The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-11
Sec. %. The privileges of the writ

ed unless when, in case of insurrection
rebellion or invasion, the public safe
ty may require it.
Sec. "a. No person shall be impris-
oned for debt except in cases of fraud.
Sec. 25. The right of trial by jury
shall be preserved inviolate.
Sec. 26. A we'll regulated militia be.
ing necessary to the security of free
State, the right of tho people to keep
and bear arms shall not be infringed.
As in times of peace armies are dan
gerous to liberty, they shall not be
maintained without the consent of the
general assembly. The military pow
er of the State shall always be held in
subordlnation to the civil authority
and be governed by it. No soldier
shall in time of peace be quartered in
any house without the consent of the
owner, nor in time of war but in the
manner to be prescribed by law.
Sec. 81. No person shall in any case
be subject to martial law or to any
pains or penalties by virtue of that
law, except those employed in the ar
my and navy of the United States, and
except the militia in actual service, but
by the authority of the general assem-
bly,.
Sec. %. All navigable waters shall
forever remain public highways, free
to the citizens of the State and the
United States without tax, impost or
toll imposed; and no tax, toll, impost
or wharfage shall be imposed, de-
mandei or received from the owners
of any merchandise or commodity for
the use of the shores or any wharf
erected on the shores or in or over the
waters Of any navigable stream unless
the same be authorized by the general
assembly.
Sec. 20. The provisions of the Con.
stitution shall be taken, deemed and
construed to be mandatory and pro-
hibitory, and not merely directory,
except where expressly made directo-
ry or psrmissory by its own terms.
ARTICLE II.
RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE.
Sec. 1. All elections by the people
shall b. by ballot and elections shall
never De held Or the ballots counted
in secret.
Sec. 2. Every qualified elector shall
be eligible to any office to be voted
for, unless disqualified by age as pre-
seribed in this Constitution. But no
person shall hold two Offices of honor
or profit at the same time, except that
any person holding another Office may
At the same time be an officer in the
militia and a notary public.
Sec. 3. Every male citizen of this
State and of the United States 81 years
of age and upwards, not laboring un-
der the disabilities named in this Con-
stitutioa and possessing the quali6ca-
tions required by it shall be an elec-
tor.
Sec. 4. The qualifications for suff-
rage shall be as follows:
(a) Residence in the State for two
years, in the country one year, in the
polling precinct in which the elector
offers to vote four months, and the
payment six months before any elec-
ton of any poll tax then due and pay
able; provided, however, that minis
ters in charge of an organized church
and teachers of public schools shall
be entitled to vote after six months
residence in the State, if otherwise
qualified.
(b) Registration, which shall pro-
viGIe for the enrolment of every elec-
tor once in ten years and also an en-
rollment during each and every year
of every elector not previously regis
tered under the provisions of this
article.
(c) Up to January 1, 1898. all male
persons of voting age applying for
registration who can read any section
in this Constitution submitted to them
by the registration officer, or under
stand and explain it when read to
them by the registration officer shall
be entitled to register and become
electors. A separate record of all per-
sons registered before January 1, 1898,
sworn to by the registration officer
shall be filed, one copy with the clerk
of court and another in the office of
the secretary of state, on or before
February l, 1898, and such persons
shall remain during life qualified elec-
tors unless disqualified by the other
provisions of this article. The certifi-
cate of the clerk of court or secretary
of state shall be sufficient evidence to
establish the right of said citizens to
any subsequent registration and the
franchise under the limitations herein
imposed.
(0 Any person who shall apply for
after January 1st, 1898, if
otherwise qualified, shall be registered;
provided, that he can both read and
write any section of this Constitution
submitted to him by the registration
officer, or can show that he owns and
has paid all taxes collectible during
the previous year on property in this
State assessed at $500 or more.
(e) Managers of elections shall re-
quire of every elector offering to vote
at any election, before allowing him
to vote, proof of the payment of all
taxes, including poll tax. assessed
against him and collectible during the
previous year. The production of a
certificate or of the receipt of the Off
Ger authorized to collect such taxes
shall be conclusive proof of the pay
ment thereof.
(D The general assembly shall pro-
vide for issuing to each duly register
ed elector certificate of registration
and shall provide for the renewal of
such certificate when lost, mutilated