Sec. 3. One commissioner to be appointed for each division—they may be appointed in the recess. And be it further enacted, That there shall be one commissioner appointed for each of said divisions, who shall reside within the same; and if the appointment of said commissioners, or any number of them, shall not be made during the present session of Congress, the President of the United States shall be, and he is hereby empowered to make such appointment during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end of their next session.
Sec. 4.Commissioners for each state to convene in a general meeting. And be it further enacted, That the commissioners for each state shall, immediately, or as soon as may be, after their appointment, convene in a general meeting, at such time and place as shall be appointed and directed by the commissioner for each state, first named and qualified, according to this act; and a majority of the commissioners so convened, shall have power to adjourn to such time and place as they shall judge proper: and a majority of the commissioners to be appointed in each state according to this act, when convened according to rules to be adopted at their first meeting, shall, and are hereby declared to be a board competent to transact and discharge any business or duties enjoined by this act.
Sec. 5.They may appoint a clerk—
his duty: And be it further enacted, That the said commissioners, when convened as aforesaid, shall and may appoint a suitable person to be their clerk, who shall hold his office at the pleasure of the said commissioners; whose duty it shall be to record and preserve all rules, proceedings and documents of the said commissioners, and who shall take an oath or affirmation, diligently and faithfully to discharge his trust;he shall take an oath, &c. which oath or affirmation, either of the said commissioners is hereby authorized to administer; and in default of taking such oath or affirmation, previous to entering on the duties of the said appointment, or on failure to record diligently and truly, all or any rules or proceedings of the said commissioners, or to furnish transcripts or copies thereof, when directed by the said commissioners, or required by the Secretary of the Treasury, in writing, such clerk shall be discharged from office, and shall forfeit and pay one hundred dollars, to be recovered for the use of the United States, with costs of suit, in any court having competent jurisdiction.
Sec. 6.Penalty on the non attendance of commissioners at a general meeting, if not excused. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the said commissioners, to cause to be recorded and noted, the names of such of the said commissioners as shall attend any general meeting, as also the periods of their attendance, respectively; and if any commissioner shall fail to attend such general meeting, and shall not transmit or cause to be transmitted to the said commissioners, at their said meeting, or that next subsequently holden, an excuse for such absence, which shall, by a majority of the commissioners then present, be accepted as satisfactory and reasonable, such commissioner so failing, as aforesaid, shall, for every day which he may be absent, during such meeting, forfeit and pay ten dollars, to be recovered for the use of the United States, with costs of suit, in any court having competent jurisdiction; or to be deducted from the compensation as hereafter established for the said commissioner: and a transcript from the records of the said commissioners, certified by their clerk, by which it shall appear that any commissioner has failed to attend a general meeting, and to transmit, or cause to be transmitted, an excuse, which shall have been accepted as satisfactory and reasonable, as aforesaid, shall and the same is hereby declared to be conclusive and legal evidence that the penalty aforesaid has been incurred.
Sec. 7.They may divide their states into assessment districts, and appoint assessors. And be it further enacted, That the commissioners for each state, convened as aforesaid, shall be, and hereby are authorized and empowered to divide their respective states into a suitable and convenient number of assessment districts, within each of which they shall appoint one respectable freeholder to be principal assessor, and such number of respectable freeholders to be assistant assessors, as they shall