Page images
PDF
EPUB

CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

Article

1. Bill of rights.

2. Elective franchise.

3. Legislative department.

4. Power of the General Assembly over taxation.

5. Executive department.

6. Judiciary.

7. Finance, taxation and public debt.

[blocks in formation]

Section

4. No person who is the holder of any public money contrary to law, is eligible for office.

5. Intoxicating drinks not to be sold within two miles of election precincts on days of election.

6. Returns of elections.

ARTICLE III.

Legislative Department.

1. Legislative power of the State vested in General Assembly.

2. The Senate shall consist of fortyfour members.

3. The House of Representatives shall consist of one hundred and seventy-five members.

4. To be elected for two years. 5. To be eligible for Senators. 6. To be eligible for Representatives.

7. Each house shall be judge of the election and qualification of its own members.

8. The officers of the two houses, to consist of whom.

9. The per diem of members of the General Assembly and mileage. 10. Elections by General Assembly shall be viva voce.

11. Married women's property not liable for debts of husband. 12. Insurance companies to deposit with the Comptroller-General not less than $100,000.

ARTICLE IV.

Power of the General Assembly Over Taxation.

1. The right of taxation is a sovereign right and belongs to the people.

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small]

Section

17. Change of venue.
18. Right of trial by jury.

19. County commissioners.- Created by General Assembly.

20. Certain courts may be abolished. 21. The costs in the Supreme Court shall not exceed ten dollars, unless.

ARTICLE VII.

Finance, Taxation and Public Debts. 1. The General Assembly has powers of taxation for the following purposes only.

2. All taxation shall be uniform on the same class of subjects. 3. No debts shall be contracted by the State, except.

4. Laws authorizing the borrowing of money shall specify the purposes it is to be used for. 5. The credit of the State shall not be loaned.

6. The State may not be a stockholder in any company.

7. The debt incurred in any county, municipal corporation, may not exceed a certain sum.

8. The State may not assume the debt of any county, etc.

9. Officers or members of the General Assembly not to receive perquisites.

10. Municipal corporations shall not incur debt until provision for the same has been made. 11. The General Assembly shall have no authority to appropriate money directly or indirectly.

12. The bonded debt of the State. 13. The sale of property owned by the State to be applied to the payment of the bonded debt of the State.

14. General Assembly to raise by taxation additional sum of one hundred thousand dollars.

15. The financial condition of the State to be reported to the Governor quarterly.

[blocks in formation]

PREAMBLE.

To perpetuate the principles of free government, insure justice to all, preserve peace, promote the interest and happiness of the citizen, and transmit to posterity the enjoyment of liberty, we, the people of eorgia, relying upon the protection and guid ance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution: ARTICLE I.

Bill of Rights.

Section I.

Paragraph I. All government, of right, originates with the people, is founded upon their will only, and is instituted solely for the good of the whole. Public officers are the trustees and servants of the people, and at all times amenable to them.

Par. II. Protection to person and property is the paramount duty of government, and shall be impartial and complete.

Par. III. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, except by due process of law.

Par. IV. No person shall be deprived of the right to prosecute or defend his own cause in any of the courts of this State, in person, by attorney, or both.

Par. V. Every person charged with an offense against the laws of this State shall have the privilege and benefit of counsel; shall be furnished, on demand, with a copy of the accusation, and a list of the witnesses on whose testimony the charge against him is founded; shall have compulsory process to obtain the testimony of his own witnesses; shall be confronted with the witnesses testifying against him, and shall have a public and speedy trial by an impartial jury.

Par. VI. No person shall be compelled to give testimony tending in any way to criminate himself.

Par. VII. Neither banishment beyond the limits of the State, nor whipping, as a punishment for crime, shall be allowed.

Par. VIII. No person shall be put in jeopardy of life, or lib erty, more than once for the same offense, save on his, or her, own motion for a new trial after conviction, or in case of mistrial.

Par. IX. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted; nor shall any person be abused in being arrested, while under arrest, or in prison.

Par. X. No person shall be compelled to pay costs, except after conviction on final trial.

Par. XI. The writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended. Par. XII. All men have the natural and inalienable right to worship God, each according to the dictates of his own conscience, and no human authority should, in any case, control or interfere with such right of conscience.

Par. XIII. No inhabitant of this State shall be molested in person or property, or prohibited from holding any office of trust, on account of his religious opinions; but the right of liberty of conscience shall not be so construed as to excuse acts of licentiousness, or justify practices inconsistent with the peace and safety of the State.

Par. XIV. No money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religionists, or of any sectarian institution.

Par. XV. No law shall ever be passed to curtail, or restrain, the liberty of speech, or of the press; any person may speak, write and publish his sentiments on all subjects, being responsible for the abuse of that liberty.

Par. XVI. The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated; and no warrant shall issue except upon probable cause, supported by oath, or affirmation, particularly describing the place, or places, to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

Par. XVII. There shall be within the State of Georgia neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, save as a punishment for crime after legal conviction thereof.

Par. XVIII. The social status of the citizen shall never be the subject of legislation.

Par. XIX. The civil authority shall be superior to the mili tary, and no soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, except by the civil magistrate, in such manner as may be provided by law.

« PreviousContinue »