Henry C. Northam

“ IX. JUSTICES OF SESSIONS. I. Sit upon the bench with the county judge in the Court of
Sessions and with the Supreme Court judge in the Oyer and
Terminer, for the trial of such criminals as have been indicted by
a grand jury.
II. The law gives them just as much power in the decision of questions as the judge.
X. SCHOOL COMMISSIONERS. I. Apportion the school moneys among the several districts in the county.
II. Make an annual report to the superintendent of public instruction, containing all the statistics embraced in the several reports from the trustees of his district. ”

“ A. He is President of the Senate and has the casting vote therein, is a member of the canal board, is one of the commissioners of the Land Office, is one of the commissioners of the Canal Fund, is one of the trustees of the Capitol, is one of the trustees of the Idiot Asylum, and, ex-officio, one of the Regents of the University and member of the State Board of Charities. If the Governor dies, resigns, is impeached, or otherwise becomes unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office, they devolve upon the Lieutenant Governor for the residue of the term. ”

“ A. In the election of United States Senators, usually the Speaker of the Assembly and a few other officers, and in this way: as the names of those entitled to vote are called, they respond by naming their candidate. ”

“ ELECTION OF VICE-PRESIDENT BY THE SENATE. Q. Can the Senate ever elect a Vice-President?
A. Yes, when the people have failed to elect a Vice-President, then the Senate must elect.
Q. How is this done?
A. I. Two-thirds of all the Senators constitute a quorum.
II. The Senate must vote for the two persons who received the highest number of votes for Vice-President.
III. A majority of all the members elected to the Senate is necessary to a choice.
IV. Should there be a tie in the Senate, the Vice-President may give the casting vote. ”

“ IV. Examine in regard to the "moral character," "learning" "and ability to teach," persons proposing to teach public schools in their districts; and if they find them, qualified, grant them certificates in the form prescribed by the superintendent.
V. Form new districts, or change the boundary lines of old ones.
VI. Organize at least once each year, or in concert with one or more commissioners in the same county, a "teachers' institute," and induce if possible all the teachers in their districts to be present and take part in its exercises. ”

“ A. I. If there be only one trustee, his term is one year.
II. If there be three trustees, the term is three years, one being elected each year; if the board of education consists of six or nine members, the term is three years; one third of the number being elected each year.
III. Clerk, collector and librarian, each hold the office for one year.
Q. Who are eligible to school offices in this state?
A. None but males; they must be twenty-one years of age; and trustees can hold no other school office.
Q. What are some of the duties of school district officers? ”

“ Q. What must all these officers do before entering upon their duties?
A. They must qualify; that is, take the oath of office.
Q. What is the oath of office?
A. See state constitution, art. XII, sec. I.
Q. Who can administer the oath of office?
A. I. The county clerk administers the oath to the justices of the peace.
II. A justice of the peace administers the oath to all other town officers, except inspectors of election.
III. The chairman of the inspectors of election administers the oath to the other inspectors, and one of the others in turn administers it to the chairman. ”

“ I. SHERIFF. A. I. Receives a fee on all papers served
II. Receives a per cent on money collected on executions.
II. JUDGE. Receives a salary established by the legislature, varying in different counties according to population and business.
III. SURROGATE. I. Receives a salary, varying in different counties, according to business.
II. When the judge performs the duties of surrogate the one salary suffices for all the duties performed.
III. The surrogate is entitled to a clerk.
IV. COUNTY CLERK. I. Receives a fee for all papers recorded. ”

“ A. The "boards of supervisors" of such counties, except the city and county of New York, must divide their respective counties into Assembly districts; the number of districts being equal to the number of members heretofore apportioned by the Legislature to these several counties; the territory must be contiguous, and no town can be divided in the formation of districts. ”

“ Q. What courts exist in cities in addition to those established for the State at large?
A I. The Superior Court of the city of New York.
II. The Court of Common Pleas for the city and county of New York.
III. The Superior Court of Buffalo.
IV. The City Court of Brooklyn. Const, Art. VI., Sec. 12.
JURIES. Q. What is a jury?
A. A body of men elected according to law, and sworn to inquire into and try any matter of fact, and declare the truth of it on the evidence given in the case. ”

“ VII. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, at the head of the Department of
Justice, is the legal adviser of the President and members of the
Cabinet, examines titles, applications for pardons and judicial
and legal appointments, conducts and argues suits in which the
Government is concerned, etc.
Q. Name the present Cabinet officers.
AMBASSADORS, MINISTERS AND CONSULS. Q. What is an Ambassador?
A. An Ambassador is a minister of the highest rank, appointed to represent the interests of a country at the court, or seat of government of some other country. ”

“ A. One county (as in the case of New York) , or several counties united for the purpose of electing Supreme Court Judges.
Q. Name the civil divisions in regular order and tell what a combination of each forms?
A. Road and school districts form towns; towns when united form counties; counties when united form a State; and also in many instances, Senatorial, Congressional and Judicial districts. States when united form a Union. ”

“ Q. How many Supreme Court Justices are elected in the districts known as the Fourth Department?
A. Twelve.
COURT OF APPEALS. Q. Of what does the Court of Appeals Consist?
A. Of seven Judges, elected by the electors of the whole State for a term of fourteen years; one of their number is called a Chief Judge, the others are called Associate Judges; they cannot hold the office after they are seventy years old.
Q. What jurisdiction has this court?
A. Appellate.
Q. State how appeals may be taken from one court to another?
A. The party aggrieved may appeal from a Justice Court to a County
Court ”

“ A. A person commissioned to reside in a foreign country as an agent or representative of a government, to protect the rights, commerce, merchants and seamen of the country, and to aid in commercial, and sometimes in diplomatic transactions, with such foreign country ”