The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-03
IT COMES UP TONIGHT
NO IMPORTANT CHANGES IN
FIRST -FOUR SECTIONS.
FIFTH CONTAINS LOUISIANA PROVISION
Mr.. Gillian Cffrred Resolution thai ihe
General ass. mbly Adjourn on Feb
ruary Is h and il was
Adopted,

The Democratic caucus last night
adopted the first four sections of the
Constitutional amendment with some
slight changes in the second and fourth.
From s o'clock to 1890 o'clock the
members of the caucus discussed the
amendment. taking it up section by Sec
ton. There were differences of opinion
of course-sonle of them rather wide
but there was no i'll feeling and no dis
sension, and when a point was decided
it meant that it will receive the united
support of the Democratic members
when it comes before the General AS
sembly.
The chief points of difference were as
TO the length of residence that should
be required before registration, some IA
voring one year instead of two In the
fourth section the provision as to poll
tax receipt was discussed pro and con,
but was finally retained in the section.
The fifth section which is substantially
the Louisiana provision, was not reached
until late in the evening Senator Jus
tice offered a substitute for it, and after
an hours consideration the caucus de-
cided to adjourn over until tonight.
The substitute of Senator Justice for
section 5 was referred to the Joint Com
mittee on Constitutional Amendment. to
be considered and will be reported on in
caucus tonight.
The changes made in the other Sec
tions were as follows:
Section / was adopted entire.
In section the time of residence in
the county was changed from to G
months, and in the district from 6 to A
months.
Section 3 was adopted without change.
In section 4 March was put for Feb
ruary, and when he offers to vote" was
added to the end of the first sentence.
The amendment so far as adopted now
stands:
THE AMENDMENT.
The General Assembly of North Caro-
lima do enact:
That article vi of the Constitution of
North Carolina be, and the same is
hereby repealed, and in lieu thereof shall
be substituted the following article of
said Constitution:
ARTICLE VI.
Section /. Every male person born in
the United States and every male per-
son who has been naturalized, 81 years
of age and possessing the qualifications
set out in this article, shall be entitled
to vote at any election by the people
in the State, except as herein otherwise
provided.
Section 2. He shall have resided in
the State of North Carolina for two
years, in the county six months, and in
the precinct, ward or other district in
which he offers to vote, four months
next preceding the election: Provided
That removal from one precinct, ward or
other election district, to another in
the same county, shall not operate to
deprive any person of the right to vote
in the precinct, ward or other election
district, from which he has removed
until four months after such removed.
NO person who has been convicted or
who has confessed his guilt in open
court upon indictment. Of any crime,
the punishment of which now is, or
may hereafter be, imprisonment in the
State prison, shall be permitted to vote
unless the said person shall be first re-
stored to citizenship in the manner pre-
scribed by law.
Section 3. Every person offering to
vote shall be at the time a legally regis
tered voter as herein prescribed and in
the manner hereafter provided by law.
and the General Assembly of North
Carolina shall enact general registration
laws to carry into effect the provisions
of this article.
Section 4. Any person presenting him
self for registration or voting shall be
able to read and write any part of the
Constitution in the English language and
shall have paid by the first day of
March the poll tax for the previous
calendar year, as prescribed by law, and
shall exhibit the receipt therefor when
he offers to vote Poll taxes shall be a
lien only on assessed property, and no
process shall issue to enforce the collec-
ton of the same except against assessed
property.
There is not likely to be much differ
ence of opinion as to the rest of the
amendment after section has been de-
cided on.
After the consideration of the amend
ment, Representative Gillian, of Edge
combe, offered the following resolution
which was adopted:
Resolved, That this General Assembly
should finish its duties by the 25th of
February and on that day adjourn to a
day hereafter to be agreed upon.