The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1890-11-07
THE NEW CONSTITUTION.

Stale aiter n session 0llne COnVen-
ton which formed II, of seventy.
two days has been adopted and
published TO The world as the or
ganic law, 10 take effect and be in
force from the first day Of Novem-
Der, 1890.
Below we print the most impor-
tant article of the Constitution,
and will from time to time publish
other sections of it Tor the benefit
o. our many readers:
ARTICLE ~.
FRANCHIsE.-Sec. $40. All cleo
tons by the people shall be by bal
lot.
SEC. 241 Every male inhabitant
Of this State, except idiots, insane
persons and Indians moi taxed,
who is a citizen Of the United
States, tweniy.One years old and
upward, who has resided in this
State two years, and one year in
the election district, or in The inc0r-
pOrated city or town, in which he
offers to vote, and who is duly reg
iStered as provided in this article,
and who has never been convicted
of bribery, burglary, theft, arson,
obtaining money or goods under
false pretenSeS, perjury, forgery,
embeZZle ment or bigamy, and who
has paid, on or before the first day
of February of the year in which
he shall offer TO vote, all taxes
which may have been lngally re-
quired of him, and which he has
had an opportunity Of paying accor-
ding 10 law, for the two preceding
years, and who shall produce to the
officers holding the election salts
factory evidence ihat he has paid
said taxes, is declared to be a quail
fled eleclor; but any minister of
the Gospel in charge of an organ
lied church shall be entitled To
vote after six months, residence in
The election district, if otherwise
qualified,
SEC. 242. The Legislature shall
provide by law fOrthe registration
of all persons entitled to vote at
any election, and persons Offering
to register shall take lie following
oath or affirmation "I,-,do
solemnly swear (or affirm that |
am twenty one years old Tor will
be before the next election in this
countv), and that | have resided in
this State Two years, and-
election district Oi--county one
year next preceding the ensuing
election Tor il il be stated in The
oath that the person proposing 10
register is Il minister of the Gospel
in charge of an organized church,
then it will be sufficient TO aver
!h2rein two wears, residence In The
State and six months in said cleo.
ton district }, and am now in good
faith a resident of the same, and
that l am not disqualified from
voting by reason of having been
convicted of any crime named in
the Constitution of this Slate as a
disqualification to be an elector ;
that | will truly answer all Qdes-
lions propounled TO me concern
ing my anteCedents so Tar as they
relate 10 my right to vote, and al
50 to my residence before my citi.
zenship in this district ; that | will
faithfully support the C0nsfitn-
lion 0fthe United States and Of the
State of Mississippi, and will bear
true faith and allegiance Ia The
same, so help ~ God" In regis.
lering voters in cities and towns,
not wholly in one election district,
the name of such city or town may
be substituted IN the oath Tor The
election district. Any williul and
corrupt false statement in said al
fdavIt, or IN answer tO any ma;er-
ial question propounded as herein
authorized, shall be perjury.
SEC. 243. A uniform poll tax oil
50, to be used IN aid ofthe common
schools and for no other purpose,
is hereby imposed on every male
inhabitant of this State between
the age of twenty one and sixty
wears, except persons who are deal
and dumb or blind, or who are
manned by loss ofhand or foot (:
| said tax 10 be a lien only upon TAX
able property. The Board OF Sup
ervisors of any county may, for The
purpose OF aiding the common
schools in that county, increase the
poll tax In said county, but i'll no
case shall the entire poll tax
exceed in any one year So on each
poll. No criminal proceedings
shall be allowed TO enforce the col
lection of tn poll tax.
SEC. 244 On and after the first
day of January, a. d., 1892, every
elector shall, in addition TO the
foregoing qualification, be able to
read any section of The COnslilu.
ton of this Stale +; or he shall be
able to understand The same when
read to him, or give a reasonable
Interpretation thereof. A new reg
~islrltion shall be made before the
next ensuing election after Jan. /,
A. d., 1892.
SEC. 245. Electors in municipal
elections shall posses all the quail
ifications herein prescribed, and
such additional qualifications as
NAV be provided by law.
SEC. 246. Prior 10 the first day Of
January A d, 1895, the elections