prisons, lunatic asylums, and other state institutions, whose duties are
indicated by their titles, and need no particular description.




Chapter XIV.

Counties ind County Officers. Powers and Duties of County Officers.



§1. Some of the purposes for which a state is divided into small
districts have been mentioned. (Chap. VII, §1.) There are other reasons,
equally important, for these territorial divisions. Laws for the whole
state are made by the legislature; but certain regulations may be
necessary for the people in some parts of the state which are not needed
in others, and which the people of these places can better make for
themselves. It is the business of the governor and his assistant
executive state officers to execute or carry into effect the laws of the
state; but they could not see this done in every place, or in every
minute portion of the state. Again, for the convenience of those who may
be obliged to go to law to obtain redress for injuries, courts of
justice must be established near the residence of every citizen.

§2. But in order to carry out these objects, a state must be divided
into small districts with fixed boundaries, that it may be known what
persons come under certain regulations, and over whom these local
officers are to exercise authority. The smallest territorial divisions
of a state are called _townships_, or _towns_, which contain generally