Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-02
NO DIVORCE AT ALL.
This the Final Conclusion Of The South
Carolina Convention.
PROVISIONS As TO SUFFRAGE.
Payment OF Poll-Tax Requisite to
VOting; Reading and Three Hun
dred Dollars Worth of Property
to Repatriation.

session, and through to-days, the con-
yention concluded that there shall never
be a divorce granted In South Carolina
for any cause. Senator Tillman did MS
best to have the divorces OF other states
recognized In this State, but for once mis-
appeals were heard with deaf ear. The
Bible was quoted promscuously during
the debate. The parliamentary clincher
was put on after the matter was adopted.
There was also a big fight to-day 10
have the convention take a recess until
October 4th. This was killed. Then an ef-
fort was made to have recess or ten
days. That, too. failed.
At 2 o'clock the provisions relating to
the suffrage were reported. They read as
follows:
Section 4. The qualifications for Suffrage
shall be as follows: resident In the state
for two years, i'll the county for one year,
in the election district in which the cleo
tor offers to vote, four months; and the
payment of n pol-tax six months before
any election: provided, however, that
ministers of the Gospel In charge OF
any organized church shall be entitled
to vote after six months residence.
"B. A registration which shall provide
for the enrolment of every elector once
in ten years.
&C. The persons applying for registra-
ton must be able TO read and write any
section of this Constitution, and must
show that he owns or pays taxes on $500
worth of property in this State; provided.
that at the first registration under this
legislation, and up TO January |. 1898, all
male persons OF voting age who can read
q clause in this Constitution, or under
stand and explain IL when read to them
by the registration officer, shall be en-
titled to register and become electors.
"a separate record OF al iliterate per-
sons thus registered, sworn to by the
registration-ofiice shall be filed, one
copy with the clerk of the court and
one in the office of the Secretary of state,
on or before January /. 1898. and such per-
sons shall remain during life qualihed
electors. unless disqualified by the pro-
visions of section OF this article.
"The certificate OF the clerk OF the court
or OF the Secretary Of state shall be
sufficient evidence to establish the right
OF said class OF citizens to registration
and the franchise.
"D. Any person who shall apply for
registration after January !. 1898, IL
otherwise qualified may be registered.
provided he can both read and write any
section OF this Constitution, or can show
that he owns or has paid taxes on pro-
perty in this State assessed at $500 or
more.
PROOF OF TAX-PAYMENT.
"E Managers OF elections shall re-
uuire of every elector Offering 10 vote
at any election, before allowing him to
vote, proof of the payment OF all taxes,
including the pool-tax assessed against
him for the previous year.
"F. Registration certificates when lost
shall be renewed, II applicant is qualified
under the provisions of this Constitution,
or II he has been registered as provided
in subsection C.
Section s. Any person denied regis
tration shall have the right to appeal to
any and all courts OF this State to de-
termine the question, under the ilmita-
tlons imposed In this article: and the
General Assembly shall provide by law
for the correction OF Illegal or fraudulent
registration, and the punishment OF the
same.
Section 6. The following persons are
disqualified from being registered or
voting: First, persons convicted OF bur-
glary theft, arson. obtaining goods or
money under false pretences. perjury,
forgery. robbery. bribery, adultery. EN-
bezzlement. bigamy. or crimes against
the election laws; provided. that the par
don OF the Governor shall remove such
disquaifications Second, persons who
are idiots. insane, paupers. supported at
the public expense. and persons confined
In any public prison.
IS ctlon Z. For the purpose of voting
no person shall be deemed TO have gained
or lost a residence by reason of his pres
ence or absence while employed in the
service o. the United States, nor while
enga ged in the navigation of the waters
Of this State or Of the United States, or
the high seas.
Section g. The General Assembly shall
vrovade BY law for the registration of all
qualified electors. and shall prescribe the
manner Of holding elections; provided,
that each Of the two parties casting the
highest number of votes at the preceding
election shall have representation on the
Board Of Managers al each precinct, and
on the Board Of County Canvassers in
each county.
"Section g. The several counties in the
State shall be divided into election dis
tricts, with one precinct In each OF the
same at which alone the voter for that
precinct can cast his ballot: provided
that a voter may be transferred from one
election district to another.
PARTY PRIMARIES
Section TO- The General Assembly shall
provide by law for the holding OF party
primary elections, and Furnishing fraud IT
the same.
Section II. The reglstration-b books shall
close at least thirty days before an elec-
ton. after which transfers and reglstra-
ton shall not be legal, except as TO per-
~ N interim
Section T. Electors in municipal cleo
tions shall possess all the qualifications
herein prescribed.
'Section 13. At any special election in
incorporated cities and towns OF this state,
for the purpose Of bonding the same or
for raising revenue. all resident owners
of property In said cities and towns OF
the assessed value OF 500. who are quali-
fled electors under this Constitution, shall
alone be entitled 10 vote. At such election
the voter shall produce receipt for all
taxes. county. State. and municipal, for
the previous year, as evidence OF his right
to vote.
"Section IA. Electors shall In all cases.
except treason. felony. or breach Of
the peace. be privileged from arrest on
the days Of election, during their attend
ance al the polls, and going and returning
therefrom.
Section l5 No power. civil or military,
shall at any time interfere 10 prevent the
free exercise OF the right of suffrage"
DIsPENsARY PROVISION.
To-night In the convention the dispen-
sary problem was taken up on a motion
to indefinitely postpone the Clayton sub
stitute, which provided for the absolute
incorporation OF :he system into the Con-
sttution.
A battle-royal resulted. the advocates
of the perpetuation Of the system almost
overriding the counsel earnestly given
~, o.,ator ytlIp,an "a IN the effect NJ a