The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-19

going out of Office every two years. No per-
son was eligible who was not free, white, aged
thirty, and citizen and resident for hve years
preceding the elections.
Under the Reconstruction Constitutions the
appointment is the same, and the rotation OF
Office the same. All persons, however, are ell
eible as senators who have been citizens for one
wear and residents for three months, and have
not been convicted Of an infamous crime, and
are twenty-five years old.
ELECTIONS.
Under the Constitution Of 1865 the elections
we're to be held on the third Wednesday in Oc-
tober in every second year, and the Legislature
was to meet annually in Columbia on the
fourth Monday in November.
Under the Reconstruction Constitution the
first election is to be held on April 14th, 18th
and 10th, 1868, on the third Wednesday in Oc-
tober, 1870, and on the same day in every Sc
cond year thereafter The Legislature is to
meet annually on the fourth Tuesday in No
vember.
IMPRISONMENT.
Under the Reconstruction Constitution the
legislature has the customary power to punish
by imprisonment any person who may be gull
ty Of disrespectful, disorderly or contemptu-
ous conduct in it's presence, or who shall
threaten or assault the members, but the
proviso is inserted that such imprisonment
shall not extend in term beyond the session of
the General Assembly.
|. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY.
Under the Reconstruction Constitution, no
person is eligible as member OF the General
Assembly while he holds Office under the Uni
ted States or this State as in the Constitution
Of 1866, with the exception that the clause
making ineligible, contractors Of this State or
of the United States and their agents, is
omitted; and a proviso is inserted that these
ineligibihties shall not extend to the members
Of the frsNGeneral Assembly. The disqualify-
ing clause of the Constitution lof 1865 is also
found in the Constitution Of 1870.
THE PUBIC TREASURY.
The Constitutions Of 1890 and 1866 declars
that no money shall be drawn out Of the public
treasury but by the Legislative authority Of the
State.
The Reconstruction Constitution provides
that mo money shall be drawn from the
treasury but in pursuance of an appropriation
made by law; and regular statement and &C.
count Of the receipts and expenditures Of all
public moneys shall be published annually in
such manner as may be by law directed"
A GREAT SEAL OF TIE STATE.
The Reconstruction Const: :Jution, like that
of 1890, provides that great seal Of the State
shall be appended to each bill when it becomes
q law; the executive seal is hereafter not to be
used. In the Constitution of 1865 no mention
is made of "great seal;" but in the Recon-
struction Constitution it is provided for as
follows:
There shall be seal Of the State, for which
the General Assembly, at it's first session,
shall provide, and which shall be used by the
Governor officially, and shall be called 'The
Great Seal of the State Of South Carolina"
All grants and commissions shall be issued
in the name and by the authority Of the State
of South Carolina, sealed with the great seal,
signed by the Governor, and countersigned by
the Secretary Of State.
PER DIEM.
By the Constitution Of 1890, the per diem was
seven shillings sterling; by that Of 1865 it was
five dollars, and twenty cents mileage; by the
Reconstruction Constitution the first legisls-
ture is to receive six dollars per day and twen-
ty cents mileage, after which the compepsa-
ton is to be fixed by law; the same rule to
apply to extra sessions. The following clause
of the Constitution of 1865 is omitted: 'But
no alteration shall be made to take effect dur
ing the existence Of the General Assembly
which shall make such alteration"
THE JOURNALS.
The Reconstruction Constitution provides
that the journals of the legislature shall be
s'pubished Immediately after its adjournment,
excepting such parts as in its judgment may
require secrecy. Any member Of either House
shall have liberty to dissent from, and protest
against, any act or resolution which he may
think injurious to the public or to an indi-
vidual, and have the reasons OF his dissent
entered on the journals
SECRET SESSION.
The Reconstruction Constitution, unlike
either of the others, provides that the doors Of
either House may be closed when secrecy is
considered necessary.
THE OATH.
Under the Reconstruction Constitution the
oath to be administered to all persons holding
Offices of profit and trust is in many respects
the same as that contained in the Constitu-
tions of 1880 and 1865, but it contains recog-
milton of "the supremacy of the Constitution
and laws Of the United States over the consti-
tuition and laws Of any State"
IMPEACHMENT.
The Reconstruction Constitution provides
that majority of the House shall be required
to impeach, while under the Constitutions Of
1890 and 1866 the concurrence Of two-thirds
was required.
The three constitutions agree that two
thirds of the senators present shall be requir-
ed TO convict.
HOMESTEAD.
In the old constitutions there is no provision
for homestead exemption. The following is
the homestead law adopted by the Recon-
struction Constitution 1.-THE family home
stead of the head Of each family, residing in
this State, such homestead consisting of dwell
ling house, out-buildings and land appurte-
nant, not to exceed the value of one thousand