84 ALLEGANY COUNTY. [ART. 1.

States, who have resided in said town for and during the space
of six months next preceding the second Monday in January, in
each and every year, at the usual place of holding elections in
said town, or at such place as shall be designated by the commis-
sioners of Westernport, are authorized to elect five commissioners
for said town, who shall be owners of real estate in the town, and
who shall have resided within the limits of the same eighteen
months next preceding the election; also, a clerk and bailiff, each
of whom shall have resided in the town eighteen months next
preceding the election; said commissioners, clerk, and bailiff,
shall hold their respective offices for the term of one year and
until the qualification of their successors, respectively.

1886, ch. 33.

244. Said commissioners, clerk and bailiff shall qualify by-
taking the following oath, to be administered by some justice of
the peace: " I, , do swear (or affirm) that I will execute
the office of commissioner of "Westernport, (or clerk or bailiff, as
the case may be, ) to the best of my ability, without favor,
partiality or prejudice. " And at their annual meeting, to be held
on the first Monday of February, in each year, the commissioners-
shall select some one of their number as president, who shall pre-
side at all their meetings, and execute the ordinances passed by
them; they may meet as often as occasion may require, upon the
business of the town, and not less than once in every three
months.

Ibid.

245. The said commissioners of "Westernport shall appoint
every year, at least ten days before the day of election, three judges
to hold elections; said -judges shall keep the polls open from nine
o'clock in the morning until five o'clock in the afternoon, and
shall conduct the said election in the "same manner in which the
judges of election are now directed to conduct elections for dele-
gates to the general assembly, as far as may be practicable; and
the said judges shall make returns under their hands and seals to
the clerk of the circuit court for Allegany county, of the persons-
elected.