The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-12-10
THE OLD AND THE
uEW COMPARED.
CHANGES MADE IN THE NEW
CONSTITUTION.
= = Review 0faii the Important Changes
- In Each Article aud the New
Points by til: Chairman
Of the Committee in
Charge.

Uf tn" committee Ill
Charge.
Tie following are condensed state
,ucuts Of the changes made il the Con-
st!tution Of the State by the present
Convention have been furnished by re-
guest to the Charleston News and Cou-
ricr. They are Of the highest author
itv and of special interest.
SUFFRAGE.
The essential difference between the
limitations Oh the suffrage now and
under the old Constitution IS this:
Under the Constitution Of 1858 every
male person y years OF age, not labor
iusupder certain disabilities for crime,
WIS u voter; under the registration
law he had to have registration GER
iifcute, which Ind 10 be changed
every time he changed his residence,
even in The same township, and the
renewal 81 certificates WAS hcdged
about with many restrictions. Under
the new Constitution tie voter must
either bc able TO read and write or IN
dcrStaud and explain any section o.
the Constitution submitted to Kim by
The registration officer before he Is eli
giblc to registration. This elastic
provision only lasts to the lst OF Jan"
uury, 1883, and under it only one cleo
ton will be held, after which the aD-
plicunt for registration, and therefore
the voter. must be able to read and
write, OF have $500 worth Of proper
tE.
Tue provisions in regard to registra-
ton are not at all difficult or onerous,
and every safeguard that exists in al
most any Constitution Of any other
State is thrown around the purity Of
the ballot and honesty Of the count.
The Constitution Of 1868 based clti-
zenship upon manhood, the present
Constitution bases it on inte]lSssS~ce
and is q virtual enactmegsssS ~ corrv ont
i eisbt-box law, x5;c5 Of itself was
- sucSSlona So!M 2 ratification.
;gc provision which allows
reg. .ssYon fortwo years to the lllt-
crate who. eau understand and explain
any section of the Constitution Was
made necessary by the existence among
Us Of a large number Of worthy white
snd black citizens Who a:a-"FErthy OF
Z,
gencG, &i1d property who otherwise
would have been disfranchissd.
Z. Il. TilIman, Chairman.
LEGISLATIVE ARTICLE.
In framing the article of the constl-
tuition know1 as the Legislative De-
partmc1t the convention has kept close
20 that article in the constitution Of
1858. making such changes as were
considered important and adding such
sections as were thought TO be ncces-
sarv.
The number of sections i'll the old
constitution WAS thirty-thrce. The
new has thirtv-scycn. The four ald-
tional sections are as follows:
Ist. Making it unlawful for white
persons and negroes or mulattocs to
,narry where there is one-eighth or
more Of negro blood.
I'd. Making it the duty OF the Gen
,craf' Asscmblv y to enact laws limiting
The number.of acres Of land which any
alien or any corporation composed of
aiiens may own within the State.
Sd. Fofhiddiug tue General Assem-
iAy to authorize the payment TO any
person the salary Of y deceased officer
. beyond the date OF his death nor to
grant pensions except for military and
naval service, nor to retire any officer
on pay or part pay.
4th. Not to allow the General As
sembly to enact local orspecial laws on
certain subjects and for certain pur-
poses.
Ten Of these are enumerated and the
eleventh subdivision covers all other
cases where 3 general law can he made
spplicable..
Under the old constitution each bill
before it had the force of law had to
be read three times in each house and
sigred in the senate house by the Presi-
dent Of the Senate and the Speaker Of
the House OF Representatives. This
is simpliied in the new constitution by
emitting ':in the Senate house and by
allowing each branch o. Tie General
Assembly 10 make rules t. have both
the first and tbird reading OF bills read
!'v their title only.
Time IS money, especially IN legls-
iating for the State, end the time saved
by the foregoing provisions will result
IN the saving OF thousands of dollars.
The old constitution did not allow
anv one 10 hold seat IL the General
Assembly while holding any other
ofice OF profit OF trust. except officers
in the militia, magistrates or justices
q inferior courts. VINO received no
salary.
The new constitution IL dealing with
,l.r abcve provision adds to Inc words
profit and trust the word ''positlon
and excerpts only officers in the militia
aud notaries public.
Perhaps tie mos: important changes
are made II the section granting the
Homestead exemption
a., One Of these makes the title to the
homestead to be set Of AID assigned
absolute and forever discharges from
i aiI debts then existing, or thereafter
contracted. This, Of course, does not
apply 70 mortgage debts.
Another of these amendments pre-
Ve1tS Judgment creditor, or any
other creditor whose len does not bind
.ae homestead. from having any rights
cr conitv - force the mortgage credit
,;r - forec:osc his mortgage. and after
tie mortgage Is satisfied. 70 settle his
c!ailn, before the hoMesT":'" f''ll t." -e'