Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-16
The New Constitution of Alabama.


The New Constitution of Alabama.
A summary Of the proposed new con-
/ stitution OF the State If Alat ans, or
which the New York World from which
we copy, says il 1t Is not marked by as
| many remarkable features a. is that OF
| Missouri, also was framed by cOnven-
| ton overwhelmingly Democratic, will
| be of interest to many Of our readers.
| Besides the usual declarations of ights
and defiuitioDs and distributions Of
| powers, all the propositions esse ntiRl TO
| the efficiency of the public service and
| the lust protection Of the rights Of the
| individual citizen are incorporated in
| the organic law Of the State. lmpTis-
oument for debt is forbidden and all
| forms Of slavery, no involuntary seTvi-
| tude being recognized save for punish
nnent of crime afler due conviction IS
had. The fact is accepted IS final that
| from the Federal Union there can be no
secession OF any State. Foreigners who
are bona fde residents Of the state nave
| the same rights In respect or property SIS
citizens. All functions OF government
beyond the protection Of the citizen IN
the enjoyment OF Life, liberty and prop
erty are defined to be usurpatioDs and
expressions. No educational or prop
| erty qualification may be enforced for
suffrage or office, nor may any restraint
| be made on account Of race, color, or pre-
| vious condition of servitude. The SEN
ate is to contain thirty-thTee members,
| TO be at least twenty-seven years OF age.
| Citizenship and residence in the State
for three years and residence in the dis.
trict for one year are demanded, as well
H., fri.n Il inn nE
term of office. The term is four years.
The house has one hundred members,
of whom similar qualifications are de-
| manded; their term is two years. The
per diem allowance is four dollars,
with mileage at the rata OF ten cents.
The sessions are biennial, al d after the
first, which is limited TO sixty days,
shall not exceed fifty days The first
general election will be held on the
first Monday in August, 1876, when the
senators in the even-numbered dist lets
shall only be elected for the short term
of two years; biennially thereafter rep
resentatives shall be elected for two
wears, and half the senators for four
wears. Expulsion for corruption dis
| Qualities for election to either house.
| The usual provision is enacted rendering
members ineligible during their term OF
office for civil offices Of profit created or
whose emoluments have been increased
during that term, bat the Disqualification
does not extend to offices filed by pOpu
| lar election. Special legislatiOul lis pTohlD-
| tied il the subject is or eau he provided Tor
| by general act, or the courts can al
| ord the desired relief, Lotteries and
| Siit enterprises msy not be aut1oHzsCj
| Tor the sale OF tickets. Public ytficers o.
.. ~
pensation after the service has been per-
| formed or the contract made, AppTo-
| priatiGns for charitable or educational
purposes not under the absolute control
| # the State Except the State normal
| schools for the training Of teach
ars) can Only b. made by two
thirds OF the votes Of al the
members of each house. Laws for the
| suppression of duelling are TO be passed.
| The property Of the State ami munich
psliues is exempted from taXStiO2, as
also property net 20 exceed twenty five
| Thousand dollars b value used eX1lus-
| lively for agricultural and horticultural
associations of public character, ceme-
| teries, aud certain restricted lots of real
estate used exclusively for religious wor-
| ship, schools, or purely CHART Sbie pur-
| poses. The loaniDg of the cred OF the
| State or of any municipality to individ-
uals or corporations is prohibited, nor
| may the State engage in works of in
| ternal improvement, nor lend money or
credit in their aid The terms of Stste
officers ale to be two years. The gov
| ernor may in cases of conviction for
treason suspend execution and report
the case to the general assembly at its
| next regular session for action. The
veto power is much restricted, as, if the
| governor does not return within five
days any bill, it becomes law
without his signature, and il he re-
turns bill with reasons for disappearing
| it, msjority of all the memLeTs Of
each house may pass it. Particular
items of appropriation bills may be
vetoed. The judges Of the supreme,
| circuit and probate courts and the chan
| cellors are to be elected; those Of infe-
rior courts of law and equity that may
| be established may be elected or ap-
| pointed as the legislature may prescribe.
| The judicial term is of SIX years. The
| assembly is empowered TO pass regis
tration law. 1t may also levy poll
! tax not in excess OF one dollar and fifty
cents per head for school purposes. Tax
| alton and the creation OF debt are, as
might be supposed, much restricted. A
| tWO-thirds vote of all the members in
| the house is required to create any add
ton to the State debt, though bonds
may be issued in adjustment of existing
State Indebtedness. The annual levy
| for State purposes IS not TO exceed three
quarters Of one per cent. Of the valua-
ton or taxable property; for county
purposes, one-half Of one per cent with
ODe-quarter of one per cent. III addition
to be exclusively appropriated to the
| payment Of existing debts or their in
terest. The legislature will control
/ special levies for specified county pur-
poses. The city and town rate is one
half of one per cent, with one per cent.
| additional to discharge existing indebt-
| edness. Mobile is excepted ana
empowered to levy one per cent. till
January l, 1879, and three-quaIters OF
| one per cent. thereafter, and similar
| taxes to meet its present debts. Salaries
| Of the State officers ard judges must De
| reduced at least twenty five per cent 81
| The first session of the new general
assembly, and cannot thereafter be in
| creased but by a majority vote OF all the
members of each house. Public schools
are to be established and maintsined
| for the equal benefit OF all children in
the State between the ages Of seven and
| twenty-one, but separate schools are 20 be
| provided for colOTed children. The poll
tax, school lands and funds, bequests,
ana the property Of persons dying With
| out will or heiT are TO he applied to the
maintenance Of the schools, with an an
| nual appropriation of not less than one
| hundred Thousand dOllars by the assem-
| bly,. None of these funds may be di-
| verted to sectarian or denGmlnatiOnaI
schools. Corporations may OILY be ere
aied by special act ior municipal, manu-
featuring, mining, immigration, indus
rial and educstionsl purposes, or for
constructing canals or improving navia
| gable rivers or harbors. Charters and
special privileges under when bona fde
action has not been taken lapse at the
date OF ratification. Watering stock is
forbidden, and preferred stock requires
| the consent Of tWO.thiTds of the stock
holders ere it can be issued. COnsOlidR-
ton of competing telegraph companies
in any form is prohibited. Banks may
be chartered for twenty years under
a general act, upon a specie bssis
only. Suspension Of specie paymen IS
may not be sanctioned by any law, and
holders of notes and depositors who
have not stipulated for interest, are pre-.
ferred creditors. The assembly is en-
| powered 10 "psss laws to correct abuses
and prevent unjust discrimination snd
extortion in the rate Of freights and
| passenger tariffs on railroads. canals and