ART. 14.] KENT COUNTY. 651

4. The said trustees shall, under the penalty of twenty-five
dollars each, accept said office, and shall meet on the second
Monday of April then next ensuing at the alms-house of said
county, except prevented by sickness or other unavoidable acci-
dent, and in such case as soon thereafter as the disability shall be
removed, and qualify as trustees, by taking the following oath,
to wit: " I, A. B., do swear that I will duly and faithfully dis-
charge the duties and trusts committed to me as trustee of the
poor for Kent county, to the best of my skill and knowledge, so
help me God;" which oath may be administered by any one of
the three trustees to the others, any one of whom, being sworn,
shall administer the same to him.

5. No member of the General Assembly, clergyman, attorney,
or practising physician, shall be obliged to accept or be liable to
the penalty aforesaid for refusing to accept the office of trustee
of the poor; and no justice of the peace, or sheriff, or any one
who hath not the qualification to be a member of the General
Assembly, shall be eligible as a trustee; and no person shall be
compellable to serve in less than three }^Tears after he has served
or paid the penalty for not serving.

6. The county commissioners shall fill any vacancy occasioned
by non-acceptance, death, resignation, removal out of the county,
or other disqualification of any of the said trustees, at their next
meeting thereafter.

7. The trustees so appointed and qualified, and their suc-
cessors, are a corporation, with power to sue and be sued, by the
name of " The Trustees of the Poor of Kent County," and by
that name they may take, hold, possess and enjoy any gift, dona-
tion or present which may be given, devised or bequeathed by
any person to them, for the support and maintenance of the
poor in said county; and may purchase and hold any lands, tene-
ments and hereditaments, not exceeding the yearly value of fif-
teen hundred dollars.

8. They may use one common seal, and the same if necessary
may change and alter.

9. They may make and establish such rules for the relief, regu-
lation and labor of the poor, and for the good government of the
alms-house in said county, as to them shall from time to time ap-
pear most fit and requisite; Provided, they be not contrary to law.