be appointed
for each circuit, and these judges were constituted chief judges of
the County Court in each County, and chancellors in their re-
spective circuits. These were distinct from the Judges of the
Supreme Court, and, with the two assistant judges, constituted the
County Court. The first circuit was composed of the Counties of
Bennington, Rutland and Addison.
The Legislature at their session in October 1857, repealed the
law last mentioned, and provided that the Supreme Court shall con-
sist of one chief judge and five assistant judges. These judges
are constituted chief judges of the County Court and Chancel-
lors in the several Counties ; and for this purpose it is made the
duty of the Supreme Court to assign one of the judges to each
County. This act substantially restores the system adopted in 1824.
By the first constitutionof the State, adopted in 1777, it was
provided " that the General Assembly when legally formed, shall
appoint times and places for County elections, and at such times
and places the freemen in each County respectively, shall have the
lUrfTUilY OF AUDIri'j:> CjUxNTY. Zi
liberty of choosing the judges of the Inferior Court, or Court of
Common Pleas, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace and Judges of Pro-
bate, commissioned by the Governor and Council, during good be-
havior, removable by the General xissembly upon proof of malad-
ministration." By the amended constitution, adopted by the con-
vention in 1786, it was provided, that the above mentioned officers
should be annually elected by the General Assembly, '• in conjunc-
tion Tvith the council." And they continued to be thus elected,
until the amendment of the constitution adopted in 1850. Until
this time