and are hereby authorized, if in their judgment it will promote the interest of all parties concerned, to assign and lay off to such widow her dower in one of said tracts instead of each, allowing to her such portion thereof as will be a just and fair equivalent for the dower in all said tracts.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That such commissioners, whether there be one or more tracts of land, shall, if they deem it of advantage to all parties concerned, with the consent of the widow and the legal representative of her deceased husband, ascertain and assign to her a sum of money to be paid to her by such legal representative in lieu of dower in any or all of said tracts of land in the county, which sum shall be paid to her when the report of said commissioners is made the judgment of the Court.

Approved, February 23, 1850.

AN ACT to amend the several acts in relation to the assignment of dower.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passage of this act, that persons applying for dower, under the above recited section, it shall only be necessary for the applicant to give the representative of such estate twenty days' written notice of such intended application, instead of giving all the parties notice as now required by law.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That in all cases where commissioners are appointed to assign dower to any widow, and there shall be two or more tracts of land of her deceased husband in the same county, they shall be and are hereby authorized, if in their judgment it will promote the interest of all parties concerned, to assign and lay off to such widow her dower in one of said tracts instead of each, allowing to her such portion thereof as will be a just and fair equivalent for her dower in all of said tracts, the widow having the right to select the tract from which her dower may be laid off.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That such commissioners, whether there be one or more tracts of land, shall, if they deem it of advantage to all parties concerned, with the consent of the widow and the legal representative of her deceased husband, ascertain and award to her a sum of money to be paid to her by such legal representative, as an equivalent for and in lieu of dower in any or all of said tracts of lands in the county, which sum shall be paid to her when the report of said commissioners is made the judgment of the Court.

SECTION 4. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all laws and parts of laws militating against this act, be and the same are hereby repealed.

Assented to, February 21, 1850.

AN ACT to incorporate the Southern Education Society.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That J. N. Cate, G.W. Selvidge, D. A. Anderson, A. E. Vanderver, Z. H. Gordon, E. M. Galt, C. C. Hammond, Joseph S. Baker, D. A. Walker, John Crawford, and their successors, be and are hereby declared a body politic and corporate by the name and style of the Southern Education Society, and by that name shall be capable and liable in law to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and shall be authorized to use a common seal, and to make by-laws and regulations for the government and management of their affairs; and may have and hold, use, sell and convey, property and estate, real, personal and mixed, with all the rights, powers and privileges of an incorporated association necessary and proper to enable them to carry into effect the purpose and objects of their association; and any five or more of said Trustees, who shall consent to act as Trustees, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Approved, February 23, 1850.

AN ACT to amend the second and fourth sections of an act to provide for the education of the poor, assented to 27th of December, 1843.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passage of this act, the ages of the children required by the second section of the act of which this is amendatory to be returned to the Inferior Courts by the Justices of the Peace or other persons in the several militia districts, shall be between the ages of six and sixteen years, and that the ages of the poor children required by the fourth section of the same act to be reported by the Justices of the Inferior Court of each county to his Excellency the Governor, shall be between the ages of six and sixteen years—any former acts on this subject to the contrary notwithstanding. Approved, February 14, 1850.

AN ACT to provide for the education of the poor, so far as the counties of Rabun and Union are concerned.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That an election be held in each militia district in the counties of Rabun and Union, at the usual place of holding Justices' Courts, on the first Saturday in every other January thereafter, by the persons entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly, for a treasurer in each respective district to receive and receipt for the portion of the poor school funds to which said districts are entitled.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the person receiving the highest number of votes shall be declared elected treasurer of said district, and shall hold his office for the term of two years, and shall be commissioned by the Justices of the districts, upon his giving bond with good and sufficient sucurity for double the supposed amount due to said district, which bond shall be made payable to the Inferior Court, and Jiable to be sued upon for a breach thereof.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the Inferior Courts of said counties are authorized and it is hereby made their duty to pay to the treasurer of each district their proportional share of said school fund.

SECTION 4. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That the said treasurer shall pay to the teachers of poor children in their respective districts pro rata the amount received from the Inferior Courts, upon their presenting their accounts authenticated as directed by law.

SECTION 5. And be it further enacted, That all laws and parts of laws militating against this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

Approved, December 21, 1849.

AN ACT for the relief of poor children in the county of

Gwinnett.

WHEREAS the Justices of the Inferior Court of the county of Gwinnett did fail to make a return of the poor children in said county for the year 1848, who are entitled to the benefit of a portion of the funds set apart for the education of poor children, within the time prescribed by law, by means whereof no part of such fund was allowed them for that year:

SECTION 1. Be it therefore enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia, in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That

in the distribution of said fund for the year 1849, the amount which is and was due said county of Gwinnett, as a poor school fund for the year 1848, according to the return made for that year, but not within due time, be first allowed and paid out of the general fund, and that the balance be distributed according to the law now of force for the distribution thereof any law, usage, or custom to the contrary notwithstanding.

Approved, December 20, 1849.

AN ACT to authorize and require the Justices of the Peace of their several districts in the counties of Lumpkin and Union to examine and pass upon the qualification of the teachers of the poor school children.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be the duty of the Justices of the Peace in their respective districts in the counties of Lumpkin and Union to examine and pass upon the qualifications of the teachers of the poor children.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, If said Justices should disagree as to the qualification or capacity of any teacher, then and in that case it shall be lawful for them to choose three fit and proper persons residing in said district to assist them in said examination, upon which a majority shall govern in all such cases.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That the said Justices, or other persons so examining said teachers, or a majority of them, shall give to the said teacher a certificate authorizing them to teach such school, designating the settlement or place where such school is to be taught.

SECTION 4. And be it further enacted, That all laws and parts of laws militating against this act, be and the same are hereby repealed.

Approved, February 25, 1850.

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AN ACT to amend an act to establish a general system of education by common schools in the State of Georgia, so far as relates to the county of Murray.

WHEREAS under the existing law it is the duty of the Justices of the Inferior Court, or a majority of them, in the several counties in this State, to appoint fit and proper

persons in their county to act as commissioners; and whereas great negligence accrues with the courts in the discharge of their duty, whereby the benevolent institutions of the law are perverted, and which deprives the indigent children from receiving the benefit of the funds set apart for their education; and whereas great impositions are practised by incompetent teachers for the want of a scientific board of commissioners to examine into the qualifications of teachers, at least so far as the county of Murray is concerned, therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Georgia in General Assembly met, and it is hereby enacted by the authority of the same, That J. A. W. Johnson, Dawson A. Walker, John C. Birch, John A. Tyler, and William R. Bernier be and they are hereby constituted a board of commissioners for the county of Murray, whose duty it shall be to appoint a clerk whose duty it shall be to act as treasurer of the poor school fund of said county, who shall give bond and security to said" commissioners and their successors in office, in such sum as they may think sufficient for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and appointment, and the said clerk as aforesaid shall receive two and a half per cent. for receiving and two and a half for disbursing said poor school funds, and shall take and subscribe on oath faithfully and impartially to discharge the duties of clerk and treasurer of the poor school fund of Murray county to the best of his skill and power. And it shall be the duty of the person so appointed to apply for, receive and pay out all monies coming to the county for which he is appointed out of said fund in such manner as the commissioners may order and direct, and shall enter all orders passed by them for that purpose in a book kept by him, and the book of the said clerk and treasurer shall be deposited in the Clerk's office of the Superior Court of Murray county, and may be sued on, and shall be recoverable in any court of law or equity in this State having cognizance of the same.

SECTION 2. And be it further enacted, That the said Board, or a majority of them, shall have power to fill all vacancies which may occur in their body by removal, death, resignation, or otherwise.

SECTION 3. And be it further enacted, That all teachers of poor children for the county of Murray, other than teachers of academies, shall, before he receives pay for the tuition of the poor children of Murray county, undergo an examination by the Board of Commissioners for the poor school fund, or a majority of them, and should they in their judgment after such examination think such teacher or teachers incompetent or unworthy to receive said tuition for the want of ca