The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-10-23
THE CONVENTION.

THE CONVENTION.
Working to Protect the
Home and the Sheepfold.
The following summary Of Thurs
day and Fridays work of the Con-
vention is taken from the special tele-
graphic reports of the Neaos and
Courier
THURSDAY.
The Convention spent practically
the entire day in discussing the
homestead law. The question is
still unsettled, and the promise of de-
bate on this important matter is un.
limited The fight of the day was
on this clause of the proposed Sec
ton: "But after a homestead has
been claimed, set aside and recorded
it shall not be mortgaged, sold OR
conveyed except by order of Court
Of record, and the proceeds shall be
invested in another homestead. y
Senator TillSsan fought hard for an
iron.clad homestead, with no way of
mortgaging when a party was in
debt without first setting aside a
homestead. Mr.. Howell moved to
strike out the quoted provision, and
he and his allies carried the day by
vote of 80 to Al. At the night ses
sion amendments proposed by Judge
Fraser and Mr.. Ragsdale, further ex-
planning the homestead law and
making it more forcible, were adopt.
ed. The all-absorbing homestead az
it now stands, and as it seems would
be adopted, is as follows:
Section 20. The General Assembly
shall enact such laws as will exempt
from attachment and sale under any
mesne or final process issued from
any Court. to the head of any family
residing in this State homestead in
lands, whether held in fee or any
lesser estate, not to exceed in value
ore thousand dollars, with the yearly
products thereof; and every head Of
family residing in this State,
whether having homestead exemp.
tion in lands or not, personal property
not to exceed in value the sum OF
five hundred dollars. The title to the
homestead to be set off and assigned
shall be held absolutely and be for
ever discharged from all debts of said
debtor, then existing or thereafter
contracted, as hereinafter provided
Provided, that in case any woman
having a separate estate shall be
1maried to the head of family who
has not of his own sufficient property
to constitute homestead, as herein
before provided, said married woman
shall be entitled to ike exemption
as provided for the head of family
Provided, further, there shall net be
an allowance of more than one thou
sand dollars worth OF real estate and
more than FIVE hundred dollars worth
of personal property to the husband
and wife jointly: Provided, that no
property shall be exempted from
attachment, levy or sale for taxes, or
for payment Of obligations contracted
1fothe pur chase of said homestead or
the erection of Improvements there
on: Provided, further, that the yearly
products of said homestead shall not
be exempt from attachment, levy or
sale for the payment of obligations
contracted in the production Of the
same: Provided, further, that no
waiver shall defeat the right Of home
stead, except it be by deed or mort
gage and against the mortgage debt,
and no judgement creditor or other
creditor, whose lien does not bind
the homestead, shall have any right
or equity to require lien which en-
braces the homestead and other prop.
erty to first exhaust the homestead -
FRIDAY.
The Convention did another day Is
hard work. With the exception OF
six paragraphs the article on finance
and taxation was adopted. Prelimi-
nary to undertaking the report of the
committee on finance and taxation
the report on penal and charitable in
stitutions was considered and ordered
engrossed, with the exception of the
clause providing for board of chari-
ties and corrections, which was eli
minated. as the Convention did not
seem disposed to create the new Off
ces.
Provision was made that the Gen.
eral Assembly might provide for a
graduated tax on incomes. The
greater part of the morning was con-