AN ACT to revise the law in relation to the adoption of children. [Approved Feb. 27, 1874. In force July 1, 1874.]

[For previous law see L. 1867, p. 133, § 1, 2.]

1. WHO MAY ADOPT-PETITION.] § 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That any resident of this state may petition the circuit or county court of the county in which he resides, for leave to adopt a child not his own, and, if desired, for a change of the child's name; but the prayer of such petition, by a person having a husband or wife, shall not be granted unless such husband or wife joins therein, and when they so join, the adoption shall be by them jointly.

2. FORM OF PETITION.] § 2. The petition shall state the name, sex and age of the child sought to be adopted, and, if it is desired to change the name, the new name, the name and residence of the parents of the child, if known to the petitioner, and of the guardian, if any, and whether the parents or the survivor of them, or the guardian, if any, consents to such adoption.

3. WHAT MUST BE FOUND BY COURT-DECREE.] § 3. If the court is satisfied that the parents of the child or the survivor of them has deserted his or her family, or such child, for the space of one year next preceding the application, or, if neither is living, the guardian, or if there is no guardian, the next of kin in this state capable of giving consent, has notice of the presentation of the petition and consents to such adoption, or that such child has no father or mother living, and no next of kin living in this state capable of giving consent, or is a foundling, and that the facts stated in the petition are true, and that the petitioner is of sufficient ability to bring up the child and furnish suitable nurture and education, and that it is fit and proper that such adoption should be made, a decree shall be made, setting forth the facts and ordering that from the date of the decree the child shall, to all legal intents and purposes, be the child of the petitioner or petitioners, and may decree that the name of the child be changed according to the prayer of the petition.

4. WHEN CONSENT OF CHILD NECESSARY.] § 4. If the child is of the age of fourteen years or upwards, the adoption shall not be made without his consent.

5. RIGHTS OF CHILD ADOPTED.] § 5. A child so adopted shall be deemed, for the purposes of inheritance by such child, and his descendants and husband or wife, and other legal consequences and incidents of the natural relation of parents and children, the child of the parents by adoption, the same as if he had been born to them in lawful wedlock, except that he shall not be capable of taking property expressly limited to the body or bodies of the parents by adoption, nor property from the lineal or collateral kindred of such parents by right of representation.

6. RIGHTS OF ADOPTED PARENTS, ETC.] § 6. The parents by adoption and their heirs shall take by descent, from any child adopted under this or any other law of this state for the adoption of children, and the descendants, and husband or wife, of such child, only such property as he has taken or may hereafter take from or through the adopting parents, or either of them, either by gift, bequest, devise or descent, with the accumulations, income and profits thereof; and all laws of descent and rules of inheritance shall apply to and govern the descent of of any such property, the same as if the child were the natural child of such parents; but the parents by adoption and their heirs shall not inherit any property which such child may take or have taken, by gift, bequest, devise or descent, from his kindred by blood.

7. FORMER ADOPTIONS.] § 7. The preceding section shall apply to any case where a child has heretofore been declared by any court to have been adopted, or where such adoption has been declared or assumed in any deed or last will and testament, giving, bequeathing or devising property to such child, as the adopted child of the grantor or testator, and the wife or husband of such adopting parent shall be capable of inheriting from such child the same as if she or he had become the adopted mother or father of such child, pursuant to this act.

8. EFFECT AS TO NATURAL PARENTS.] § 8. The natural parents of a child so adopted shall be deprived, by the decree, of all legal rights, as respects the child, and the child shall be freed from all obligations of maintenance and obedi. ence as respects such parents.

AN ACT to revise the law in relation to the department of agriculture, county agricultural boards, and agricultural fairs. [Approved March 27, 1874. In force July 1, 1874.]

1. STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.] § 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That the department of agriculture for the promotion of agriculture and horticulture, manufactures and the domestic arts, shall be continued, and shall be managed by a board to be styled "The State Board of Agriculture," to consist of a president and one vicepresident from each congressional district in this state, and of the last ex-president of the state board of agriculture, said president and vice-presidents to be elected on the fair grounds on the first Wednesday of the annual state fair in 1874, and every two years thereafter, on Wednesday of the week of the state fair, by delegates chosen by the several county agricultural boards, in counties where such boards exist, and by the board of supervisors, or the county board, as the case may be, in counties where no county agricultural board exists-each county to be entitled to three delegates, and no more: Provided, that whenever a county agricultural board is hereafter organized, in pursuance of law and the by-laws of the state board of agriculture, then the delegates from such county shall thereafter be chosen by such county agricultural board. The members of the state board of agriculture shall enter upon the duties of their office on the second Tuesday of January succeeding their election, and hold their office for two years, and until their successors are elected and enter upon their duties. [L. 1871–2, p. 113, § 1; p. 115, §7.

2. SECRETARY OF STATE BOARD.] § 2. The said state board shall appoint some person, not a member of the board, secretary, and fix his compensation, who shall hold his office during the term for which the members of the board appoint.

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ing him are elected, unless for good cause he shall be sooner removed by the board, and who shall perform such duties as usually pertain to the office of secretary, or as shall be required of him by the board. [L. 1871-2, p. 113, § 1.

3. TREASURER.] § 3. They shall also appoint some person, not a member of the board, as treasurer, and fix his compensation and prescribe his duties, who shall give bond in such sum and with such security as the board shall direct, conditioned for the faithful discharge of the duties of his office. He shall hold his office during the term for which the members of the board appointing him are elected, unless for good cause he shall be sooner removed by the board. [L. 1871–2, p. 113, § 1.

4. ACCOUNTS OF TREASURER-REPORT.] § 4. The treasurer shall keep an accurate itemized account of all money received by him and paid out, and make an annual report thereof to the state board, and make full settlement with the board. The board having examined such account, and found the same correct, shall indorse their approval thereon, and transmit the same with all proper vouchers to the governor, who, if he approve, shall file the same with the auditor of public accounts; if he shall not approve, he shall return the same to the board for correction.

5. OFFICE OF STATE BOARD.] §5. Said board shall keep an office for the transaction of its business at Springfield; and when the new state house is so far completed as to allow thereof, there shall be assigned to the department of agriculture suitable rooms therein, to be under the control of said board. [L. 1871–2, p. 115, § 5.

6. CORPORATE POWERS OF STATE AND COUNTY BOARDS.] § 6. The state board of agriculture in that name, and the several county agricultural boards organized as herein provided in their respective names, may contract and be contracted with, may purchase, hold or sell property, and may sue and be sued in all courts or places; but this state shall never be liable for any debt or contract of any of said boards. [L. 1871-2, p. 115, § 6.

7. POWERS OF STATE BOARD-STATE NOT LIABLE FOR PREMIUMS.] § 7. The state board of agriculture shall have the sole control of the affairs of the department of agriculture, of all state fairs, and may make such by-laws, rules and regulations, in relation to the department of agriculture, and the management of the business of such department and state fairs, and offering premiums, as a majority of said board shall, from time to time, determine, not inconsistent with the constitution and laws of this state or the United States. But this state shall, in no event, be liable for any premium offered or debt contracted by said board of agriculture. [L. 1871–2, p. 114, § 2.

8. ORGANIZATION OF COUNTY BOARDS-ANNUAL REPORTS-PREMIUMS.] § 8. The said board shall provide for the organization of county agricultural boards, which may be incorporated pursuant to the law for the formation of corporations and associations, and may prescribe all such rules and give such direc tions in regard thereto as the state board shall deem best. Each county board shall be styled "The County Agricultural Board," and shall make annual reports of its proceedings to the state board on or before the 15th day of Novem ber, and shall pay as premiums, at its annual fairs, not less than $300 before being entitled to the benefits accruing under section 13 of this act. [L. 1871-2, p. 114, § 3.

9. CHANGE OF NAME AND ORGANIZATION-CONSOLIDATION.] § 9. Any agricultural society or corporation now existing may change its name and organization to conform to this act, such change to be made by the directors or managers upon the conscnt of a majority of the members or stockholders, as the case may be, of the society or corporation, evidenced in writing, or by a vote taken at a meeting held for that purpose, not less than ten days previous notice having been given of the time, place and object of the meeting; and in like manner any two or more such societies or corporations in the same county may become consolida

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ted into one society or corporation; and when the same or either of such consolidating societies or corporations is a stock company, may in like manner increase, decrease or retire their stock: Provided, that all re-organizations under this act shall be in conformity to the requirements of the state board of agriculture.

10. EFFECT OF CHANGE, ETC., UPON PROPERTY.] § 10. When any agricultural society or corporation has changed or shall change its name or organization so as to become a county agricultural board, as authorized by law, the property, both real and personal, of the society or corporation making such change, shall be held, used, sold and conveyed by the new name so adopted, for the like uses and purposes, and for the benefit of the original owners or members thereof, and to the same extent as it might have been by the original name if no such change had been made. This section shall also apply to the property of consolidating societies or corporations."

11. POWER TO GIVE NOTES AND MORTGAGES.] § 11. It shall be lawful for the directors of any county agricultural board, in order to pay, or secure to be paid, the indebtedness of such board, or of its predecessor, an agricultural society, or for the purpose of purchasing real estate for the use of such board, or to procure means to be expended in the improvement of its fair grounds, to make and execute notes or other legal contracts binding such board, and to secure such notes or contracts by mortgage or deed of trust on the real estate now or hereafter owned by said board, such mortgage or deed of trust to be executed under the seal of the county agricultural board making the same, and signed by the president and secretary thereof.

12. CURATIVE.]§ 12. All changes of name and organization of county ag ricultural societies heretofore made in conformity to "An act to create a department of agriculture in the state of Illinois," approved April 15, 1871; or, "An act concerning the re-organization of county agricultural societies, in conformity to 'an act to create a department of agriculture in the state of Illinois,' approved April 15, 1871," approved April 18, 1873, and the by-laws of the state board of agriculture, and where such action has been reported to the secretary of said state board of agriculture, are hereby declared legal and effectual, and such county agricultural boards heretofore organized shall be entitled to all the benefits of this act as fully as if hereafter organized.

13. APPROPRIATIONS.] § 13. Whatever money shall be appropriated to the department of agriculture shall be paid to said state board of agriculture, and may be expended by them as in the opinion of said board will best advance the interests of agriculture and horticulture, manufactures and domestic arts in this state: Provided, when any appropriation is made for county agricultural boards, the same shall be divided equally between such county agricultural boards as shall have given satisfactory evidence to said state board of having held an annual fair, and made their annual report to said state board of agriculture. [L. 1871-2, p. 114, § 4.

14. REPORT OF STATE BOARD.] § 14. The state board of agriculture shall, at the close of its annual meeting in each year, report to the governor the transactions of the department, in which they shall give a complete classified fiuancial statement of all moneys received and paid out. [L. 1871 2, p. 115, § 8.

15. SPECIAL POLICE.] $15. It shall be lawful for any agricultural board, at or before the time for holding its annual fair, to select and appoint as many persons to act in the capacity of special police, as are by said board deemed requisite, to insure peace and good order on or about the grounds, or place of holding such fair, for and during the time of holding the same: Provided, that such persons, before entering upon the duties of special police, shall receive his authority from and take the oath of office administered by any judge or justice of the peace, or other officer authorized to administer oaths, residing or holding his office in the town or municipal corporation most contiguous to the fair ground or place of holding such fair, and shall receive from such judge or justice a cer