Page:The Federal and state constitutions v5.djvu/290

2816 there shall also be biennially elected a school committee, consisting of three persons, whose duty shall be prescribed by law.

The township board of trustees shall assess the taxable property of their townships and make return to the county commissioners for revision, as may be prescribed by law. The clerk shall also be ex-officio treasurer of the township.

No county, city, town, or other municipal corporation shall contract any debt, pledge its faith, or loan its credit, nor shall any tax be levied or collected by any officers of the same, except for the necessary expenses thereof, unless by a vote of a majority of the qualified voters therein.

No money shall be drawn from any county or township treasury except by authority of law.

All taxes levied by any county, city, town, or township shall be uniform and ad valorem upon all property in the same, except property exempted by this constitution.

The county officers first elected under the provisions of this article shall enter upon their duties ten days after the approval of this constitution by the Congress of the United States.

The governor shall appoint a sufficient number of justices of the peace in each county, who shall hold their places until sections four, five, and six of this article shall have been carried into effect.

All charters, ordinances, and provisions relating to municipal corporations shall remain in force until legally changed, unless inconsistent with the provisions of this constitution.

No county, city, town, or other municipal corporation shall assume or pay, nor shall any tax be levied or collected for the payment of, any debt, or the interest upon any debt, contracted, directly or indirectly, in aid or support of the rebellion.

Corporations may be formed under general laws, but shall not be created by special act, except for municipal purposes, and in cases where, in the judgment of the legislature, the object of the corporations cannot be attained under general laws. All general laws and special acts passed pursuant to this section may be altered, from time to time, or repealed.

Dues from corporations shall be secured by such individual liabilities of the corporations and other means as may be prescribed by law.

The term "corporation," as used in this article, shall be construed to include all associations and joint-stock companies having any of the powers and privileges of corporations not possessed by individuals or partnerships. And all corporations shall have the right to sue, and shall be subject to be sued, in all courts in like cases as natural persons.

It shall be the duty of the legislature to provide for the organization of cities, towns, and incorporated villages, and to restrict their power of taxation, assessments, borrowing money, contracting debts, and loaning their credit, so as to prevent abuses in assessments and in contracting debts by such municipal corporation.