The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03

Proposed Constitutional Ansendmeni
The amendment to the State Con-
~stitution as to suffrage now under con-
sideration by the committees OF the
legislature is as follows:
The General Assembly of North
Carolina 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hereby repealed, and in lieu thereof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 arti-
Gle Of said Constitution:
ARTICLE VI.
Section I. Every male person born
in the United States and every maze
person who has been naturalized, Il
years Of age and possessing the quail
fication set out in this article, shall be
entitled TO vote at any election by the
people in the State, except as herein
otherwise provided.
Sec. 2. He shall have resided in the
State Of North Carolina for two years,
in the county nine months, and in the
precinct, ward or other district In
which he offers to vote, six 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 six months after such removal.
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
prescribed by law.
Sec. 3. Every person offering TO vote
shall be at the time a legally registered
voter as herein prescribed and in the
manner hereafter provided by law, and
the General Assembly of North Caro-
lima shall enact general registration
laws to carry into effect the provisions
of this article.
Sec. 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
Il Spl lHS Jul loA " IN - AO01
year, as prescribed by law, and shall
exhibit the receipt therefor. Poll taxes
shall be a lien only on assessed prop
erty, and no process shall issue to en-
force the collection of the same except
against assessed property.
Sec. 5. No male person who was
on Janaury 1, 1867, or at any time
prior thereto, entitled to vote under
the laws of any state in the United
Sites wherein he then resided; and no
son or grandson of any such person
not less than 81 years old at the date
of the adoption Of this amendment of
the Constitution shall be denied the
right to register and vote any cleo
ton in his state by reason Of the ed
vocational qualification prescribed in
this article, provided he shall have
registered prior to December /, 1902,
in accordance with the terms of this
article, and no person shall be allowed
to register under this section after that
date.
Sec. 6. A separate registration un-
der this section shall be made by the
registration officer who shall, at the
close of the registration in the year
1902, make a sworn copy in duplicate
of the list of persons registered under
this section, showing in detall whether
the applicant registered as a voter of
1867, or prior thereto, or as a On, OF
grandson of such voter, and the regis
tratiCn officer shall deposit n of said
duplicates in the office of the Secretary
of State, to be by him recorded and
reserved as a part of the permanent
rQanrdc of hic nffiop ond tho nfh0r
of said duplicates he shall file with the
clerk of tie Superior Court of his
county, to be by him recorde- in a
book provided therefor. All persons
who's names appear on said list shall
be admitted to register for all elections
in this State, unless otherwise disqual-
flied. The General Assembly shall, at
il first session after the adoption OF
this amendment, provide the
in which the classes of persons pro-
vided fer in this section shall reg
ter.
Sec. Z. All elections by the people
shall be by ballot, and all elections by
the General Assembly shall be viva
voce.
Sec. s. Every voter in North Caro-
lima, except as in this article disquali-
fed, shall be eligible to Office, but be-
fore entering upon the duties of the Of
flee he shall take and subscribe the
following oath: II, -, do solemnly
swear that l will support and main
tain the Constitution and laws Of the
United States and the constitution and
laws Of North Carolina, not inconsist-
ent Herewith, and that l will faith
fully discharge the duties of my office
as , so help me God"
Sec. 8. The following classes of per-
sons shall be disqualified for office:
First, all persons who deny the being
of Almighty God. Second, all persons
who shall have been convicted, or con-
fessed their guilt on Indictment pend
Ing and whether sentenced or not, or
under judgment suspended, of any
treason or felony, or any other crime
for which the punishment may be i'm
prisonment in the ~penitentiary, since
becoming citizens of the United States,