562 



MISSISSIPPI. 



fied voters. When the work has been com- 

 pleted, one day must be appointed for revision 

 in each district. All persons voting on elec- 

 tion-day must have been registered, but the 

 right of any registered person to vote may be 

 challenged, and his vote rejected if the cause 

 of challenge is established by proof. The pro- 

 visions of the revised code of 1871 regarding 

 elections are retained where not inconsistent 

 with this act. 



The new school act provided for the separa- 

 tion of each county into districts, the appoint- 

 ment of teachers, and the fixing of their sala- 

 ries by the county superintendent, in connec- 

 tion with the Board of Supervisors or the 

 mayor and aldermen of towns and cities. It 

 also requires that public schools shall be main- 

 tained at least four months in the year, and 

 provides that teachers may " contract with 

 patrons for additional compensation, or may, 

 with the consent and approval of the trustees, 

 charge additional tuition." The act is in 



amendment of existing laws, which are not 

 repealed, except so far as inconsistent with it. 

 Among the acts passed having relation to 

 the financial interests of the State were an 

 elaborate revenue law containing eighty sec- 

 tions ; an act authorizing the issue of bonds in 

 the Treasury to fund the floating debt ; two 

 providing for the cancellation of State war- 

 rants amounting in' the aggregate to nearly 

 $185,000 ; one to secure the prompt payment 

 of fines collected by justices of the peace ; one 

 to secure the Agricultural Land Scrip Fund ; 

 one authorizing the Boards of Supervisors to 

 ascertain the outstanding indebtedness of the 

 several counties ; and one authorizing the ap- 

 pointment of an agent "to investigate frauds 

 and collect revenues due the State, counties, 

 and levee boards of the State." This agent 

 holds his office four years, and has power to 

 examine all books and accounts of tax officials, 

 to receive all moneys due on account of taxes, 

 to bring suits where necessary, and otherwise 



NATCHEZ-ON-THE-HILL. 



to exercise the powers of the State in securing 

 a faithful collection of the revenues. 



The new county of Sharkey was created 

 out of portions of Warren, Issaquena, and 

 Washington Counties ; the name of Colfax 

 County was changed to Clay ; and the bounda- 

 ries were more or less changed of the counties 

 of Covington, Marion, Benton, and Tate. The 

 congressional districts of the State were also 

 reorganized. 



Among the other acts of the session were one 

 providing for the lease of the penitentiary and 

 the convicts ; one providing for the retirement 

 of Judges of the Supreme Court on a salary of 

 $3,000, when, after the age of seventy, they 

 are unable, on account of infirmity, to perform 

 their duties ; one reorganizing the University 

 of Mississippi, providing for a new board of 

 trustees, etc. ; one requiring railroad com- 

 panies to provide accommodations for passen- 

 gers on freight-trains ; one to facilitate the 



construction of telegraph-lines in the State ; 

 one abolishing the office of cotton- weigher, 

 and providing that any person giving the 

 proper bonds and conforming to certain regu- 

 lations may weigh cotton ; and one providing 

 for a Board of Health for Jackson, Harrison, 

 and Hancock Counties, and for quarantine 

 regulations at the ports of the State. 



There has been great improvement in the 

 financial condition of the State, owing to the 

 judicious action of the Legislature, and the 

 more efficient and economical management of 

 the Treasury. The State tax, which had risen 

 from one mill on the dollar in 1869 to fourteen 

 mills in 1874, and was nine and a quarter mills 

 in 1875, was reduced to six and a half mills. 

 The disbursements for the year amounted to 

 $547,816.55, while in 1875 they were $1,130,- 

 192. The receipts, including $275,000 of taxes 

 not reported on the 18th of December, amount- 

 ed to $938,299. The valuation of real estate 



