St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1890-10-04
Franchise Report Adopted.
IN THE MISSISSIPPI CONVENTION.

| IN THE MISSISSIPPI CONVENTION.
Section |. All elections by the peopl;
shall be by ballot.
Sac. 2 Every male inhabtant of thi.
State except idiots, insane persons anG
Indians not taxed, who is a citizen of the
United States, 81 years old and upwards
who has resided in the State two years anc
one year in the election district in which
he offers to vote, and who is duly regis
tered as provided in section 3 of this arti-
cie and who has never been convicted OF
bribery, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining
money or goods under false pretenses, per-
! jury, forgery, embezzlement, bigamy OF
wife beating. and who has paid on or be-
fore the first day OF February of the year
in which he shall offer to vote. all taxes
which may have been legally required of
him and which he has had an opportunity
of paying, according to law, for the pre-
| teeding year, and who is nos delinquent
for any taxes of the year next proceeding,
and who has produced to the officers hold
| ing the election satisfactory evidence that
he has paid said taxes, is declared to be a
| qualified .elector; provided, any ministe r
| of the gospel in charge of an organized
church shall be entitled to vote after six
months residence in the election district, if
otherwise qualified.
Sec. 3. TIE Legislature shall provide by
law for the registration of all persons ell
titled to vote at any election and persons
offering to register shall take the following
oath or affirmation l do solemiy swear
Tor atfirm) that am 81 years OLD and that
l will have resided in this State two years,
and--days in the election district, ana
one year next proceeding the ensuing
election, or ii u minister OF the gospel two
years residence in the State and six
months in said election district, and ALL
now in good faith a resident in the same
and that l am not disqualified from voting
by reason of having been convicted of any
crimes named in the constitution of this
State as disqualification, and will truly
answer all questions propoUnded to me
concerning my antecedentS so far as they
relate to my tight to VOTE and also TO III,
residence before my citizenship in this dis
trict that [ will faithfully support the
constitution of the United States and state
of Mississippi, and will bear true faith aud
allegiance to the same. So help Inc God
ANY willfal and corrupt statement In said
affidavit to any material Questions pro-
pounded as herein authorized shall be per-
jury.
Sec. 4. A uniform poll tax of $2is here
by imposed on every male inhabitaut of
this State between the ages OF 81 and Gu
years, except persons who are deaf anu
dumb or blind, or who are MANNED by loss
of hand or foot, TO be used in alb OF com.
mon schools and for no other purposes |
Said tax to be lien only upon taxable |
property. Provided, however, that The |
Board of Supervisors of any county may, |
for tue purpose of aiding the common
schools III that county, increase the poll |
tax In said county, but in no case shall the
entire poll tax exceed in any one year So
on each head. The payment of the whole
poll tax imposed is declared to be quail
ication to vote, Provided further, that no
criminal proceedings shall be allowed TO
enforce the collection of the poll tax
Sec. 8. On and after the lst day of Jan
aary, A. D 1896, the following quailfca-
liz MS are added to the foregoing: Every
qualified elector shall be able to read any
section OF the constitution OF the Safe, or
ne shall be able 10 understand the same
when read to him or give reasonable in
thereof. A new registration
hall be made before the nexs ensuing
election after these qualifications are es-
Sec. 6. Electors in municipal elections
hall possess all the qualifications herein
and such additional qualifca-
ions as may be PRESCRIBED by law.
Sec. Z Prior to the LIST day of January,
|. D. 1896, tbs elections by the people IN
his State shall be regulated by an ordi-
ance of this convention.