The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-07

etc., are guaranteed no law shall ever
be passed to curb or restrain the liberty
Of speech or Of the press; unreasonable
searches and seizures are guarded
against; there Is to be neither slavery
nor involuntary servitude, save as q
punishment for crime, and after. due
conviction: "the social status OF the
citizen shall never be- the subject of
legislation - the writ OF habeas corpus
shall never be suspended, excessive
bail shall not be required, etc.; punish
ment for contempt is to be limited by
act there is no imprisonment for debt,
neither any Punishment as a punish
ment: whipping is prohibited the truth
may be given in evidence In prosecu-
tions for libel; lotteries and the sale of
lottery tickets are prohibited under
penalty; no special law may be enacted
where general law covers the case ,
and the people have the right OF peace
able assembly and petition. During the
debate when the clauses relative to the
militia were adopted, an a'stiye discus
sion ensued upon the proposition to
compel voters to pay up their taxes be-
fore they could exercise the right OF SUI
frage. Mr.. Wofford led the opposition
in most foreible speech, declaring that
debt was no crime, and that it was emi-
nently unjust to prevent the electOr
from exercising his high right Of suf-
frage because he had not the money
wherewth to pay the taxes. Mr.. Law
ton asked with equal pertinence, when
1t had been that non payment Of State
taxes In Georgia had not operated as @
proposed constitution was much better
than the existing one-a view in which
the convention aequiesced.
On the 21st u lot OF hew articles were
reported. making the boundaries OF
counties the same as they now are by
Law; forbidding the creation OF new
counties or changing the county lines,
unless under general law, requiring a
two. thirds vote at o special election and
of the Assembly to change county site
making terms Of county officials two
years, and establishing uniform county
tribunals throughout the State. There
was then o lively debate on the dueling
clause Of the report on the elective
franchise, but 1t was finally agreed to.
It debars from holding office residents
of the State convicted OF fighting duels.
or Of acting as seconds. or OF abetting
in dueling in any other manner !;
but as conviction is required, the
clause is much less formidable than 1t
looks. The sixth section, excluding
from registration and office persons
convicted in the State courts OF treason,
felony. etc. was debated at tsome length,
it being opposed that it was manifestly
unjust to exclude o Georgian criminal
but to admit an Infamous person from
another State; finally the section was
agreed to, but after @ perfect hailstorm
OF motions. amendments, substitutes,
and the like. A motion TO make women
eligible under the school laws was igno-
miniously laughed and voted down.
On the 23d the proposed articles re-
latipg to the Executive were submitted,
providing for Governor, Secretary OF
State, Comptroller General and Treasu-
rsr; terms two years, first election to
be held on the first Wednesday In Octo-
ber, 1880, one reelection immediately
following the first time allowed, and the
President Of the Senate exercising ex-
ecutive powers in case OF the death,
resignation or disability mo provision
for absence, just as was the case in
Pennsylvania, two thirds vote of
each house overriding his veto; salaries
OF interior State officers not to exceed
$4,000.
On the 24th the vexed question Of the
capital came up, the committee favor
ing the location OF the State buildings
at Atlanta, while O minority report
would take q popular vote as between
Atlanta and Milledgeyille. Lobbying
was declared to be O crime to be pun
ished by suitableIpenalties by the Cen
eral Assembly. A proposition to abol-
ish the death penalty was promptly
tabled, as also was another prohibiting
the leasing out of convicts and ordering
the establishment Of penitentiary for
their confinement.
On the 25th q motion to reconsider the
clause making lobbying crime came
up, the motion being supported by MEM
bers who affected to believe that the
adoption would only signal to the world
Georgian disbelief in the virtue Of her
legislators. A couple of gushing
speeches were made upon the subject,
and then the motion was not reconsid-
cred. Similar action under similar cir
cumstances was taken in the case of q
motion to reconsider the anti whipping
post clause. The most important action
OF the convention was, however, taken
at the same session in reconsidering the
twenty seventh section Of the bill OF
rights, 80 as to allow many special
privileges and fmmunities to be irrevo-
cable, and thus to encourage corpora
tions. The usual anti-monopoly argu-
ments were offered, but the convention
by narrow majority placed itself ON
the side OF the inviolability OF con-
tracts to secure for capital the utmost
security for developments.
VIRGINIA. POLITICS.