The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-03-11
REcoNsTRUcT1oN CONVENTION.
ronTY-sECoND DAY.

ident and prayer offered by Rev. b. f. Jackson.
Tho consideration of section of the educa-
tionnl ar,1cle was resumed, and, after nm earnest
speech by F. L. Cardoza, the chairman OF the com
mittee it was, on his motion, amended oy ,ne au
dtion of the provso, and passed 10 Its thlrd read
ing. l, reads as follows: 60, a.
SEC. i. 1t shall be the duty OF the uehera' AS
sembly to provide for the compulsory ai'ehuance'
ot cit her public or private schools, of all children
be,ween the opes of six and sixteen years, not
physically or mentally disabled, fora term e9 ltiVa-
lent 10 lwenty-four months: ProO'ded, Ihat no
law to that effect shall be passed until system OF
public schools has been thoroughly and conPietely
organized, and facilities afforded 10 the inhabitants
Of the State for the free education OF their chi-
dren. =,
Section FIVE provides that the legislature snail
lew an annual tax on all the taxable property IN
the Slate for the support Of public schools anu d
tax of one dollar oil taxable polls in the State.
which shall also be applied to educational purposes.
Various amendments offered.
MIR. II. G. Parker insisted that the property of
tho State ought 10 pay the taxes of the State, anu
not that class Of people who have not cent oil
property or acre of ground.
r. Hayne did not believe there was man IN
South Carolina so poor as not to be able TO pay
one dollar for the education Of bis children.
r. B. elliott was opposed to tho section because
- did mt nrcyent the legislature from passing an
net that would deprive the voter, in case of the
non payment Of his poll tax, of the right OF sui
frare. In other States this was penalty. 1t
ought not to be so in South Carolina lie offered
the following amendment: " PROVIDED that no
person shall be deprived OF the riGhI Oh sunrase
for non payment Of SAID tax.
Iong and animated debate followed.
4 I Rapsier said he differed from the delegate
from Barnwell, (N. G. Parker), inasmuch US ne be-
i;eyaJ il was but Just that all the people of the
Soto shonld bear as far as possible, the burden of
exncnse. There was no other way in which this
could be done save by leyyiRg poll TAX. let ne
was UNIV iling TO deprive any individual VINO might
find it impossible to pay hat TAX Oh tnc privilege
of voting. A.. ohon,;o,. os
Tho onnosition. He contended that with such a
nrov;sion TO the clause, no other than mere NOR
81 ;ndrcement was held out to the people OF the
State to paw their poll tax. No penalty existing
which appealed 10 pride, no large amount OF IN
cone conid possibly be expected in aid of the edu-
co,ional svsiem contemplated. There was not
man in the State who could not afford 10 pay one
dollar year for such purpose, ana II lie u!u ho.
appreciate the importance OF the use 10 "aiIn ~ ~
would be applied, he deserved 10 nave INC 'isH' VI
franchise taken from him.
We have not room for the publication OF even an
abstract of the various speeches which followed.
Tho chief reasons urged for the adoption OF lne
nrovso were that the legislature might possibly Do
connosed of men loo glad to have an opportunity
~ denrive the coored voter of his right OF SUI
frace md eventually might lead to the ruin OF the
,or,v olso that the coored men OF the State
were too poor TO pay the poll tax, and ought not
to suffer in consequence Of their poverty.
The question was finally put TO q vote; tue yeas
and nays were ordered by one-htth, out imheu',
otelv afterwards postponed by the majority anu
rfce
then being taken Vtca '0e'' ""'
affirmative. .:,.u., e..
Subsequently the section was reconsidereu' iur
thor dobatc ensued, and the subject was still pend
ing at the hour of adjournment.
r c DeLaree, from the Committee on Elections
and Franchise, reported the following article: =,
SECTION |. In all elections by the people the
electors shall vote by ballot
SEC. = Every male citizen OF the oniled o'ales
or rho are of twenty one years and upwards. not
luboriur under the disabilities named i'll this Con =
sti,ution. without distinction of race, color or
for,rrr :onGi,;on who rhall he a resident of this
Sto,e nt lbe time of the adoption of this Constitu
,;nn or Who shall thereafter reside in this State
one wear. and in the county sixty days next pre-.
ccd;no anv election, and every male nlaoiiant OF
foreign birth Of the age aforesaid who snail nave
resided in this State one year. ana III .he County
sixty day, Immediately preceding such eiec'iohs'
and shall have declared his intention TO become
S~-'-N
laws of the United States on the subject OF natu-
r.lization shall he entitled vote for all officers
that are now. or hereafter may be, elected oy Tue
neonI. and upon nil questions submitted to the
electors at any election: Provided, That every
nerson coming of age after the year a. D. 1919 10
vote be able to read and write, but this qualihca
ton shall not apply TO any person preveh'cu py
physical disability from complying ihere"i'h;
provided further, That no person shall he allowed
In is hereafter may
he Ji.ouulifed therefor by the Constitution OF the
United States, provided that the General Assembly
shall have the mower TO remove said disability ny
tvo.thrds vote. Provided further, That no per.
son. while kept in any aims house or asylum OF Oh
unsound mind, or confined in any public prison,
shall he allowed to vote or hold ofce.
SEC. 3. 1t shall be the duty of the General AS
semb!y TO provide from time to time Tor the regis
traton Of all electors
SEC 4. For the purpose OF voting no person
shall be deemed to have lost his residence by rea-
SON of absence while employed in the service OF
tho limited States, nor while engaged upon the
vnlers of this State or the United States OF OF the
high seas, nor while temporarily absent from Tie
State A.
SEC. S. No soldier, seaman or marine IN the Ar,
nv or Navy of the United States shall be ueemeu
n resident Of this State i'll consequence VI hu'ins
been stationed therein.
Src Electors shall in all cases, except trea-
SON. felony or breach of the peace, be privileged
from arrest and civil process during their attend
ance Mt elections, and in going to and returning
SEC. 7. Every person entitled to vote at any
election shall be eligible to any office which now
is or hereafter shall lie elective by the people IN
The county where lie shall have resided sixty days
previous 10 such election, except US otherwise pro,
r;ded in this Constitution, or the Constitution and
laws of the United States.
SEC. s. No person convicted of treason, murder
robbery. or duelling, shall exercise the right to
vote Mt auy election until he be expressly restored
thereto by the Act of the Legislature
SEC. 0. Presidential Electors shall be elected by
Ssc. 10. In all elections held by the people un-
der this Constitution the person or persons VINO
- II aaa;ro Tho Iinhest number of votes shall be