the thirteenth day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, or after the ratification of this Constitution.

2. Every homestead, not exceeding eighty acres, and the dwelling and appurtenances thereon, to be selected by the owner thereof, and not in any city, town or village, with the dwelling and appurtenances thereon, owned or occupied by any resident of this State, and not exceeding the value of two thousand dollars, shall be exempted from sale, on execution or any other process from a court, for any debt contracted since the thirteenth day of July, eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, or after the ratification of this Constitution. Such exemption, however, shall not extend to any mortgage, lawfully obtained, but such mortgage or other alienation of such homestead, by the owner thereof, if a married man, shall not be valid without the voluntary signature and assent of the wife to the same.

3. The homestead of a family after the death of the owner thereof, shall be exempt from the payment of any debts contracted since the thirteenth day of July eighteen hundred and sixty-eight, or after the ratification of this Constitution, in all cases, during the minority of the children.

4. The provisions of section one and two of this article shall not be so construed as to prevent a laborer's lien for work done and performed for the person claiming such exemption, or a mechanic's lien for work done on the premises.

5. If the owner of a homestead die, leaving a widow, but no children, such homestead shall be exempt, and the rents and profits thereof shall inure to her benefit.

6. The real or personal property of any female in this State, acquired before marriage, and all property, real and personal, to which she may afterwards be entitled by gift, grant, inheritance, or devise, shall be and remain the separate estate and property of such female, and shall not be liable for any debts, obligations, and engagements of her husband, and may be devised or bequeathed by her, the same as if she was a femme sole.

7. The right of exemption hereinbefore secured, may be waived by an instrument in writing, and when such waiver relates to realty, the instrument must be signed by both the husband and the wife, and attested by one witness.

ARTICLE XI.

Taration.

1. All taxes levied on property in this State, shall be assessed in exact proportion to the value of such property: Provided, however, The General Assembly may levy a poll tax not to exceed one dollar and fifty cents on each poll, which shall be applied exclusively in aid of the public school fund, in the county so paying the same.

2. No power to levy taxes shall be delegated to individuals or private corporations.

3. After the ratification of this Constitution, no new deb shall be created against, or incurred by, this State or its author ity, except to repel invasion, or suppress insurrection, and the only by a concurrence of two-thirds of the members of each house of the General Assembly, and the vote shall be taken b yeas and nays, and entered on the journals; and any act crea ing or incurring any new debt against this State, except a herein provided for, shall be absolutely void: Provided, Th Governor may be authorized to negotiate temporary loans, nev to exceed one hundred thousand dollars, to meet deficiencies the treasury; and until the same is paid, no new loan shall negotiated: Provided, further, That this section shall not so construed as to prevent the issuance of bonds in adjustme of the existing State indebtedness.

4. The General Assembly shall not have the power to le in any one year, a greater rate of taxation than three-four of one per centum on the value of the taxable property wit this State.

5. No county in this State shall be authorized to levy larger rate of taxation, in any one year, on the value of taxable property therein than one-half one per centum: vided, That to pay debts existing at the ratification of Constitution, an additional rate of one-fourth of one per cen may be levied and collected, which shall be exclusively ap priated to the payment of such debts, or the interest ther Provided, further, That to any debt or liability now against any county, incurred for the erection of the neces public buildings, or other ordinary county purposes, or that hereafter be created for the erection of the necessary p

buildings or bridges, any county may levy and collect such special taxes as may have been or may hereafter be authorized by law, which taxes so levied and collected shall be applied exclusively to the purposes for which the same shall have been levied and collected.

6. The property of private torporations, associations and individuals of this State, shall forever be taxed at the same rate: Provided, This section shall not apply to institutions or enterprises devoted exclusively to religious, educational or charitable purposes.

7. No city, town or municipal corporation, other than provided for in this article, shall levy or collect a larger rate of taxation, in any one year, on the property thereof, than onehalf of one per centum of the value of such property, assessed for State taxation during the preceding year: Provided, That for the payment of debts existing at the time of the notification of this Constitution, and the interests thereon, an additional rate of one per centum may be collected, to be applied exclusively to such indebtedness: And, provided, This section shall not apply to the city of Mobile, which city may, until the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, levy a tax not to exceed the rate of one per centum, and from and after that time a tax not to exceed the rate of three-fourths of one per centum to pay the expenses of the city government, and may also, until the first day of January, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine, levy a tax not to exceed the rate of one per centum, and from and after that time, a tax not to exceed the rate of three-fourths of one per centum, to pay the existing indebtedness of said city and the interest thereon.

8. At the first session of the General Assembly after the ratification of this Constitution, the salaries of the following officers shall be reduced at least twenty-five per centum, viz: Governor, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, Attorney-General, Superintendent of Education, Judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, and Chancellors; and after said reduction the General Assembly shall not have the power to increase the same except by a vote of a majority of all the members elected to each house, taken by yeas and nays, and entered on the journals: Provided, This section shall not apply to any of said officers now in office.

9. The General Assembly shall not have the power to require the counties or other municipal corporations to pay any charges which are now payable out of the State Treasury.

ARTICLE XII.
Militia.

1. All able-bodied male inhabitants of this State, between the ages of eighteen years and forty-five years, who are citizens of the United States, or have declared their intention to become such citizens, shall be liable to military duty in the militia of the State.

2. The General Assembly, in providing for the organization equipment, and discipline of the militia, shall conform as nearly as practicable to the regulations for the government of th armies of the United States.

3. Each company and regiment shall elect its own compan and regimental officers; but if any company or regiment sha neglect to elect such officers within the time prescribed by lav they may be appointed by the Governor.

4. Volunteer organizations of infantry, cavalry, and artiller may be formed in such manner, and under such restriction and with such privileges, as may be provided by law.

5. The militia and volunteer forces shall, in all cases, exce treason, felony and breach of the peace, be privileged from arr during their attendance at musters, parades, and electio and in going to and returning from the same.

The Governor shall, except as otherwise provided her be commander-in-chief of the militia and volunteer forces of State, except when in the service of the United States, shall, with the advice and consent of the Senate, appoint general officers, whose term of office shall be for four ye The Governor, the Generals and regimental and battalion manders, shall appoint their own staffs, as may be provided law.

7. The General Assembly shall provide for the safe kee of the arms, ammunition and accoutrements, military rec banners and relics of the State.

8. The officers and men of the militia and volunteer f shall not be entitled to, or receive, any pay, rations or e ments, when not in active service.

ARTICLE XIII.

Education.

1. The General Assembly shall establish, organize and maintain a system of public schools throughout the State for the equal benefit of the children thereof, between the ages of seven and twenty-one years; but separate schools shall be provided for the children of African descent.

2. The principal of all funds arising from the sale or other disposition of lands or other property, which has been or may hereafter be granted or intrusted to this State, or given by the United States for educational purposes, shall be preserved inviolate and undiminished; and the income arising therefrom shall be faithfully applied to the specific objects of the original grants or appropriations.

3. All lands or other property given by individuals, or appropriated by the State for educational purposes, and all estates of deceased persons, who die without leaving a will or heir, shall be faithfully applied to the maintenance of the public schools.

4. The General Assembly shall also provide for the levying and collection of an annual poll tax, not to exceed one dollar and fifty cents on each poll, which shall be applied to the support of the public schools in the counties in which it is levied and collected.

5. The income arising from the sixteenth section trust fund, the surplus revenue fund, until it is called for by the United States government, and the funds enumerated in sections three and four of this article, with such other moneys, to be not less than one hundred thousand dollars per annum, as the General Assembly shall provide by taxation or otherwise, shall be applied to the support and maintenance of the public schools, and it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to increase, from time to time, the public school fund, as the condition of the Treasury and the resources of the State will admit.

6. Not more than four per cent of all moneys raised, or which may hereafter be appropriated for the support of public schools, shall be used or expended otherwise than for the payment of teachers, employed in such schools: Provided, That the General Assembly may, by a vote of two-thirds of each house, suspend the operation of this section.