The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-10-23

troll of officers employed by the State
and in case any convicts are hired OF
farmed out, as may be provided by
law. their maintenance and discipline
shall be under the direction of officers
detailed for those duties by the au
thorities of the penitentiary.
This was adopted.
Mr.. Gooding offered as an amend
ment to Section so that the section
would read:
Section 9. The governor shall have
power to fill all vacancies that may
occur in the Offices aforesaid, except
where otherwise provided for, with
the power of removal until the next
session of the general assembly, and
until q successor or successors shall be
appointed and confirmed.
This amendment was adopted.
The whole article was then sent to
its third reading.
Mr.. OTIS moved to make the reports
of the committee on counties and
county government the special order
for Saturday.
Mr.. Patterson moved to amend by
making it Monday next. AS SC
amended the motion prevailed.
THE BILL OF RIGHTS.
The report of the committee on de-
claration of rights was taken up.
Mr.. Ragsdale of Fairfield moved to
amend section 1 by making it read
that they shall have the right to
change the form of government in
such manner as is prescribed by law,
and not "as they may deem expedi
ent."
Mr.. Ragsdale called attention to
where an attempt was made TO change
the form of government by resolution,
He did not think the rights of the
people should be abridged. but he
thought they should be required to
proceed according to the forms oi
law.
The amendment was adopted.
The section as adopted reads as fol
lows:
Section 1. All political powers are
vested in and derived from the people
only. Therefore they have the right
at all times to modify their form oi
government in such manner as is pre-.
scribed BY law when the public good
demands.
Section Q. All powers not herein
delegated are reserved to the people,
nor shall the enumeration of certain
rights herein be construed to deny OF
disparage others retained by the peo
pie.
The following sections were adopted
without debate:
Sec. 3. Representation in the house
of representatives shall be apportioned
according to population.
Sec. 4. The general assembly ought
frequently to assemble for the redress
of grievances and for making new
laws as the common good may re.
quire.
Sec. 5. The general assembly shall
make no law respecting an establish
ment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise thereof, or abridging the
freedom of speech sor of the press, or
the right of the people peaceably to as
semble and to petition the govern,
ment, or any department thereof for
for a redress of grievances.
Sec. 6. The privileges and immuni'
ties of citizens of this State and of the
United States, under this 9 Constitution,
shall not be abridged, nor shall any
person be deprived of life, liberty or
property without due process of law,
nor shall any person be denied the
equal protection of the laws.
Sec. z. All property subject to taxa
ton shall be taxed in proportion to its
value.
Sec. 8. No tax, subsidy, charge, i'm
post tax or duties shall be established,
fixed, laid or levied, under any pre-
text whatsoever, without the consent
of the people or their representatives
lawfully assembled.
Sec. 8. No bill of attainder, ex post
facto law, law impairing the obliga-
ton of contract, nor law granting
any title of nobility or hereditary
emolument shall be passed, and no
conviction shall work corruption OF
blood or forfeiture of estate.
THE RACE MATTER AGAIN.
Mr.. Bellinger moved to strike out
section 10, which read as follows:
Section 10. The right of citizens OF
this State to vote shall not be denied
or abridged on account of race, color
or previous condition of servitude.
The convention agreed to the propo'
sition to sike out.
Mr.. Ragsdale moved to reconsider.
This matter would cast shadow over
the work of the convention. There
could be no trouble about leaving it in
there. He thought the convention
was acting most unwisely in this mat
ter.
Mr.. Haysworth took the same posi-
ton.
Mr.. Bellinger said that there was
no reason in putting two sections from
the Nnited States Constitution in here
It was a place of political hypocrisy to
put there, for it announced doctrine
they didn't favor.
The motion to reconsider was then
lost.
Section II was then adopted, this:
Section II. The right of suffrage as
regulated in this Constitution shall be
protected by the laws regulating cleo
tions and prohibiting under adequate
penalties all undue influences from
power, bribery, tumult or improper
conduct.
FIRST ELECTION DISCUSSION.
Section IL, which was as follows,
was called up and it turned loose a
a flood of the first election laws talk:
Section IL. All elections shall be