Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-04-08
ayiseellameu,ls geadimg.
The LAW OF THE PARTY.
Full Text of the State Democratic Co
stitution.

| stitution.
The time is close at hand when the
constitution of the Democratic party
is likely to cut an important figure
in the politics of this State. Almost
every Democrat is more or less inter-
ested in the provisions of this paper,
and we herewith give the full text,
with the advice that after careful
perusal, the paper be laid away for
future reference:
Article 1. There shall be one or
more Democratic clubs organized in
each township or ward, each of which
clubs shall have distinct title, "The
- Democratic club" and shall elect
a president, one or more vice presi-
dents, recording and corresponding
secretary and a treasurer, and shall
have the following working commit
tees, of not less than three members
each, viz: A committee on registra-
ton, an executive committee, and such
other committees as to each club may
seem expedient.
Art. 2. The meetings of the club
should be frequent after the opening
of the canvass, and some member OF
the club or invited speaker deliver an
address at each meeting, if practicable.
The clubs shall meet on the first Mon
day in MAY and the third Wednesday
in May, respectively. Each county
shall be entitled to double the repre-
sentatives as it has in the general
assembly in State nominations.
Art. 8. The president or five mem
bers shall have power to call an extra
meeting of the club, and one-fourth OF
the members shall constitute quorum
for the transaction of business.
Art. 4. The clubs in each county
shall be held together and operate
under the control of county execu-
tive committee, which shall consist of
one member from each club, to be
elected by the respective clubs. The
executive committee, when elected, /,
shall appoint its own officers, who
shall not necessarily be members OF
said committee, and fill all vacancies
which may arise when the convention
is not in session; provided that any
officer so elected who is not a member
of the committee shall not be entitled
to vote on any question, except the
chairman, and then only in case of a
tie vote. The tenure of Office of the
Executive committee shall be until the
first Monday in May of each election
year, at which time the county con-
ventions shall be called together to
reorganize the party. Every presiden-
tial election year county conventions
shall be called by the county execu-
Tive committee on the first Monday in
May, and shall elect delegates to a
State convention called for the purpose
of electing delegates to the national
Democratic convention, and to elect
the member Of the national Democrat
lie executive committee from this State.
The State convention shall be called
by the State executive committee to
meet every presidential election year
on the third Wednesday in May, and
every State election year county and
State conventions shall meet on the
first Monday in May and the second
Monday in May respectively.
Art. 5. County Democratic conven-
tions shall be composed of delegates
elected by the several local clubs, one
delegate for every 25 voters, as shown
by the club list made at the proceeding
first primary election, and one delegate
for a majority fraction thereof, with
the right to each county convention to
enlarge or diminish the representation
according to the circumstances. The
county convention shall be called TO-
gether by the chairman of the respec'
tive executive committees under such
rule, not inconsistent with the consti:
tuition nor with the rules adopted by
the State Democratic executive COM
mittee, as each county may adopt,
and when assembled shall be called to
order by the chairman of the executive
committee, and the convention shall
proceed to nominate and elect from
among its members president, one or
more vice presidents, secretary and
a treasurer. Any county may permit
the formation of a new club or clubs
by a majority of its members. In all
cities with population of 5000 and
over there may be two clubs in each
ward; they shall be organized IN
obedience to this constitution, as are
the clubs elsewhere in this State, and
in organizing said clubs they shall
have representation in the county
conventions respectively, as said con-
ventions shall declare in accordance
with the provisions of this constitu-
ton.
Art. 6. For the purpose of nomi-
mating candidates for governor, lieu
tenant governor and all other State
officers, including solicitors in their
respective circuits, and congressman in
their respective districts, and presi-
dental electors, and United States
senator's by the popular vote, and all
county officers, except trial justices
and masters and supervisors of regis
tration, direct primary election shall
be held on the last Tuesday in August
of each election year, and a second
and third primary each two weeks
successfully thereafter. At this elec-
ton only Democratic white voters
who have been residents of the State
12 months and the county 60 days
preceding the next general election,
and such Negroes as voted the Demo
cratic ticket in 1876, and as have
voted the Democratic ticket continu-
ously since, to be shown by the certif-
cate of 10 white Democratic voters