The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-12-17
THE NEW STATE CONSTITUTION.
A SUMMARY OF ITS PROVISIONS,

5ts. bttVutiOn. sly +
:, The new constitution of South Car
ina, as adopted by the recent conye
uon, Is quite q lengthy document, al
would occupy too much space in o.
coiumns. 80 that brief synopsis wi,
me more Important changes will pro,
JUST aS acceptable to q majority of q,
readors, who would scareelyundertal
10 read tho entire constitution. Th
synopsis has been carefully prepare
oy Inc 9orkville Enquirer, and Civ,
Ill the cha ges and notifications
our organic law:
/ Article Is devoted to a declaratio
OF rights. The provisions OF this art
cle are ABOUT the same as in the oil
constitution. Among other things.
guarantees equality before the law
Uniformity OF taxations the right q
Trial by jury, liberty of the press, fre
and Open elections, the privileges q
the writ of habeas corpus, and the pro
nlpltion of corporal punishment AMI
of fraud. '"''
Artlcle relates to the right OF suf
rage. Nobody Is to be allowed tt
vote except male citizens of the State
and United States who are 81 years ol
age and over. They must have resid.
sSe a@d tEo the coun
oho Joa,, anu n the poAlng precinct
paid, six months before an election.
any poll tax that may have been due
and payable. Ministers and teachers
In active service are entitled to vote
after six months residence, when
otherwise qualified. All voters must
be registered, and the principal other
requirements for tho securing OF q
registration certificate. is ability to
read the constitution of the State or
understand 1t when it Is read. This
continues OF force until January [,
1898. After that time those who are
ret. otherwise disq lalified will be re-
quirad to be able TO read and write, or
amount OF $30p. All persons convicted
OF any Of the following crimes are
disqualified from boing registered or
voting: Burglary, arson, obtaining
goods or money under false pretences,
perjury, forgery, robbery, bribery,
aaultery, oigamy, wifebeatlng, house
breaking, receiving stolen goods,
breach of t'u t with fraudulent intent,
fornication. sodomy, incest, assault
with intent TO ravish, miscegenat on.
larceny or crimes against the election.
Article relates 10 the legislative
department. This is to consist, az
hretofore, of house and senate. The
members OF tho house are to be elected
every second year and the members
OF Senate every fourth year. The
house is to consist of 124 members,
divided among the counties in prouor-
tton to population, and the Senate is to
consist ct one member from each coun-
ty. The time OF holding the sessions
of the General Assembly is fixed to
begin on the second Tuesday in January
OF each year. For the first four
sessions, there is no limit as to the
sittipgs. After that time the mem
bers Will not be entitled to compensa-
tton for more than 40 days. The
General Assembly is required to; enact
a homestead law that will secure to
heads of families exemption from
attachment, levy and sale, real pro-
perty to the value OF $1,000, and per-
sonal property to the amount Of $500.
heads of families are to be entitled to
exemptions To the amount of $500 in
necessary wearing apparel and tools of
trade, etc. The marriage of white
person to a person having more than
one-eighth Negro blood Is null and
void, and no unmarried female who
has not attained the age of Ia years,
shall legally assent to sexual inter-
course. The General Assembly is not
allowed to enact local or special laws
in any case where "a general law can
be made applicable. The General
Assembly Is required to limit the
number of acres of land that may be-
owned by an alien, or corporations CO.
trolled by aliens. ~
Article relates to the executive.
1t does not show any important
changes from the old article on the
subject The governors term of Office
is to be two years, and he is to be eli
gible to reelection. No person, how
ever, is eligible to the Office of COVER
nor who denies the existence of q
Supreme Being. The governor has
the right to grant reprieves, pardons
and combinations, and when he shall
deem 1t desirable, call extra sessions
in the names Or duties of the various
heads of departments provided for in
the old constitution.
Article 5 relates to the judicial de-
partment. The judicial power of the
State IL to be vested in o Supreme
Court, Circuit Courts of general ses-
sions and common pleas, and such
county, municipal and other courts as
tho Legislature may deem it desirable
to establish. No county court can be
established except on the consent OF
county; and no court inferior to that
of the general sessions shall ever be
vested with jurisdiction to try cases Of
murder, manslaughter, rape, arson,
burglary, bribery, or perjury.
The Supreme Court shall consist of
chief Justice and three associate JUS
tices, all of whom shall serve for terms
of eight years. The concurrence of
three justices shall be required to re-
verse the judgment of court below.
Where the justices are equally
divided, the opinion OF the court below
must stand. In special cases, all the
circuit judges may be called In to act
as associate justices. An exception
must be made in the case of the Judge
who originally tried the case under
consideration. II the full court is
made up OF an even number, one OF the
circuit judges, to be chosen by lot,
must retire.
The Circuit Court system remains
unchanged. 1t is required that the
court Of common pleas sit In each
county at least twice q year. The
judges OF Circuit Courts must file their
decisions within 60 days after the ris-
ing OF the respective courts, and the
supreme court justices must file their
decisions within 60 days after hearing
an argument.
The court OF probate is to remain aa
now established In the countv oi