The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-21

tuition of the United States. In consid-
ering an amendment to the Constitution
of North Carolina, our lawmakers ought
to keep in mind that the Mississippi Con
stitution is the only one which has been
before the Supreme Court ana seen de-
clared not in conflict with the fourteenth
or fifteenth amendments.
The following is the suffrage article
in the Mississippi Constitution:
Section 240. All elections by the peo-
pie shall be by ballot.
Section 241.. Every male inhabitant
of this State. except idiots. insane per-
sons and Indians not taxed, who is Il
citizen of the United States, twenty-onc
years old and upwards, who has re-
sided i'll this State two years, and one
year in the election district, or in the
incorporated city or town, in which he
offers to vote, and who is duly regis
tered as provided in this article, end
who has never been convicted Of bril-
berry, burglary, theft, arson, obtaining
money or goods under false pretenseS,
perjury, forgery, embezzement or
bigamy, and who has paid, on or be
fore the first day of February of the
year in. which he shall offer TO vote,
all taxes which may have been legally,
required of him, and which he has
had an opportunity of paying according
to law. for the two preceding years,
and who shall produce to the officers
holding the election satisfactory evil
dence that he has paid said taxes, is
declared to be qualified electOr; but
any minister of the gospel in charge OF
an organized church. shall be entitled
to vote after six months residence in
the election district, if otherwise quail
fed.
Section 242. The Legislature shall
provide by law for the registration of
all persons entitle to vote at any cleo
ton, and all persons Offering to register
shall take the following oath or affirma-
ton: II, -, do solemnly swear
Tor affirm that / am twenty-one years
DID, Tor | win be before the next cleo
ton in this county,, and that will have
resided in this State two years, and
---- election district of -
county one year next preceding the en-
suing election or Gf it be stated in the
oath that the person proposing to reg
lister is a minister Of the gospel in charge
of an organized church, then it will be
sufficient to aver therein, two years
residence in the State and six months in
said election district, and am now in
good faith a resident of the same, and
that / am not disqualified from voting
by reason of having been convicted of
any crime named in the Constitution of
this State as a disqualification to be
an elector; that l will truly answer all
questions propounded to me concerning
my antecedants so far as they relate
to my right to vote, and also as to my
residence before my citizenship i'll this
district: that / will faithfully sup
port the Constitution of the
United States and of the State
of Mississippi, and will bear
true faith and allegiance to the same.
SO help me God" In registering voters
in cities and towns, not wholly in one
election district. the names of such city
or town may be substituted in the oath
for the election district Any wilful and
corrupt false statement in said affidavit,
or in answer to any material questions
propounded as herein authorized, shall
be perjury. s
Section 243. 4 uniform poll tax of
two dollars to be used in aid Of the
common schools and for no other prr-
pose, is hereby imposed on every male
inhabitant of this State between the
ages of twenty-one and sixty years, eX-
cept persons who are deaf and dumb or
blind. or who are MANNED by loss of
hand or foot: said tax to~be lein only
upon taxable property. The Board of
Supervisors of any county may, for the
purpose of aiding the common schools in
that county, increase the poll tax in said
county, but in no case shall the entire
poll tax in any one year exceed three dol
lars on each poll. No criminal proceedings
shall be allowed TO enforce the collec-
ton of the poll tax.
Section Dill On an after the first day
of January A. D., 1892, every elector
shall, in addition to the foregoing quail
fication, be able to read any section of
the Constitution of this State; or he shall
be able to understand the same when
read to him. or give reasonable in
depreciation Thereof. A new registration
shall be made before the next ensuing
election after January, the first, A. D.,
1892.
Section 245. Electors in municipal
elections shall possess all the qualifica-
tons prescribed. and such additional
qualifications as may be provided by
law.
Section 246. Prior to the first day of
January, A. D.. 1896, the elections by
the people in this State shall be regu-
lated by an ordinance Of this conyen-
ton.
Section 247. The Legislature shall en-
act laws to secure fairness III party
primary elections. conventions or other
methods of naming party candidates.
Section 24S. Suitable remedies by APP
peal or otherwise shall be provided by
law, to correct illegal or improper re-
gistration and to secure the elective
franchise to those who may be Illegally
or improperly denied the same.
Section 24S. No one shall be allowed
to vote for members of the Legislature
or other officers who has not been duly
registered under the Constitution and
laws Of this State, by an officer of this
State, legally authorized to register the
voters thereof. And registration under
the Constitution and laws of this State
by the proper officers of this State is
hereby declared to be an essential and
necessary qualification to vote at any
and all elections.
Section $50. All qualified electors and
no others shall be eligible to office ex-