The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-04-21
THE STATE DEMOCRACY.
Constitution Of the Democratic Party
Of South Carolina.

Of South Carolina.
The Constitution of the Democratic par
ty OF South Carolina, which was adopted
BY the State Convention, and went into
force in the campaign Of 1878, is as fol-
lows:
ARTICLE I. There shall be one or more
Democratic Clubs organized in each cleo
ton precinct, each of which Clubs shall
have a distinct title, "The - Dem
ocratic Club" and shall elect q President,
one or more Vice-P Presidents, q Record
ing and a Corresponding Secretary, and
a Treasurer, and shall have the following
working committees, Of. not less than
three members each, viz! a Committee
on Registration, al Executive com lIiittec
and such other committees as to each
Club may seem expedient. ..
ART. II. The meetings Of the Clubs
shall be frequent after the opening Of the
canvas, and some member of the Club,ot
invited speaker deliver all address at each
meeting If practicable.
ART. III. The President. shall have !.
power to call an extra meeting OF the
Club, and members of the club shall
constitute a quorum for the tratisactloif
of business.
ART. ". The Clubs in each county
shall be held together and operate under
the control of a County Executive Com
mittee, which shall consist Of one metn-
Der from each Club, to be nominated by
the respective clubs and elected py the
County Convention, and such other metn-
bers as the Convention may add. 80
The Executive Committee, when ap-
pointed, shall appoint its own officers and
fill all vacancies which may arise when
the Convention is not in session. The
tenure of office of the Executive Commit
tee shall be until the next general cam
paign, unless ooner removed or sus-
pended by the County Convention.
The present County Executive Com
mittees shall continue in office until the
first meeting Of the County Convention
under this organization.
ART. V. County Democratic Conven:
tons shall be composed Of delegates elect
ed by tho several Local C!ubs-one dele,
gate for every club, and an additional
delegate for every.twenty-five [25] enroll:
ed mem bers-with the right to each Coun-
ty Convention to enlarge or diminish the
representation according to circumstan-
ces. This Convention shall be called to-
gether by the Chairman of the Executive
Committee, under such rules as each
county may adopt, and when assembled
shall be called to order by the Chairman
Of the Executive Committee, and shall
proceed to elect from among its members
4 President, n or more Vice-Pfesidents
a Secretary and Treasurer. The Conven:
ton shall proceed to business, and when
the same Is transacted it shall adjourn
sine die. :,
ART. VI. The mode and manner Of
~S..;.,k:- oo-I;Iotao Epr ooy,rtx, .,f3,oS
or for delegates to the State, Judicial and
Congressional Conventions shall be reg;
ulated in each county by the respective
County Conventions.
ART. VII. The State Convention shall
he composed of delegates from each conn-
ty in the numerical proportion tn which
thac county is entitled in both branches
Of the General Assembly,
ART. VIII. The officers shall be d
President, one Vice-President from each
Congressional District, two Secretaries
and a Treasurer.
ART. TX. The State Executive COM
mittee shall be composed OF threar from
each Congressional District. The dele
gates from the Counties comprising the
Congressional District to nominate the
candidates from that district, and the
Convention shall then proceed to al cleo
ton.
ART. X. The Executive Committee
shall elect its own Chairman and other
officers, and shall meet at the coll OF the
Chairman or any five members, at such
times and places as he or they may ap-
point. on
ART. XII. Tho Executive Committee
shall have power, by q vote OF q majority
of the whole Committee, to call Il Con-
vention of the Democratic Party OF tho
State at such time and place as it may
designate; and is charged with the exc
cutiOn and direction Of the policy OF the
State, subject only to the Constitution,
the principles declared by the platformt
and such instructions, by resolution or
otherwise, as the State Convention may
from time to time adopt; and shall. con-
! tinuo in Office for two years from the
time of election, or until the assembling
of the next State Convention for the
nomination Of a State ticket, unless su-
perseded by the action Of the State Con:
ventlon. And if any vacancy be occa-
stoned by death, removal, or other cause;
| the Committee shall have power to fll
the vacancy.
ART. XII. When the State Demo;
cratic Convention assemblies, it shall be
called to order by the Chairman Of the
State Executive Committee, shall elect g
temporary President, and shall proceed
} Immediately to the election OF perma-
nent officers and the transaction OF bust
ness.
The Convention, when it has conclud-
ed its business, shall adjourn sine die.
And when a Convention is called by the
Executive Committee, such Convention
shall be composed OF newly elected dele
hates.
ART. XIII. Representation in judi
cial and Congressional Conventions shall
DO on the same basis as in the State Con-
ventions. A majority Of delegates shall
he present at a Convention to constitute
q uorum for nominating a candidate Tor
either Congress or Solicitor. The delega-
ton of each county in a Congressional or
Judicial Convention shall have power to
fill any vacancy in the delegation.
In every Convention to nominate a
candidate for Congress or for the office OF
Solicitor a majority of the votes shall be
necessary to a choice, and the vote shall
be taken viva Voce and recorded, unless
there is but Il candidate, in which event
the vote may be taken by reclamation.
AS soon rs a Congressional or Judicial
Convention has nominated the party can
didate for Congress or Solicitor, 1t shall
adjourn sine die, and whenerera candl-
; date to fill an uneXpired term of either
office has to be nominated, it shall be
, done by a new Convention of delegates
fresh from the people. The Executive
Committee of each Congressional Dis:
, trict or Judicial Circuit shall consist OF
the several County Chairmen Of the re-
: spectiye counties composing such Dis.
trict or Circuit, which Committee shall
! elect it's own Chairman, Secretary and
Treasurer, who shall continue in office for
two wears in a District and for four years
in 4 Circuit, respectively, or until their
successors shall have been elected. II
shall require the consent of n majority
OF tho whole Executive Committee IN
any District or Circuit to call a Nomlna-
ting Convention.
The Executive Committee Of each Dis
trict or Circuit shall be specially charged
IN it's discretion, except as herein pr0Fld-.
cd, and subject to the State platform, az
we'll az under the supervision OF the
State Executive Committee, with tile!
conduct of every election for Congression-
al Representatives or Solicitors in such
District or Circuit, and said Committee
shall meet at the call Of the Chairman or
of any three members at such times II
places rs he or they may appoint.
Each Congressional Convention snail
meet within It's Congressional District,
and each judicial Convention shall meet
within its Circnit. :
ART. ". This Constitution shall not
90 nto force until the State campaign
of 1873, A.,
', TEE GETSER