The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-05-17

of North Carolina for a score OF wears,
we give in full herewith the proposed
| Constitutional Amendment. The
amendment reads as follows:
| That Article VI of the Constitution
OF North Carolina be, and the same
is hereby abrogated and in lieu
thereof shall be substituted the follow
Ing article of the Constitution
ARTICLE VI.
| SUFFRAGE AND ELIGIBILITY TO OFFICE
QUALIFICATION OF AN ELECTION.
(Sectlon L. Every male person born
in the United States and every male
person who has been naturalized, 21
years of age and possessing the quail
ii cations set out In tails article, shall
be entitled to vote at any election by
the people in the State, except as
herei,. ott-~wlse provided.
(Section z. rHe shall have resided
in the State of North Carolina tor 9
years, in the county six months, and
in the precinct, ward or other election
district in which he offers to vote, four
months next preceding the election !:
Provided, That removal 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 bis 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 legally
registered voter as herein prescribed
| and i'll 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.
(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 be lieu only
On assessed property.
(Sect:on 81 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 he then resided,
and no lineal descendant of any such
person shall be denied the right to
register and vote at any election in
this State by reason of his failure to
possess the educational qualification
prescribed in section 4 O; this Article {:
Provided, He shall have registered in
accordance with the terms of this Sec-
ton prior to December /, 1908. The
General Assembly shall provide for
permanent record of all persons who
register under this section on or before
November l, 1908, and all such per-
sons shall be entitled to register and
vote in all elections by the people In
this State unless disqualified under
section 2 of this article: Provided,
such persons shall have paid their poll
tax as required by law.
(Sectlon g. All elections by the
people shall be by ballot, and all cleo
tlons by the General Assembly shall
be by viva yoce.
(Section - Every voter in North
Carolina, except as in this article dis
qualified shall be eligible to office, but
before entering upon the duties of the
Office he shall take and subscribe the
following oath: I,----, do SOL
emnly swear (or 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 will
faithfully discharge the duties of my
office ais SO help me God"
(Sectlon 81 The following classes of
persons shall be disqualified for oficce
frs, all persons who deny the being
of almighty God. Second, all persons
" no shall have been convicted, or con-
their guilt or Indictment pend
ins' nd whether sentenced or not, or
anoer judgment suspended, or any
treason or felony 'or any other crime
Tor which the punishment may be
imprisonment in the peDitentiary,
since becoming citizens OF the United
States, Or of corruption and malprac-
tice in Office, unless such person shall
be restored to the right of citizenship
in manner prescribed by law.
An Old Idea.
Every day STRENGTHENS the hN1ief Of eui.