The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-18

lynching takes place shall, without
regard to the conduct of the officers,
be liable in exemplary damages of not
less than $4,000 to the legal representa-
tives of the person lynched: Provid
ed, further, That any county
against which a judgment has
been obtained for damages in
any case of lynching shall.
have the right to recover the amount
of said judgment from the parties en-
gagged in said lynching in any cour1
Of competent jurisdiction.
ARTICLE VII.
COUNTIES AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT,
Section 1. The general assembly
may establish new counties in the fol
lowing manner: Whenever one-third
of the qualified electors within the
area of each section of an old county
proposed to be cut off to a new county
shall petition the governor for the
creation of a new county, setting forth
the boundaries and showing compli
ance with the requirements of this ar
ticle, the governor shall order an elec'
ton, withing reasonable time there;
after, by the qualified electors within
the proposed area. in which election
they shall vote ''Yes" or ''No" upon
the question of creating. said new coun'
ty; and at the same election the ques
tion of name and county seat for
such county shall be submitted to the
electors.
Sec. 2. If two-thirds of the qualified
electors voting at such election shall
vote Eyes" upon such questions, then
the general assembly at the next see,
sion shall establish such new county!
Provided, No section of the county
proposed to be dismembered shall be
thus cut off without consent by 8
two-thirds vote of those voting in such
section and no county shall be formed
without complying with all the condi'
tions imposed in this article. An cleo
ton upon the question OF forming the
same proposed new county shall not
be held oftener than once in four
years. g..
Sec. 8. No new county hereafter
formed shall contain less than one one
hundred and twenty-fourth part of
the whole number of inhabitants OF
the State nor shall it have less assessed
taxable property than 81, 500, 900 as
shown by the last tax returns, nol
shall it contain less area than 400
square miles.
Sec. 4. No old county shall be re.
duced to less area than 500 square
miles, to less assessed taxable property
than $2,0O0,000, nor to a smaller
population than Is, 900 inhabitants.
Sec. 5. In the formation of new
counties no old county shall be cut
within eight miles Of its courthouse
building. 4 't @ :.
Sec. 6. All new counties hereafter
formed shall bear a just apportion-
ment of the valid iudebtness of the
old county or counties from which
they have been formed. IS
Sec. 7. The general assembly shall
have the power to alter county lines
at any time. Provided, That before
any existing county line is altered the
question shall be first submitted to the
qualified electors of the territory pro-
posed to be taken from one county
and given to another, and shall have
received two-thirds of the votes cast !:
Provided, further, That the change
shall not reduce the county from
which the territory is taken below the
limits prescribed in sections 8, and
5 of this article: Provided, That the
proper proportion of the existing
county indebtedness of the section so
transferred shall be assumed by the
county to which the territory is trans
ferred. .s'.U
Sec. g.. No county seat shall be re-
moved except by vote of two-thirds
of the qualified electors of said county
voting in an election held for that
purpose, but such election shall not be
held in any county oftener than once
in five years.
+, Sec. 8. Each county shall constitute
one election district, and shall be a
body polite and corporate. ..
Sec. 10. The general assembly may
provide for the consolidation of two or
more existing counties if a majority
of the qualified electors of such coun-
ties voting at an election held for that
purpose shall vote separately therefor,
but such election shall not be held Of
tener than once in four years in the
same counties.
Sec. IL. Each of the several town
ships of this State, with names and
boundaries as now established by law,
shall constitute a body polite and cor
porete, but this shall not prevent the
general assembly from organizing
other townships or changing the boun-
daries of those already Established j;
and the general assembly may pro-
vide such system of township govern
ment as it shall think proper in any
and all the counties, and may make
special provision for municipal gov
ernment and for the protection of
chartered rights and powers of muni-
cipalities.
Sec. 12. Until changed by the gen.
eral assembly, as allowed by this Con-
stitution the boundaries of the several
counties shall remain as now estab-
lished, except that the boundaries of
the county of Edgefeld shall undergo
such changes as are made necessary
by the formation of a new county
from a portion of Edgefeld, to be
known as Saluda, the boundaries of
which are set forth in Constitutional
ordinance. The election ordered in
cold ondinnnoa fo,a tho loaofso.a of Il e,