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6 discharge of their official duties.

Accordingly the Governor, attended by the Council, Secretary & Treasurer of State, preceeded by the Sheriff of Cumberland, came in when the members of the Senate were duly qualified by taking and subscribing the oaths required by the Constitution to qualify them for the exercise of their official duties - after which the aforenamed members of the House of Representatives were qualified in like manner for the duties of their office. The Governor, Council, Secretary & Treasurer of State then withdrew - The Senators also withdrew.

A committee was appointed to receive, sort & count the votes for a Clerk, and the ballots being taken, it appeared the whole number given in was one hundred & thirty four - necessary to a choice sixty eight - that [underlined] James L Child Esquire of Alna [end underline] had one hundred & thirty one, and he was declared elected and being present, signified his acceptance of that office, & took the following oath which was administered to him by the Chairman - viz. "I James L Child, elected" "Clerk of the House of Representatives for the State of Maine" "for the current political year, do solemnly swear that I will" "faithfully & impartially discharge the duties of that office, according to my best abilities, & discretion. So help me GOD."

The Clerk presided during the further organization of the House.

A committee, consisting of Messrs Abbot of Castine, Hodgman of Warren, Bixby of Athens, White of Monmouth & Bent of Bangor, were appointed to receive, sort & count the votes for a Speaker - and the votes being counted, it appeared the whole number given in was one hundred & forty - necessary to a choice seventy one - that [underline] John Ruggles Esquire of Thomaston [end underline] had seventy five and he was declared elected. The Clerk thereupon an-