The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-08-04
THE CONSTITUTION AS IT IS
SHORT, CLEAR, AND UEMISTAKABLE IN
ITS MEANING.

4 Complete and Thorough Answer to
Mr.. Tillman and all those Who are
Clamoring fOr a New Constitution
III is Better Than any New One,
which VIC may get.
The Farmers convention in advocating the
call of Constitutional Convention for this
state did n most wise and OppOrtunc act The
present Constitution gives us Il cumbrous and
expensive form of government which cannot
be rcmedied by amendment, for such mode
OF change is tedious, uncertain and calculated
To produce unnecessary divisions among our
people. The organic law under which we live
would suit very well for q denscly populated
State like MASSACHUSETTS, or New York; but it
provides 4 number OF unnecessary offices, and
is in other respects contrary to the genius OF
our people. We ought to have n Constitutions
al anvcntiOn.-Anderson Lntelti0enccr
TO which the Ncw6crTy Observer replies rs
follows:
Like the arguments we have sscn for Con-
sttutiOnal Convention, the above Is exceed
ingly vague and indefinite. Not single
objectional item is mentioned, and not Y
single change suggested. 1t Is said. In gen.
cr:tl way, that "prcsent Constitution gives
us a cumbrous and expensive form OF govern
mcnt." In what rcspcctr What is there
Let lis see:
Article is taken up entirely with declara-
tion Of rights, in which no reasonable obJec-
tion can be found. 1t contains nothing either
cumbrouS or expensive.
Article II relates to the Legislature, and the
manner of :heir apportlonmont and election.
We defy our contemporary to suggest any i'm.
prOyements. Any unnecessary Offices"
there? 1t also provides for a homestead. If
the homestead law is to be abolished, the way
10 accomplish 1t is to submit the question to
the people by way Of ofamendment.
Article III relates exclusively to the eNecu
tive department, and Is very plain and SIM
plc-coull not possibly be made more so. 1t
provides for the election OF ofGovernorand 9TH
| or State officers, and there Is nothing cum
brous or expensive about it. And no one will
contend that there are unnecessary offices"
| In the executive department.
Articles w provides for the election of ST.
prcme and Circuit and Probate Judges, Clerk
of Court, Sheriff, Coroner, solicitor. County
Commissioners and Ju!lces OF the Peace.
| Nothing "cumbrous'' about this. The Consti-
| tuition docs not require that these offices shall
be "cxpcnsive," for the salaries are left to be
| fixed by tho General Assembly. Are any of
| these offices "unneccssary?' II SO, what
ones? y few Personal---very. 1ew-think the
ry. The General Assembly heretofore has re-
garde0 Justices of the Peace unnecessary,
and has refused 10 provide for them; but 1t
| has provided for Trial Juticcs, not required
by the Constitution, and conforming in every
! essential particular to Justices of the Peace,
except in name and in the fact that they are
appointed by the Governor instead OF being
elected by the people.
Article V provides for arbitrators, change of
venue in certain eases and for the codiication
OF the laws every ten years. Nothing cXpen-
sivc about that, unless II be in the codilicaton
| of the laws. And we remember that CERTAIN
Legislators at one time opposed the codltica-
| ton Of the laws on account Of the expense,
and VIC remember the remark made BY Judge
| Mackey that an economical member from his
county had prepared q bill TO have the laws
cOditied by convict labor.
| Article VI relates In eminent dOmain--to
which no objection can ever he raised by any
body.
Article VII relates to impcachmcnis; is
plain, and simple, md entirely unobJccliona-
| Ule and incapable of Improvement.
Article VIII, relating to the right of suf-
| frage, could not be improved.
| Article IN relates TO finance and taxation,
and we have never seen or heard of the least
objection, 10 anything contained therein.
| Article X relates TO EDUCATION; provides for
Il State superintendent or Education and
County School CommiSSioncr-ail necessary,
and not more expensive than necessary.
with the amendment OF lS1o. 1t provides fora
| . mill tax for common schOolS-put i'll the
Constitution by the Democrats, who are plcdS-
rd 10 keep ii there. 1t provides also for Il
State Normal School-which Is neither cum
, brOus Hor cNpcnslyc-it costs sl,1U a year,
! and is worth 10 the STATE ten times that
amount. y Slate Retoi IN School fOrJuvcnile
UllrndcrS-.this the Legislators have regarded
as UNNECESSARY" las not been "cXpcn-
Sivc'', for II has never been established, be-
cause the inmates could easily bc made 10
| work and pay for the expenses OF the inSti-
tution--il may not be necessary. but it is cN-
trcmely proper, and, independent OF Con-
Stitulional requirements, snouia nave been
established long ago. An agricnlturai r;o1ilese G
and tic State University; but no military
academy provided for.
Aticlc NJ provides for an asylum, peniten-
tiary and i deal, dumb and blind institution,
but leaves the details to the General Assein-
bly, entirely.
Article II relates to corporation-no OBJ
lection whatever. w
Article Mi provides for militia, hut
Article XIV Is miscellaneous. II prohibits
lotteries ana divorces aud gives the married
women the right to hold real estate.
Article XIV directs how the Constitution
may be amended and how Constitutional
convention may be callcd-no possible ohjcc-
ton to anything in the article.
Article XVI forbids increasing the public
debt except by Il vote Of two:thrds OF tie
qualified voters OF the Stale i'll favor OF it-a
very wise provision Indeed.
The above is Il bricf summary OF the "ltadi-
cal Constitution The fact that IL Is y Radi-
cal Constitution Is, we believe, the chief and
almost the only objection to it. The objection
Is simply Il sentiment. Sentiment Is well
enough, but South Carolina is too poor just
now TO pay forty or fifty thousand dollars TO
crafty q sentiment. Leaving out The qucs-
tion OF sentiment, we have no hesitation in
saying that the probabilities are the present
Constitution contains much less objectionable
material than one that would be adopted.
now. Better bear the ills we have than fly TO
those we know not of. Better change the Con-
stitution by gradual amendment rather than
to go To an expense ol forty or 1ifty thousand
dollars to get one that may not be as good us
the one have. Talk Of the people" franz
ing n Constitution; the people no more frame
Il Constitution than they make the laws. One
hundred and ffiyninc men make the laws:
and they do net always make such as, as tme ns
ty-ninc men would frame i Constitution; ard
there Is no assurance whatever that they
woald frame il 10 suit the people.
nut to return To our esteemed cOteEporary
of Anderson. What are the unnecessary Of
fees provided for BY the Constitution?
Tic Constitution provides for Governor
Iirut-C;nrrrnOr, Secretary ol Sntc, comp
dent of r.duca!inn and AGiuiant General lor
the safe. Arc any Of these ''unnccccSsary?
The Constitution further provides for three
supreme Court Judges, tircuit Judscsmnum-
Grmbly, which divides thrStatc In to "conEcn
lent circn,s', and elects Il Judge for cach-a
Solicitor preach Circuit. Any "unnccceSS;try
Offices" provided here by the Constitution?
Tile Constitution further provides for the
fDlowin: County Offices: Clerk, Sheriff, Pro-
bate Judge, Coroner and three County Com,
mi>Sionrr$. Any "unncccCSsary Offices here?
If so, name them. 1t also provides for Jus
ticcS OF the lci.rc. Probably these arc the
',lnnrcccSsary Offices But il is hardly worth
while TO go TO an expense OF forty or tity
thousands dollars to get rid OF Justices OF the
Peace, when the General Assembly manages
to get rid Of them tor nothing.
We have named uN The offices provided for
by the Constitution. viii the LntehiMachc"'
ruint out tlOS" iilHt are "nnn"crcSSary Aliu
will il 20 further and show wherein "thc pres
cnt Constitution gives lis Il cumbrouS ana eA-
pcusivc form Of government
s+n>--
Care for Dumb Animals.
rChyigtidJl St;ULL0rl