The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-06-07
CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT.

Believing that no more important
measure has been before the people
f North Carolina for score OF years.
we give in full herewith the proposed
Constitutional Amendment. Inc
amendment reads as follows:
That Article VI OF the Constitution
,,e North Carolina be, and the same
is hereby abrogated and IN hea
hereof shall be substituted the follow
ing article of the Constitution
ARTICLE VI.
SUFFRAGE AND ELIGIBILITY TO oFfltE
QUALIFICATIONS OF AN ELECTION.
(Section IL Every male person born
in the United States and every mare
person WIZ has been natufalizeo' u
years OF age and possessing the quail
tiaatons set out IN t.lls article, sha'i
be entitled to vote at any election py
the people in the State, except as
slereln otherwise provided.
(section p He shall lave resided
in the State of Nor.h Carolina tor
years, in the county six months, ana
in the precinct, ward or other election
district in which he offers TO vote, four
months next preceding the election
Provided. That renewal from precinct,
ward or other election district, to an
other in the same county, shall not
operate to deprive any person OF the
right to vote in the precinct, ward OF
other election district, from which
he has removed until four months at
ter such removal No person who
has been convicted Or who has con-
fessed his guilt in open court upon
indictment, of any crime, the punish.
nent of which now is Or may hereaf-
ter be, imprisonment in the State prison
shall be permitted to vote unless the said
person shall be first restored to citizen
ship in the manner prescribed by law.
(Section 81 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 Assem- bly, OF
North Carolina shall enact general
registration laws to carry into effect
the provisions of this article.
(Sectlon ~ Every person present
| ing himself for registration shall be
able to read and write any section OF
the Constitution in the English Ian
guage, and before he shall be entitled
to vote, shall haye paid on or before
the first day Of March of the year in
which he proposes to vote his poll tax
as prescribed by law for the previous
year. Poll taxes shall he lieu only
OF assessed property.
(sect:on - No male person who
was on January l, 1867, or at any
time prior thereto, entitled to vote
under the laws of any Stats In the
United States wherein be then resided
and no lineal descendant of any such
person shall be denied the right to
register and vote at any election il
this State by reason Of his failure tc
possess the educational qualification
prescribed in section 1 OF this Article
Provided, He shall have registered in
| accordance with the terms of this Sec
ton prior to December l, 1908. The
General Assembly Shall provide fol
a permanent record Of all persons who
register Under this section on or before
November /, 1908, ard all such per
sons shall Eo entitled to register and
vote in all elections by the people In
this State unless disqualified under
section Of this article: Provided
such persons shall have paid their poll
tax as rec uired by law.
(Sectlon g. All elections by the
people STALL be by ballot, and all cleo
lions by the General Assembly shall
be by viva voce.
(Section ~ Every voter in NORTH
Carolina, except as in this article dis
qualified shall be eligible to Office, bu,
before entering upon the duties of the
office he shall take and subscribe the
following oath: I,---, do sol.
EMMY swear Cor affirm that will sup.
port and maintain the Constitution and
law of the United States, and Constltu.
ton and laws of North Carolina, not
inconsistent Herewith, and that I will
faithfully discharge the duties of my
office As, SO help ne God"
(Section 81 Tie following classes oil
persons 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-
ing. atheir guilt or Indictment pen d.
nndend whether sentenced or not. or
treasr judgment sus pended, or any
Tor On or felony or any other crime
that shich the punishment NAV be
imprisonment in the penitentlsry,