and the holder thereof shall receive payment for such (if any) portion thereof as may be valid, under the provisions of sections three and four of this act. SEC. 2. That so soon as the Auditorial Board herein created shall have finished their report, (which they are hereby required to make to the Governor, with all convenient dispatch,) the Governor shall procure, as soon as possible, the amount necessary to pay off the indebtedness ascertained by said report, of six per cent. coupon bonds of this State, payable in twenty years, with interest payable semiannually at the Treasury; said bonds shall be signed by the Governor, countersigned by the Treasurer, and registered by the Comptroller, and shall be each of the denomination of five hundred dollars. SEC. 3. The Governor is hereby made the agent of the State, to sell or otherwise dispose of the said bonds to the best advantage ⚫ for the State, and is hereby empowered to employ such agent or agents as he may think necessary for the purpose; provided, that said bonds shall not be disposed of below par, and that the compensation to be allowed to such agent or agents shall not exceed one per cent.; and provided further, that any of the parties owning claims |