WM. T. HAMILTON, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

29

ments of officers of registration in said city, to the

said respective groups of election precincts, shall be

controlled by a careful consideration of the fitness

Fitness care-

of each officer to perform the duties to which he is

fully consid-
ered.

assigned; at each regular session of the General As-

sembly to be held after the present session, he shall

appoint one officer of registration for each ward in

the city of Baltimore, as then laid out, competent

for the duties which he is required to perform, who

shall be, when so appointed, a resident of the ward

for which he is appointed.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That each of the said

officers of registration shall have, in addition to the

Additional

other powers conferred upon him by this act, or which

power.

may be hereafter conferred upon him by law during

the respective times of his appointed sittings under

the provisions of this act, the powers of a justice of

the peace to preserve order and enforce obedience to

his lawful commands at or around his place of regis-

tration; to keep the access to such place open and

unobstructed; to prevent and suppress riots, tumult,

Suppress

violence and disorder, and all other improper prac-

disorder.

tices at, around or near to his place of registration

tending to intimidation or to the obstruction of the

work of registration or of the revision of the regis-

tration, and to protect and keep safe the registries

of voters or poll books hereinafter referred to while

in his custody and possession; he may compel the

Summons

presence of witnesses before him while sitting as an

witnesses.

officer of registration, for all purposes connected

with the performance of the duties of his office, by

summons and attachments; he may, while sitting

as such officer of registration, commit for trial any

May commit.

person committing, at or around his place of regis-

tration, any offence forbidden by this act; he shall

have the power to issue any of said summons, at-

tachments or commitments when sitting in any

county of this State, to the sheriff' of said county

or to any constable thereof, and when sitting in the

city of Baltimore to the marshal of police or to any

police officer of said city; all such processes shall

be served by said respective officers in the same

Who to serve

manner as if they were issued by the judge of a

processes.

court of record having jurisdiction of the subject

matter, or by a justice of the peace exercising police

powers within such respective jurisdictions. The