1 The first act of the legislature of Massachusetts establishing the city of Boston, was passed February 23, 1822, and adopted by the citizens of Boston, March 4, 1822. It is chapter 110 of the acts of 1821. The present city charter, being a revision of the former one, was passed April 29, 1854, and adopted by the citizens, November 13, 1854. It is chapter 448 of the acts of 1854.

Corporate powers. 1821, c. 110, § 1.

SECTION 1. The inhabitants of the city of Boston, for all the purposes for which towns and cities are by law incorporated in this commonwealth, shall continue to be one body politic, in fact and in name, under the style and denomination of the city of Boston; and, as such, shall have, ex

ercise, and enjoy all the rights, immunities, powers and privileges, and shall be subject to all the duties and obligations now incumbent upon and appertaining to said city, as a municipal corporation.

1821, c. 110, § 1.

SECT. 2. The administration of all the fiscal, City government. prudential, and municipal concerns of said city, with the conduct and government thereof, shall be vested in one principal officer, to be styled the mayor, one council of twelve persons, to be called the board of aldermen, and one council of fortyeight' persons, to be called the common council, which boards, in their joint capacity, shall be denominated the city council, and also in such other boards of officers as are hereinafter specified.

wards.

1821, c. 110, §2.

1850, c. 167, § 1.

[SECT. 3. It shall be the duty of the city Division into twelve council, and they are empowered during the year 1860, and whenever thereafterwards they may deem it expedient, not oftener than once in ten years, to cause a new division of the city to be made into twelve wards, in such manner as to include an equal number of voters in each ward, Amended 1965, c. 7. as nearly as conveniently may be, consistently with well-defined limits to each ward; and, until such division be made, the boundary lines of the wards shall remain as now established.2]

SECT. 4. The annual meeting of citizens, for Annual meeting for

1 By the annexation of Roxbury, this number was increased to sixty, and by the annexation of Dorchester to sixty-four. Sts. 1867, c. 359, §7; 1869, c. 349, § 7.

By the annexation of Roxbury, the number of wards was increased to fifteen. And by the annexation of Dorchester the number was again increased to sixteen. Sts. 1867, c. 359, §7; 1869, c. 349, § 5.

the election of city

officers.

1851, c. 167. 1854, c. 39. 1824, c. 49.

Certificates of elec

tion to be furnished. 1867, c. 249.

Commencement of municipal year. 1824, c. 49, § 2.

Election of ward officers.

the election of municipal officers hereinafter mentioned, shall be held on the second Monday of December, and the citizens of said city qualified to vote in city affairs shall for the purpose of such election then meet together within the wards in which they respectively reside, at such hour and place as the board of aldermen may by their warrant direct and appoint; and the person receiving the highest number of votes for any office shall be deemed and declared to be elected to such office; and, whenever two or more persons are to be elected to the same office, the several persons, to the number required to be chosen, having the highest number of votes, shall be declared elected.

SECT. 5. Every person so chosen in any ward shall, within forty-eight hours of his election, be furnished by the clerk with a certificate thereof, signed by the warden, clerk, and a majority of the inspectors, which certificate shall be presumptive evidence of the title of such person to the office therein mentioned.

SECT. 6. The municipal officers to be chosen at the annual election shall enter upon the duties of their respective offices on the first Monday of January.

SECT. 7. The qualified voters of said city shall, at the annual meeting, choose by ballot one warden and one clerk and five inspectors of elections for each ward, who shall be resident in said ward, and who shall hold their offices for one year and until others shall be chosen and qualified in their stead.

SECT. 8. The ward officers mentioned in the preceding section shall respectively make oath faithfully and impartially to discharge their several duties, which oath may be administered by the clerk of such ward to the warden, and by the latter to the clerk and inspectors, or to all of said officers by any justice of the peace for the county of Suffolk; and a certificate thereof shall be entered in the record, to be kept by the clerk of the ward.

SECT. 9. In case of the non-election of any Non-election of ward officer at the annual meeting, adjournments may be had for the purpose of effecting such election, in the same manner as is hereinafter provided with regard to the election of members of the common council.

SECT. 10. In case of the absence of any ward officer, at any ward meeting, such officer may be chosen, pro tempore, by hand vote, and shall have all the powers, and be subject to all the duties of the regular officer at such meeting.

warden.

SECT. 11. It shall be the duty of the warden Power and duty of to preside at all ward meetings, with the powers of moderators of town meetings. In case of his absence, the clerk, and, in case of the absence of the clerk, any inspector, shall preside, according to seniority, until a warden shall be chosen, as provided in the preceding section.

SECT. 12. It shall be the duty of the clerk to make a fair and true record, and to keep an exact