nally adopted, excluded this class of people from the right of suffrage (30) and the right to membership in the General Assembly (40, 41). It also excluded them from enumeration in the census (70), from representation in both houses of the General Assembly (71, 72), and from the State militia (115). All these discriminations were abolished by amendments adopted in the year 1868.

7. Other Amendments-Several other amendments have been adopted, and will be found clearly noted in their proper connection in the text of the Constitution (see Chapter I).

CHAPTER XIX

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS

1. Justice's Courts. (149)-The jurisdiction of Justices of the Peace extends to all civil cases within their respective counties, where the amount in controversy does not exceed one hundred dollars, except cases in chancery. By consent of the parties the jurisdiction may be extended to any amount not exceeding three hundred dollars. Jurisdiction Defined By the word "jurisdiction" as applied to courts, is meant the authority to hear, try, and determine cases and proceedings brought for the settlement of legal controversies, and the power to declare and enforce the law.

2.

3. New Counties. (150)-No new county can be created having less than four hundred and thirtytwo square miles. This area is the equivalent of twelve townships, according to the government survey. Counties are organized for local government and local convenience, and to make them unnecessarily numerous would increase the public expense for court-houses and salaries of county officers, without compensatory advantages.

4. Exception. (150)-Worth county and the counties west of it along the northern boundary of the State are excepted from this rule, and may be organized with an area less than four hundred and thirty-two square miles. This exception is made because the north boundary of the State (which is forty-three degrees and thirty minutes north latitude) lies a little south of the north line of the surveyed townships along that border. This discrepancy places a small portion of each of these bordering townships over the line in the State of Minnesota, but the larger fractions left under the jurisdiction of Iowa are treated as full townships for the purpose of county organization.

5. Limit of Indebtedness. (151)-No county, city, town, or school district is allowed to become indebted in any manner or for any purpose to an amount exceeding five per centum of the assessed value of the taxable property within its jurisdiction. Any contract or promise to pay in excess of this limit is void, and cannot be enforced at law.

6. Oath of Office (153)-Every person elected or appointed to any office is required before entering thereon to take an oath or affirmation that he will support the Constitution of the United States and of the State of Iowa, and will faithfully, impartially, and to the best of his ability discharge the duties of such office.

7.

Vacancies in Office. (154)—A vacancy occurring in any elective office is, as a rule, temporarily filled by appointment. The person appointed holds only until the next regular election, at which time some one is elected to fill the place. He who is thus elected to fill a vacancy holds the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.

8. Appointments - Appointments to fill vacancies are made as follows:

By the Supreme Court in the offices of clerk and reporter of the Supreme Court;

By the Governor, in all other State offices and in the membership of any board or commission created by the State;

By the Board of Supervisors, in all county offices except in the office of supervisor, which is filled by the county auditor, clerk, and recorder;

By the Township Trustees, in all township offices except where the offices of all three trustees are vacant, when the township clerk may appoint;

By the Mayor or by the Mayor and Council, in all municipal offices except in cases where a special election is provided for by law.

A vacancy in either house of the General Assembly cannot be filled by appointment, but in such

case the Governor issues an order for a special election by the people of the district where the vacancy exists.

9. State Capital. (156)-The seat of government is permanently established at Des Moines, and the State University at Iowa City. Neither can be changed or removed to any other location without a constitutional amendment.

10. Schedule. (157-159)-Article 12 of the Constitution, entitled "Scedule," is in effect an appendix to the main body of the instrument prescribing when and how the Constitution should take effect, the time of holding the first elections thereunder, and other similar matters whose temporary purposes have been served and require now no special consideration.

I.

CHAPTER XX

COUNTIES AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Number and Area-The State is divided into ninety-nine counties. With a few exceptions these counties are rectangular in form and contain either twelve or sixteen surveyed townships, each six miles square.

2. County-seats-Each county has selected some convenient town or site as its seat of local government. At this place, known as the "countyseat," are erected a court-house and offices for the several county officers. Here the terms of the District Court are held, the records of the county are kept, and the county business generally is transacted. County-seats may be changed or relocated by vote of the people at an election properly called for that purpose.

3. County Officers-The officers of the county are Supervisors, Auditor, Treasurer, Recorder, Clerk of the District Court, Sheriff, County Attorney, Superintendent of Schools, Surveyor, and Coroner.

4. Supervisors-The general supervision and management of county affairs is intrusted to a Board of Supervisors. The board regularly consists of three persons, but by vote of the people the membership may be increased to five or seven.