Constitution of the state of Georgia of force January 1st, 1917 [1917]

I certif tlr:tt tire ~n;rnascril)tof the C o l t stitutior, of Grorgi:t hereto nttaclled I~usbeen xerihcd hy me by the Code o f 1!)11 ant1 the Session I,:lu\ f o r 1909, 1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1911 and 1916
h1. B. C01313 STAT^ I . I B R A\ \~ ~ I

CONSTITUTION
OF THE
STATE OF GEORGIA
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 Georgia, relying upon the protectibn and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish this Constitution:
ARTICLE 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. P u b l ~ c officers are the trustees and servants of the people, and a t all times amenable to them.
P a r 11. Protection to person and property is the paramount duty of government, and shall be impartial and complete.
Par. 111. No person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property, except by due process of law.
P a r . 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 a n 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 witnesseb; shall be confronted with the witnesses testifying against him, and shall have a public and speedy trial by a n impartial jury.
Par. VI. No person shall be compelled to give testimony tending in any manner 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 p u t in jeopardy of life, or liberty, more than once for the same offence, 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. P a r . XIII. No inhabitant of this State shall be molested in person or property, or prohibited from holding any public office or trust, on account of his religious opinions; but the right of liberty of conscience shall not be so construed as t o 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 military; 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.
Par. XX. The power of the courts to punish for contempts shall be limited by legislative acts.
Par. XXI. There shall be no imprisonment for debt. Par. XXII. The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but the General Assembly shall have power to prescribe the manner in which arms may be borne.
Par. XXIII. The legislative, judicial, and executive powers shall forever remain separate and distinct, and no person discharging the duties of one shall a t the same time exercise the functions of either of the others, except as herein provided.
Par. XXIV. The people have the right to assemble peaceably for their common good, and to apply to those vested with the powers of government for redress ot grievances, by petition or remonstrance.
Par. XXV. All citizens of the United States, resident in this State, are hereby declared citizens of this State; and it shall be the duty of the General Assembly to enact such laws as will protect them in the full enjoyment of the rights, privileges, and immunities due to such citizenship.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. I n all prosecutions or indictments for libel, the truth may be given in evidence; and the jury in all criminal cases shall be the judges of the law and the facts. The power of the judges to grant new trials in case of conviction is preserved.
Par. 11. Treason against the State of Georgia shall consist in levying war against her, adhering to her enemies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason, except on the testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or confession in open court.
Par. 111. No conviction shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture of estate.
Par. IV. All lotteries, and the sale of lottery tickets, are hereby prohibited; and this prohibition shall be enforced by penal laws.
Par. V. Lobbying is declared to be a crime, and the General Assembly shall enforce this provision by suitable penalties.
Par. VI. The General Assembly shall have the power to provide for the punishment of fraud; and shall provide, by law, for reaching property of the debtor concealed from the creditor.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. I n cases of necessity, private ways may be granted upon just compensation being first paid by the applicant. Private property shall not be taken, or damaged, for public purposes, without just and adequate compensation being first paid.
Par. 11. No bill of attainer, ez post facto law, retroactive law, or law impair-

ing the obligation of contracts, or making irrevocable grants of special privileges or immunities, shall be passed.
Par. 111. No grant of special privileges or immunities shall be revoked, except in such manner as to work no injustice to the corporators or creditors of the incorporation.
SECTIONIV.
Paragraph I. Laws of a general nature shall have uniform operation throughout the State, and no special law shall be enacted in any case for which provision has been made by an existing general law. No general law affecting private rights shall be varied in any particular case by special legislation, except with the free consent, in writing, of all persons to be affected thereby; and no person under legal disability to contract is capable of such consent.
Par. 11. Legislative acts in violation of this Constitution, or the Constitution of the United States, are void, and the judiciary shall so declare them.
SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. The people of this State have the inherent, sole, and exclusive right of regulating their internal government, and the police thereof, and of altering and abolishing their Constitution whenever it may be necessary to their safety and happiness.
Par. 11. The enumeration of rights herein contained as a part of this Constitution shall not be construed to deny to the people any inherent rights which they may have hitherto enjoyed.
ARTICLE 11.
ELECTIVEFRANCHISE.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. After the year 1908, elections by the people shall be by ballot, and only those persons shall be allowed to vote who have been first registered in accordance with the requirements of law.
Par. 11. Every male citizen of this State who is a citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old or upwards, not laboring under any of the disabilities named in this Article, and possessing the qualifications provided by it, shall be an elector and entitled to register and vote a t any election by the people: Provided, that no soldier, sailor, or marine in the military or naval services of the United States shall acquire the rights of an elector by reason of being stationed on duty in this State.
Par. 111. To entitle a person to register and vote a t any election by the people, he shall have resided in the State one year next preceding the election, and in the county in which he offers to vote six months next preceding the election, and shall have paid all taxes which may have been required of him since the adoption of the Constitution of Georgia of 1877, that he may have had an opportunity of paying agreeably to law. Such payment must have been made a t least six months prior to the election a t which he offers to vote, except when such elections are held within six months from the expiration of the time fixed by law for the payment of such taxes.
Par. IV. Every male citizen of this State shall be entitled to register as an elector, and to vote in all elections in said State, who is not disqualified under the provisions of Section 2 of Article 2 of this Constitution, and who possesses the qualifications prescribed in paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Section or who will possess then1 a t the date of the election occurring next after his registration, a11d who in addition thereto comes within either of the c!a.;?es providc3 for in t h e five following sub-divisions of this paragraph.
1. All persons who have honorably served in the land or naval forces of the United States in the Revolutionary War, or in the War of 1812, or in the War with Mexico, or in any War with the Indians, or in the War between the States, or in the War with Spain, or who honorably served in the land or navd forces of the Confederate States or of the State of Georgia in the War between the States; or
2. All persons lawfully descended from those embraced in the classes enumerated in the sub-division next above, or,
3. All persons who are of good character and understand the duties and obligations of citizenship under a republican form of government; or,
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4. All persons who can correctly read in the English language any paragraph of the Constitution of the United States or of this State and correctly write the same in the English language when read to them by any one of the registrars, and all persons who solely because of physical disability are unable to comply with the above requirements but who can understand and give a reasonable interpretation of any paragraph of the Constitution of the United States or of this State, that may be read to them by any one of the registrars; or,
5 . Any person who is the owner in good faith in his own right of a t least forty acres of land situated in this State, upon which he resides, or is the owner in good faith in his own right of property situated in this State and assessed for taxation a t the value of $500.00.
Par. V. The right to register under sub-divisions 1 and 2 of paragraph 4 shall continue only until January lst, 1915. B u t the registrars shall prepare a roster of all persons who register under sub-divisions 1 and 2 of paragraph 4, and shall return the same to the clerli's office of the superior court of their counties, and the clerks of the superior court shall send copies of the same t o the secretary of State, and i t shall be the duty of these officers to record and permanently preserve these rosters. Any person who has been once registered under either of the subdivisions 1 or 2 of paragraph 4 shall thereafter be permitted to vote: Provided, he meets the requirements of paragraphs 2 and 3 of this Section.
Par. VI. Any person to whom the right of registration is denied by the registrars upon the ground that he lacks the qualifications set forth in the five subdivisions of paragraph 4 shall have the right to take a n appeal, and any citizen map enter an appeal from the decision of the registrars allowing any person to repiyter under said subdivisions. A11 appeals must be filed in writing with the registrars within ten days from the date of the decision complained of, and shall be returned bv the registrars to the office of the clerk of the superior court t o be tried as other appeals.
P a r . VII. Pending a n appeal and until the final decision of the case, the judgment of the registrars shall remain in full force.
Par. VIII. No person shall be allowed to participate in a primary of any political party or a convention of any political party in this State who is not a qualified voter.
P a r . IX. The machinery provided b: law for the registration, of force October 1st 1908, shall be used to carry out the provisions of this Section, except where inconsistent with same; the legislature may chenge or amend the registration laws from time to time, but no such change or amendment shall operate to defeat any of the provisions of this Section.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly may provide, from time to time, for the registration of all electors, but the following classes of persons shall not be permitted to register, vote, or hold any office, or appointment of honor or trust in this State, to-wit: (1st.) Those who shall have been convicted, in any court of competent jurisdiction, of treason against the State, of embezzlement of public funds, malfeasance in office, bribery, or larceny, or of any crime involving moral turpitude, punishable by the laws of this State with imprisonment in the penitentiary, unless such person shall have been pardoned; (2d.) idiots and insane persons.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. Electors shall, in all cases except for treason, felony, larceny, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their attendance on elections, and in going to and returning from the same.
SECTIONIV.
Paragraph I. No person who is the holder of any public money, contrary to law, shall be eligible to any office in this State until the same is accounted for and paid into the treasury.
Par. 11. No person who, after the adoption of this Constitution, beipg a resident of this State, shall have been convicted of fighting a duel in this State, o r convicted of sending or accepting a challenge, or convicted of aiding or abetting such duel, shall hold office in this State, unless he shall have been pardoned; and every such person shall also be subject to such punishment as may be prescribed by law.

SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall, by law, forbid the sale, distribution o r furnishing of intoxicating drinks within two miles of election precincts on days of election-State, county, or municipal,-and prescribe punishment for any violation of the same.
SECTIOXV I .
Paragraph I. Returns of election for all civil officers elected by the people, who a r e t o be commissioned by the Governor, and also for the members of the General Assembly, shall be made to the secretary of State, unless otherwise provided by law.
A R T I C L E 111.
LEGISLATIVDE EPARTMENT.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. The legislative power of the State shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
SECTIOS11. Paragraph I. The Senate shall consist of forty-four members. There shall he forty-four senatorial districts, as now arranged by counties. Each district shall have one senator.
The F i r s t Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Chatham, Bryan, and Effingham.
The Second Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Liberty, Tattnall, McIntosh, Toombs and Evans.
Tlle Third Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Wayne, Pierce, Appling, Jeff Davis and Bacon.
The Fourth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Glynn, Camden and Charlton.
The Fifth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Coffee, Ware and Clinch.
The Sixth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Echols, Lowndes, Berrien and Tift.
The Seventh Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Brooks, Thomas, Colquitt and Grady.
The Eighth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Decatur, Mitchell and Miller.
The Ninth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Early, Calhoun and Baker.
The Tenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Dougherty, Lee, Worth and Turner.
The Eleventh Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Clay, Randolph and Terrell.
The Twelfth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Stewart, Webster and Quitman.
The Thirteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Sumter, Schley and Macon.
The' Fourteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Dooly, Wilcox, Pulaski, Crisp and Bleckley.
The Fifteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Montgomery, Telfair, Irwin, Dodge, Ben Hill and Wheeler.
The Sixteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Laurens, Emanuel and Johnson.
The Seventeenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Screven, Bullock, Burke, Jenkins and Candler.
The Eighteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Richmond, Glascock and Jefferson.
The Nineteenth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Taliaferro, Greene and Warren.

The Twentieth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of i3aldwin, Hancock and Washington.
The Twenty-first Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Twiggs, Wilkinson and Jones.
The Twenty-second Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Bibb, Monroe and Pike.
The Twenty-third Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Houston, Crawford and Taylor.
The Twenty-fourth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Muscogee, Marion and Chattahoochee.
The Twenty-fifth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Harris, Upson and Talbot.
? h e Twenty-sixth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Spalding, Butts and Fayette.
The Twenty-seventh Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Newton, Walton, Oconee and Rockdale.
The Twenty-eighth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Jasper, Putnam and Morgan.
The Twenty-ninth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Wilkes, Columbia, Lincoln and McDuffie.
The Thirtieth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Oglethorpe, Madison, Elbert and Clarke.
The Thirty-first Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Hart, Habersham, Franklin and Stephens.
The Thirty-second Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties ot White, Dawson and Lumpkin.
The Thirty-third Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Hall, Banks, Jackson and Barrow.
The Thirty-fourth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Gwinnett, DeKalb and Henry.
The Thirty-fifth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Clayton, Cobb and Fulton.
The Thirty-sixth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties ot Campbell, Coweta, Meriwether and Douglas.
The Thirty-seventh Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties or Carroll, Heard and Troup.
The Thirty-eighth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Haralson, Polk and Paulding.
The Thirty-ninth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Milton, Cherokee and Forsyth.
The Fortieth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Union, Towns and Rabun.
The Forty-first Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Pickens, Fannin and Gilmer.
The Forty-Second Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Bartow, Floyd and Chattooga.
The Forty-third Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties ot Murray, Gordon and Whitfield.
The Forty-fourth Senatorial District shall be composed of the counties of Walker, Dade and Catoosa.
Par. 11. The General Assembly may change these districts after each census of the United States: Provided, that neither the number of districts nor the number of Senators from each district shall be increased.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. The House of Representatives shall consist of not more than 189 representatives apportioned among the several counties as follows, to-wit.: 'Yo the six counties having the largest population, viz.: Fulton, Chatham, Richmond, Bibb, Floyd and Muscogee, three representatives each; to the twenty-six counties

having the next largest population, viz.: Laurens, Carroll, Jackson, Sumter, Thomas, Decatur, Gwinnett, Coweta, Cobb, Washington, DeKalb, Burke, Bulloch, Troup, Hall, Walton, Bartow, Meriwether, Emanuel, Lowndes, Elbert, Brooks, Houston, Wilkes, Clarke and Ware, two representatives each; and to the remaining counties one representative each; and in the event of the ratification of this amendment to the Constitution the counties of Bleckley and Wheeler shall be entitled to representation in the General Assembly of Georgia for the session of 1915-16; and in the event this amendment and the amendments creating the counties of Barrow, Candler and Bacon shall be ratified then the three said last named counties shall also be entitled to representation in the session of the General Assembly for the years 1915-16; and elections in said counties shall be held on the first Tuesday in January, 1915, under the law now governing similar elections for the election of members of the General Assembly to serve during the session of 1915-16 in accordance with this amendment.
Par. 11. The above apportionment shall be changed by the General Assembly a t its first session after each census taken by the United States government, so as to give the six counties having the largest population three representatives each; and to the twenty-six counties having the next largest population two representatives each; but in no event shall the aggregate number of representatives be increased.
SECTIONIV.
Paragraph I. The members of the General Assembly shall be elected for two years and shall serve until the time fixed by law for the convening of the next General Assembly. The provisions of this Paragraph, Section and Article shall apply to the term of the members of the General Assembly who were elected a t the general election for members of the General Assembly in the year 1912.
Par. 11. The first election for members of the General Assembly, under this Constitution, shall take place on the first Wednesday in December, 1877; the second election for the same shall be held on the first Wednesday in October, 1880, and subsequent elections biennially on that day, until the day of election is changed by law.
Par. 111. The first meeting of the General Assembly, after the ratification of this Constitution, shall be on the fourth Wednesday in October, 1878, and annually thereafter, on the same day, until the day shall be changed by law.
Par. IV. A majority of each house shall constitute a quorum to transact business; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day and compel the presence of its absent members, as each house may provide.
Par. V. Each senator and representative, before taking his seat, shall take the following oath, or affirmation, to-wit: "I will support the Constitution of this State, and of the United States; and on all questions and measures which may come before me, I will so conduct myself as will, in my judgment, be most conducive to the interests and prosperity of this State."
Par. VI. No session of the General Assembly shall continue longer than fifty days: Provided, that if an impeachment trial is pending a t the end of fifty days, the session may be prolonged till the completion of said trial.
Par. VII. No person holding a military commission or other appointment or office having any emolument or compensation annexed thereto, under this State, or the United States, or either of them, except justices of the peace and officers of the militia, nor any defaulter for public money or for any legal taxes required of him shall have a seat in either house; nor shall any senator or representative, after his qualification as such, be elected by the General Assembly, or appointed by the Governor, either with or without the advice and consent of the Senate, to any office or appointment having any emolument annexed thereto, during the time for which he shall have been elected.
Par. VIII. The seat of a member of either house shall be vacated on his removal from the district or county from which he was elected.
SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. The senators shall be citizens of the United States, who have attained the age of twenty-five years, and who shall have been citizens of thls State for four years, and for one year residents of the district from which elected.
Par. 11. The presiding officer of the Senate shall be styled the President of the Senate, and shall be elected viva voce from the senators.
Par. 111. The Senate shall have the sole power to try impeachments.
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Par. IV. When sitting for that purpose, the members shall be on oath or affirmation, and shall be presided over by the Chief Justice or the Presiding Justice of the Supreme Court. Should the Chief Justice be disqualified, the Senate shall select the judge of the Supreme Court to preside. No person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
Par. V. Judgments, in case of impeachment, shall not extend further than removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of honor, trust, or profit within this State; but the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, and punishment according to law.
SECTIONVI.
Paragraph I. The representatives shall be citizens of the United States, who have attained the age of twenty-one years, and who shall have been citizens of this State for two years, and for one year residents of the counties from which elected.
Par. 11. The presiding officer of the House of Representatives shall be styled the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and shall be elected viva voce from the body.
Par. 111. The House of Representatives shall have the sole power to impeach all persons who shall have been, or may be, in office.
SECTIONVII.
Paragraph I. Each house shall be the judge of the election, returns, and qualifications of its members, and shall have power to punish them for disorderly behavior, or misconduct, by censure, fine, imprisonment, or expulsion; but no member shall be expelled except by a vote of two-thirds of the house to which he belongs.
Par. 11. Each house may punish by imprisonment, not extending beyond the session, of any person, not a member, who shall be guilty of a cont'empt, by any disorderly behavior in its presence, or who shall rescue, or attempt to rescue, any person arrested by order of either house.
Par. 111. The members of both houses shall be free from arrest during their attendance on the General Assembly, and in going thereto or returning therefrom, except for treason, felony, larceny, or breach of the peace; and no member shall be liable to answer in any other place for anything spoken in debate in either house.
Par. IV. Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and publish it immediately after its adjournment.
Par. V. The original journal shall be preserved, after publication, in the office of the secretary of State, but there shall be no other record thereof.
Par. VI. The yeas and nays on any question shall, a t the desire of one-fifth of the members present, be entered on the journal.
Par. VII. Every bill, before i t shall pass, shall be read three times, and on three separate days, in each house, unless in cases of actual invasion or insurrection; but the first and second reading of each local bill, and bank and railroad charters, shall consist of the reading of the title only, unless said bill is ordered to be engrossed.
Par. VIII. No law or ordinance shall pass which refers to more than one subject-matter, or contains matter different from what is expressed in the title thereof.
Par. IX. The general appropriation bill shall embrace nothing except appropriations fixed by previous laws, the ordinary expenses of the executive, legislative, and judicial departments of the government, payment of the public debt and interest thereon, and the support of the public institutions and educational interests of the State. All other appropriations shall be made by separate bills, each embracing but one subject.
Par. X. All bills for raising revenue, or appropriating money, shall originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur in amendments, as in other bills.
Par. XI. No money shall be drawn from the treasury except by appropriation made by law; and a regular statement and account of the receipt and expenditure of all public money shall be published every three months, and also with the laws passed by each session of the General Assembly.

Par. XII. No bill or resolution appropriating money shall become a law, unless upon its passage the yeas and nays, In each house, are recorded.
Par. XIII. All acts shall be signed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and no bill, ordinance, or resolution, intended to have the effect of a law, which shall have been rejected by either house, shall be again proposed during the same session, under the same or any other title, without the consent of two-thirds of the house by which the same was rejected.
Par. XIV. No bill shall become a law unless it shall receive a majority of the votes of all the members elected to each house of the General Assembly, and it shall, in every instance, so appear on the journal.
Par. XV. (By an act approved September 24, 1888, an amendment to the Constitution was submitted to vote of the people in October, 1886, and adopted, whereby the original of this paragraph was stricken from this Constitution.)
Par. XVI. No local or special bill shall be passed, unless notice of the intention to apply therefor shall have been published in the locality where the matter or thing to be affected may be situated, which notice shall be given at-least thirty days prior to the introduction of such bill into the General Assembly, and in the manner to be prescribed by law. The evidence of such notice having been published shall be exhibited in the General Assembly before such acts shall be passed.
Par. XVII. No law, or section of the Code, shall be amended or repealed by mere reference to its title, or to the number of the section of the Code, but the amending or repealing act shall distinctly describe the law to be amended or repealed, as well as the alteration to be made.
Par. XVIII. The General Assembly shall have no power to grant corporate powers and privileges to private companies, to make or change election precincts, nor to establish bridges or ferries, nor to change names of legitimate children; but it shall prescribe by law the manner in which such powers shall be exercised by the courts; it may confer this authority to grant corporate powers and primleges to private companies to the Judges of the Superior Courts of this State in vacation. All corporate powers and privileges to banking, insurance, railroad, canal, navigation, express and telegraph companies shall be issued and granted by the secretary of State in such manner as shall be prescribed by law; and if in any event the secretary of State should be disqualified to act in any case, then in that event the legislature shall provide by general laws by what person such charters shall be granted.
Par. XIX. The General Assembly shall have no power to relieve principals or securities upon forfeited recognizances from the payment thereof, either before or after judgment thereon, unless the principal in the recognizance shall have been apprehended and placed in the custody of the proper officer.
Par. XX. The General Assembly shall not authorize the construction of any street passenger-railway within the limits of any incorporated town or city, without the consent of the corporate authorities.
Par. XXI. Whenever the Constitution requires a vote of two-thirds of either or both houses for the passing of an act or resolution, the yeas and nays on the passage thereof shall be entered on the journal.
Par. XXII. The General Assembly shall have power to make all laws and ordinances consistent with this Constitution, and not repugnant to the Constitution of the United States, which they shall deem necessary and proper for the welfare of the State.
Par. XXIII. No provision in this Constitution for a two-thirds vote of both houses of the General Assembly, shall be construed to waive the necessity for the signature of the Governor, as in any other case, except in the case of the twothirds vote required to override the veto, and in case of prolongation of a session
of the General Assembly.
Par. XXIV. Neither house shall adjourn for more than three days, or to any other place, without the consent of the other; and in case of a disagreement between the two houses on a question of adjournment, the Governor may adjourn either or both of them.
SECTIONV I I I .
Paragraph I. The officers of the two houses, other than the President and Speaker, shall be a secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives, and such assistants as they may appoint; but the clerical expenses of the

Senate shall not exceed sixty dollars per day for each session, nor those of the House of Representatives seventy dollars per day for each session. The secretary of the Senate and clerk of the House of Representatives shall be required to give bond and security for the faithful discharge of their respective duties.
SECTIONIX.
Paragraph I. The per diem of members of the General Assembly shall not exceed four dollars; and mileage shall not exceed ten cents for each mile trave,ed, by the nearest practicable route, in going to and returning from the capital; but the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each receive not exceeding seven dollars per day.
SECTIONX.
Paragraph I. All elections by the General Assembly shall be viva voce, and the vote ahall appear on the journal of the House of Representatives. When the Senate and House of Representatives unite for the purpose of elections, they shall meet in the Representative Hall, and the President of the Senate shall, in suclr cases, preside and declare the result.
SECTIONXI.
Paragraph I. All property of the wife a t the time of her marriage, and all property given to, inherited, or acquired by her, shall remain her separate property, and not be liable for the debts of her husband.
SECTIONX I I .
Paragraph I. All life-insurance companies now doing business in this State, or which may desire to establish agencies and do business in the State of Georg~a, chartered by other States of the Union, or foreign States, shall show that they have deposited with the comptroller-general of the State in which they are chartered, or of this State, the insurance commissioners, or such other officer as may be authorized to receive it, not less than one hundred thousand dollars in such securities as may be deemed by such officer equivalent to cash, subject to his order, as a guarantee fund for the security of policy-holders.
Par. 11. When such showing is made to the comptroller-general of the State of Georgia, by a proper certificate from the State official having charge of the funds so deposited, the comptroller-general of the State of Georgia is authorizeil to issue to the company making such showing, a license to do business in the State, upon paying the fees required by law.
Par. 111. A11 life-insurance companies chartered by the State of Georgia, or which may hereafter be chartered by the State, shall, before doing business, deposit with the comptroller-general of the State of Georgia, or with some strong corporation which may be approved by said comptroller-general, one hundred thousand dollars in such securities as may be deemed by him equivalent to cash, to be subject to his order, as a guarantee fund for the security of the policyholders of the company making such deposit, all interests and dividends arising from such securities to be paid, when due, to the company so depositing. Any such securities as may be needed or desired by the company may be taken from said department a t any time by replacing them with other securities equally acceptable to the comptroller-general, whose certificate for the same shall be furnished to the company.
Par. IV. The General Assembly shall, from time to time, enact laws to compel all fire-insurance companies doing business in this State, whether chartered by this State or otherwise, to deposit reasonable securities with the treasurer of this State, to secure the people against loss by the operations of said companies.
Par. V. The General Assembly shall compel all insurance companies in this State, or doing business therein, under proper penalties, to make semi-annual reports to the Governor, and print the same a t their own expense, for the information and protection of the people.
ARTICLE IV.
POWEROF THE GENERALASSEMBLYOVER TAXATION.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. The right of taxation is a sovereign right, inalienable, indestructible, is the life of the State, and rightfully belongs to the people in all

republican governments, and neither the General Assembly, nor any nor all other departments of the government established by this Constitution, shall ever have the authority to irrevocably give, grant, limit, or restrain this right; and all laws, grants, contracts, and all other acts whatsoever, by said government or any department thereof, to effect any of these purposes, shall be and are hereby declared to be null and void for every purpose whatsoever; and said right of taxation shall always be under the complete control of, and revocable by, the State, notwithstanding any gift, grant, or contract whatsoever by the General Assembly.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. The power and authority of regulating railroad freights and passenger tariffs, preventing unjust discriminations, and requiring reasonable and just rates of freight and passenger tariffs are hereby conferred upon the General Assembly, whose duty i t shall be to pass laws, from time to time, to regulate freight and passenger tariffs, to prohibit unjust discriminations on the various railroads of this State, and to prohibit said roads from charging other than just and reasonable rates, and enforce the same by adequate penalties.
Par. 11. The exercise of the right of eminent domain shall never be abridged, nor so construed as to prevent the General Assembly from taking the property and franchises of incorporated companies, and subjecting them to public use, the same as property of individuals; and tlie*exercise of the police power of the State shall never be abridged nor so construed as to permit corporations to conduct their business in such a manner as to infringe the equal rights of individuals, or the general well-being of the State.
Par. 111. The General Assembly shall not remit the forfeiture of the charter of any corporation now existing, nor alter or amend the same, nor pass any other general or special law for the benefit of said corporation except upon the condition that such corporation shall thereafter hold its charter subject to the provisions of this Constitution; and every amendment of any charter of any corporation in this State, or any special law for its benefit, accepted thereby, shall operate as a novation of said charter and shall bring the same under the provisions of this Constitution: Procided, that this section shall not extend to any amendment for the purpose of allowing any existing road to take stock in or aid in the building of any branch road.
Par. IV. The General Assembly of this State sliall have no power to authorize any corporation to buy shares or stock in any other corporation in this State or elsewhere, or to make .any contract, or agreement whatever, with ,any such corporation, which may have the effect, or be intended to have the etiect, to defeat or lessen competition in their respective businesses, or to encourage monopoly; and all such contracts and agreements shall be illegal and void.
Par. V. No railroad company shall give or pay any rebate, or bonus in the nature thereof, directly or indirectly, or do any act to mislead or deceive the public as to the real rates charged or received for freights or pasqage; and any such payments shall be illegal and void; and these prohibitions shall be enforced by suitable penalties.
Par. VI. No provision of this Article shall be deemed, held, or taken to impair the obligation of any contract heretofore made by the State of Georgia.
Par. VII. The General Assembly shall enforce the provisions of this Article by appropriate legislation.
ARTICLE V.
EXECUTIVDE EPARTXENT.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. The officers of the Executive Department shall consist of a Governor, secretary of State, comptroller-general, and treasurer.
Par. 11. The executive power shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office during the term of two years, and until his successor shall be chosen and qualified. He shall not be eligible to re-election, after the expiration of a second term, for the period of four years. H e shall have a salary of three thousand dollars per annum (until otherwise provided by a law passed by a two-thirds vote of both branches of the General Assembly), which shall not be increased or diminished during the period for which he shall have been elected; nor shall he re-

ceive, within that time, any other emolument from the United States, or either of them, or from any foreign power. But this reduction of salary shall not apply to the present term of the present Governor.
Par. 111. The first election for Governor, under this Constitution shall be held on the first Wednesday in October, 1880, and the Governor-elect shall be installed in office a t the next session of the General Assembly. An election shall take place biennially thereafter, on said day, until another date be fixed by the General Assembly. Said election shall be held a t the places of holding general elections in the several counties of this State, in the manner prescribed for the election of members of the General Assembly, and the electors shall be the same.
Par. IV. The returns for every election of Governor shall be sealed up by the managers, separately from other returns, and directed to the President ot the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives, and transmitted to the secretary of State, who shall, without opening said returns, cause the same to be laid before the Senate on the day after the two houses shall have been organized, and they shall be transmitted by the Senate to the House of Representatives.
Par. V. The members of each branch of the General Assembly shall convene in the Representative Hall, and the President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives shall open and publish the returns in the presence and under the direction of the General Assembly; and the person having the majority of the whole number of votes shall he declared duly elected Governor of this State; but if no person shall have such majority, then from the two persons having the highest number of votes, who shall be in life and shall not decline an election a t the time appointed for the General Assembly to elect, the General Assembly shall immediately elect a Governor viva voce; and in all cases of election of a Governor by the General Assembly, a majority of the members present shall be necessary to a choice.
Par. VI. Contested elections shall be determined by both houses of the General Assembly in such manner as shall be prescribed by law.
Par. VII. No person shall be eligibie to the office of Governor who shall not have been a citizen of the United States fifteen years, and a citizen of the State six years, and who shall not have attained the age of thirty years.
Par. VIII. In case of the death, resignation, or disability of the Governor, the President of the Senate shall exercise the executive powers of the government until such disability be removed, or a successor is elected and qualified. And in case of the death, resignation, or disability of the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall exercise the executive powers of the government until the removal of the disability, or the election and qualification of a Governor.
Par. IX. The General Assembly shall have power to provide, by law, for filling unexpired terms by special elections.
Par. X. The Governor shall, before he enters on the duties of his office, take the following oath or affirmation: "I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that I will faithfully execute the office of Governor of the State of Georgia, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution thereof, and the Constitution of the United States of America."
Par. XI. The Governor shall be commander-in-chief of the army and navy of this State, and of the militia thereof.
Par. XII. H e shall have power to grant reprieves and pardons, to commute penalties, remove disabilities imposed by law, and to remit any part of a sentence for offences against the State, after conviction, except in case of treason and impeachment, subject to such regulations as may be provided by law relative to the manner of applying for pardons. Upon conviction for treason he may suspend the execution of the sentence and report the case to the General Assembly a t the next meeting thereof, when the General Assembly shall either pardon, commute the sentence, direct its execution, or grant a further reprieve. H e shall, a t each session
of the General Assembly, communicate to that body each case of reprieve, pardon, or commutation granted, stating the name of the convict, the offense for which he was convictea, the sentence and its date, the date of the reprieve, pardon, or commutation, and the reasons for granting the same. He shall take care that the laws are faithfully executed, and shall be a conservator of the peace throughout the State.
Par. XIII. H e shall issue writs of election to fill all vacancies that may happen in the Senate or House of Representatives, and shall give the General Assem-

bly, from time to time, information of the state of the Commonwealth, and recommend to their consideration such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient. He shall have power to convoke the General Assembly on extraordinary occasions; but no law shall be enacted a t call sessions of the General Assembly except such a s shall relate to the object stated in his proclamation convening them.
Par. XIV. When any office shall become vacant, by death, resignation, or otherwise, the Governor shall have power to fill such vacancy, unless otherwise provided by law; and persons so appointed shall continue in office until a successor is commissioned, agreeably to the mode pointed out by this Constitution, or by law in pursuance thereof.
Par. XV. A person once rejected by the Senate shall not be reappointed by the Governor to the same office during the same session, or the recess thereafter.
Par. XVI. The Governor shall have the revision of all bills passed by the General Assembly, before the same shall become laws, but two thirds of each house may pass a law notwithstanding his dissent; and if any bill shall not be returned by the Governor within five days (Sundays excepted) after it has been presented to him, the same shall be a law, unless the General Assembly, by their adjournment, shall prevent its return. He may approve any appropriation, and disapprove any other appropriation, in the same bill, and the latter shall not be effectual unless passed by two-thirds of each House.
Par. XVII. Every vote, resolution, or order, to which the concurrence ot both houses may be necessary, except on a question of election or adjournment, shall be presented to the Governor, and before it shall take effect, be approved by him, or being disapproved, shall be repassed by two thirds of each house.
Par. XVIII. H e may require information in writing, from the officers in the Executive Department, on any subject relating to the duties of their respective offices. It shall be the duty of the Governor, quarterly, and oftener if he deems it expedient, to examine, under oath, the treasurer and comptroller-general of the State on all matters pertaining to their respective offices, and to inspect and review their books and accounts. The General Assembly shall have authority to provide by law for the usp pension of either of said officers from the discharge of the duties of his office, and also for the appointment of a suitable person to discharge the duties of the same.
Par. XIX. The Governor shall have power to appoint his own secretaries, not exceeding two in number, and to provide such other clerical force as may be required in his office; but the total cost for secretaries and clerical force in his office shall not exceed six thousand dollars per annum.
Paragraph I. The secretary of State, comptroller-general, and treasurer shall be elected by persons qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, a t the same time and in the same manner as the Governor. The provisions of the Constitution as to the transmission of the returns of election, counting the votes, declaring the result, deciding when there is no election, and when there is a contested election, applicable to the election of Governor, shall apply to the election of secretary of State, comptroller-general, and treasurer; they shall be commissioned by the Governor and hold their offices for the same time as the Governor.
Par. 11. The salary of the treasurer shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum. The clerical expenses of his department shall not exceed sixteen hundred dollars per annum.
Par. 111. The salary of the secretary of State shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum, and the clerical expenses of his department shall not exceed one thousand dollars per annum.
Par. IV. The salary of the comptroller-general shall not exceed two thousand dollars per annum. The clerical expenses of his department, including the insurance department and wild-land clerk, shall not exceed four thousand dollars per annum; and without said clerk, it shall not exceed three thousand dollars per annum.
Par. V. The treasurer shall not be allowed, directly or indirectly, to receive any fee, interest, or reward from any person, bank, or corporation, for the deposit or use, in any manner, of the public funds; and the General Assembly shall enforce this provision by suitable penalties.

Par. V I . N o person shall be eligible t o the office o f secretary o f State, comptroller-general, or treasurer, unless he shall have been a citizen o f the United States for t e n years, and shall h a v e resided i n this State for six years next preceding his election, and shall be twenty-five years o f age when elected. All o f said ofticers shall give bond and security, under regulations t o be prescribed b y law, for the faithful discharge o f their duties.
Par. V I I . T h e secretary o f State, the comptroller-general, and the treasurer shall not be allowed any fee, perquisite, or compensation, other than their salaries as prescribed b y law, except their necessary expenses when absent from the seat ot government on business for the State.
Paragraph I. T h e great seal o f the State shall be deposited in the office ot the secretary o f State, and shall not be affixed to any instrument o f writing except b y order o f the Governor, or General Assembly, and that now i n use shall be the great seal o f the State until otherwise provided b y law.
ARTICLE VI.

T h e judicial powers o f the State shall be vested in a Supreme Court, a Court o f Appeals, superior courts, courts o f ordinary, justices o f the peace, commissioned notaries public, and such other courts as have been or may be established by law.

SECTION11.

Paragraph I. T h e Supreme Court shall consist o f a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. A majority o f the court shall constitute a quorum.

Par. 11. W h e n one or more o f t h e judges are disqualified f r o m deciding any case, b y interest or otherwise, the Governor shall designate a judge, or judges, o f
the superior courts t o preside i n said case.

Par. 111. N o judge o f any court shall preside i n any case where the validity

o f any bond-Federal, State, corporation, or municipal-is involved, who holds

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Par. I V . T h e Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall hold their offices for six years, and until their successors are qualified. A successor t o the incumbent whose term will soonest expire shall be elected b y the General Assembly i n 1880; a successor t o the incumbent whose t e r m o f office is next in duration shall be elected b y the General Assembly i n 1882; and a successor t o the third incumbent shall be elected b y the General Assembly i n 1884; but appointments t o fill vacancies shall only be for t h e unexpired term, or until such vacancies are filled b y elections, agreeably t o the mode pointed out b y this Constitution.

Par. V . T h e Supreme Court shall have no original jurisdiction, but shall be a court alone for the trial and correction o f errors o f law from the superior courts and the City Courts o f Atlanta and Savannah, and such other like courts as have been or m a y hereafter be established i n other cities; i n all cases that involve the construction o f the Constitution o f the State o f Georgia or o f the United States, or o f treaties between the United States and foreign governments; in all cases in which the constitutionality o f any law o f the State o f Georgia or o f the United States is drawn in question; and, until otherwise provided by law, i n all cases respecting titles t o l a n d ; i n all equity cases; i n all cases which involve the validity o f , or the construction o f wills; i n all cases o f conviction o f a capital felony; i n all habeas-corpus cases; i n all cases involving extraordinary remedies; i n all divorce and alimony cases, and i n all cases certified t o it b y t h e Court o f Appeals for its determination. I t shall also be competent for the Supreme Court t o require b y certiorari or otherwise any case t o be certified t o the Supreme Court from the Court o f Appeals for review and determination with the same power and authority as i f the case had been carried b y writ o f error t o the Supreme Court. A n y case carried t o the Supreme Court or t o the Court o f Appeals, which belongs t o the class o f which the other court has jurisdiction, shall until otherwise provided b y law, be transferred t o the other court under such

rules as the Supreme Court may prescribe, and the cases so transferred shall be heard and determined by the court which has jurisdiction thereof.
Par. VI. The Supreme Court shall dispose of every case a t the first or second term after such writ of error is brought; and in case the plainti8 in error shall not be prepared a t the first term to prosecute the case-unless prevented by providential cause-it shall be striken from the docket, and the judgment below shall stand affirmed.
Par. VII. I n any case the court may, in its discretion, withhold its judgment until the next term atter the same is argued.
Par. VIII. The Supreme Court shall hereafter consist of a Chief Justice and five Associate Justices. The court shall have power to hear and determine cases when sitting either in a body or in two divisions of three judges each, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the General Assembly. A majority of either division shall constitute a quorum for that division. The Chief Justice and the Associate Justices of the Supreme Court shall hereafter be elected by the people a t the same time and in the same manner as the Governor and the State-house officers are elected, except that the first election under this amendment shall be held on the third Wednesday in December, 1896, a t which time one Associate Justice shall be elected for a full term of six years, to fill the vacancy occurring on January lst, 1897, by the expiration of the term of one of the present incumbents, and three additional Associate Justices shall be elected for terms expiring, respectively, January lst, 1899, January lst, 1901, and January lst, 1903. The persons elected as additional Associate Justices shall, among themselves, determine by lot which of the three last-mentioned terms each shall have, and they shall be commissioned accordingly. After said first election, all terms (except unexpired terms) shall be for six years each. I n case of any vacancy which causes an unexpired term, the same shall be filled by executive appointment, and the person appointed by the Governor shall hold his office until the next regular election, and until his successor for the balance of the unexp~red term shall have been elected and qualified. The returns of said special election shall be made to the secretary of State.
Par. IX. The Court of Appeals shall consist of the judges provided therefor by law a t the time of the ratification of this amendment, and of such additional judges as the General Assembly shall from time to time prescribe. All terms of the judges of the Court of Appeals after the expiration of the terms of the judges provided for by law a t the time of the ratification of the amendment (except unexpired terms) shall continue six years, and until their successors are qualified. The time and manner of electing judges, and the mode of filling a vacancy which causes an unexpired term, shall be the same as are or may be provided for by the laws relating to the election and appointment of Justices of the Supreme Court. The Court of Appeals shall have jurisdiction for the trial and correction of errors of law from the superior courts and from the City Courts of Atlanta and Savannah, and such other like courts as have been or may hereafter be established in other cities, and in all cases in which such jurisdiction has not been conferred by this Constitution upon the Supreme Court, and in such other cases as may hereafter be prescribed by law; except that where a case is pending in the Court of Appeals and the Court of Appeals desires instruction from the Supreme Court, it may certify the same to the Supreme Court, and thereupon a transcript of the record shall be transmitted to the Supreme Court, which, after having afforded to the parties an opportunity to be heard thereon, shall instruct the Court of Appeals on the question so certified, and the Court of Appeals shall be bound by the instructions so given. But if by reason of equal division of opinion among the Justices of the Supreme Court no such instruction is given, the Court of Appeals may decide the question. The manner of certifying questions to the Supreme Court by the Court of Appeals, and the subsequent proceedings in regard to the same in the Supreme Court, shall be as the Supreme Court shall by its rules prescribe, until otherwise provided by law. No affirmance of the judgment of the court below in cases pending in the Court of Appeals shall result from delay in disposing of questions or cases certified from the Court of Appeals to the Supreme Court, or as to which such certificate has been required by the Supreme Court as hereinbefore provided. All writs of error in the Supreme Court or the Court of Appeals, when received by its clerk during a term of the court and before the docket of the term is by order of the court closed, shall be entered thereon; when received at any other time, shall be entered

on the docket of the next term; and they shall stand for hearing a t the term for which they are so entered, under such rules as the court may prescribe, until otherwise provided by law. The Court of Appeals shall appoint a clerk and a sheriff of the court. The reporter of the Supreme Court shall be the reporter of the.Court of Appeals until otherwise provided by law. The laws relating to the Supreme Court as to qualifications and salaries of judges, the designation of other judges to preside when members of the court are disqualified, the powers, duties, salaries, fees and terms of officers, the mode of carrying cases to the court, the powers, practice, procedure, times of sitting, and costs of the court, the publication of reports of cases decided therein, and in all other respects, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution or by the laws as to the Court of Appeals a t the time of the ratification of this amendment, and until otherwise provided by law, shall apply to the Court of Appeals so t a r as they can be made to apply. The decisions of the Supreme Court shall bind the Court of Appeals as precedents.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. There shall be a judge of the superior courts for each judlcial circuit, whose term of office shall be four years, and until his successor is quallfied. H e may act in other circuits when authorized by law. The legislature shall have authority to add one or more additional judges of the superior court for any judicial circuit in this State, and shall have authority to regulate the manner In which the judges of such circuits shall dispose of the business thereof, and shall fix the time a t which the term or terms of office of such additional judge or judges shall begin, and the manner of his appointment or election, and shall have authority from time to time to add to the number of such judges in any judicial circuit, or to reduce the number of judges in any judicial circuit: Provided, that a t all times there shall be a t least one judge in every judicial circuit of this State.
Par. 11. The successors to the present and subsequent incumbents shall be elected by the electors entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly of the whole State, a t the general election heId for such members, next preceding the expiration of their respective terms: Pronided, that the successors for all incumbents whose terms expire on or before the first day of January, 1899, shall be elected by the General Assembly a t its session for 1898, for the full term ot four years.
Par. 111. The terms of the judges to be elected under the Constitution (except to fill vacancies) shall begin on the first day of January after their election. Every vacancy occasional by death, resignation, or other causes shall be filled by appointments of the Governor nntil the first day of January after the general election held next after the expiration of thirty days from the time such va'cancy occurs, a t which election a successor for the unexpired term shall be elected.
SECTIONIV.
Paragraph I. The superior court shall have exclusive jurisdiction in cases of divorce; in criminal cases where the offender is subjected to loss of life, or confinement in the penitentiary; in cases respecting titles to land; and equity cases.
Par. 11. The General Assembly may confer upon the courts of common law all the powers heretofore exercised by courts of equity in this State.
Par. 111. Said courts shall have jurisdiction in all civil cases, except as hereinafter provided.
Par. IV. They shall have appellate jurisdiction in all such cases as may be provided by law.
Par. V. They shall have power to correct errors in inferior judicatories, by writ of certiorari, which shall only issue on the sanction of the judge; and said courts and the judges thereof shall have power to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, scire facias, and all other writs that may be necessary for carrying their powers fullv into effect, and shall have such other powers as are or may be conferred on them by law.
Par. VI. The General Assembly may provide for an appeal from one jury, in the superior and city courts to another; and the said court may grant new trials on legal grounds.

Par. VII. The court shall render judgment without the verdict of a jury, in all civil cases founded on unconditional contracts in writing, where an issuable defense is not filed under oath or affirmation.
Par. VIII. The superior courts shall sit in each county not less than twice in each year, a t such times as have been or may be appointed by law.
Par. IX. The General Assembly may provide by law for the appointment of some proper person to preside in cases where the presiding judge is, from any cause, disqualified.
SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. I n any county within which there is, or hereafter may be, a city court, the judge of said court and of the superior court may preside In the courts of each other in cases where the judge of either court is disqualified to preside.
SECTIONVI.
Paragraph I. The powers of a court of ordinary, and of probate, shall be vested in an ordinary for each county, from whose decision there may be an appeal (or, by consent of parties, without a decision) to the superior court, under regulations prescribed by law.
Par. 11. The courts of ordinary shall have such powers, in relation to roads, bridges, ferries, public buildings, paupers, county officers, county funds, county taxes, and other county matters, as may be conferred on them by law.
Par. 111. The ordinary shall hold his office for the term of four years, and until his successor is elected and qualified.
SECTIONV I I .
Paragraph I. There shall he in each militia district one justice of the peace, whose official term, except when elected to fill an unexpired term, shall be four years. Provided, however, that the General Assembly may in its discretion abolish justice courts, and the office of justice of the peace and of notary public exofficio justices of the peace in any city In this State having a population of over twenty thousand, and establish in lieu thereof such court or courts o r system of courts, as the General Assembly may, in its discretion deem necessary, conferring upon such new court or courts or system of courts, when so established, the jurisdiction as to subject matter now exercised by justice courts and by justices 6f the peace and notaries public ex-officio justices ot the peace, together with such additional jurisdiction, either as 'to amount or to subject matter, as may be provided by law, whereof some other Court has not exclusive jurisdiction under this Constitution, together also with such provision as to rules and procedure in such courts and as to new trials and the correction of errors in and by said courts, and with such further provision for the correction of errors by the Superior Court, or the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court as the General Assembly may from time to time, in its discretion, provide or authorize. Any Court so established shall not be subject to the rules of uniformity laid down in Paragraph 1, of Section 9, of Article 6 , of the Constitution of Georgia.
Par. 11. Justices of the peace shall have jurisdiction in all civil case4 arising ex contractu, and in cases of injuries or damages to personal property, when the principal sum does not exceed one hundred dollars, and shall sit monthly a t fixed times and places; but in all cases there may be an appeal to a jury in said court, or an appeal to the superior court, under such regulations as may he prescribed by law.
Par. 111. Justices of the peace shall he elected by the legal voters in their respective districts, and shall be commissioned by the Governor. They shall be removable on conviction for malpractice in office.
SECTIONV I I I .
Paragraph I. Commissioned notaries public, not to exceed one for each militia district, may be appointed by the judges of superior courts in their respective circuits, upon recommendation of the grand juries of the several counties. They shall be commissioned by the Governor for the term of four years, and shall be ex-officio justices of the peace, and shall be removable on conviction for malpractice in office.

SECTIONI X .
Paragraph I. The jurisdiction, powers, proceedings, and practice of all courts or officers invested with judicial powers (except city courts), of the same grade or class, so f a r as regulated by law, and the force and efiect of the process, judgment, and decree by such courts, severally, shall be uniform. This uniformity must be established by the General Assembly.
SECTIOXN.
Paragraph I. There shall be a n attorney-general of this State, who shall be elected by the people a t the same time, for the same term, and in the same manner as the Governor.
Par. 11. It shall be the duty of the attorney-general to act as the lega: adviser of the executive department, to represent the State in the Supreme Court in all capital felonies, and in all civil and criminal cases in any court when required by the Governor, and to perform such other services as shall be required of him by law.
SECTIONXI.
Paragraph I. There shall be a solicitor-general for each judicial circuit, whose official term (except to fill a vacancy) shall be four years. The successors of present and subsequent i n c ~ ~ m b e n tsshall be elected by the electors of the whole State, qualified to vote for members of the General Assembly, a t the general election held next preceding the expiration of their respective terms. Every vacancy occasioned by death, resignation, or other cause shall be filled, by appointment of the Governor, until the first day of January after the general election held next after the expiration of thirty days from the time such vacancy occurs, a t which election a successor for the unexpired term shall be elected: Provided, that the successors for all incumbent., whose terms expire on or before the first day of January, 1899, shall he elected by the General Assembly a t its session for 1898, for the full term of four years.
Par. 11. I t shall be the duty of the solicitor-general to represent the State in all cases in the superior courts of his circuit, and in all cases taken up from his circuit to the Supreme Court, and to perform such other services as shall be required of him by law.
SECTIONX I I I .
Paragraph I. The judges of the Supreme Court shall have, out of the treasury of the State, salaries not to exceed three thousand dollars per annum; the judges of the superior courts shall have salaries not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum; the attorney-general shall have a salary not to exceed two thousand dollars per annum; and the solicitors-general each shall have salaries not to exceed two hundred and fifty dollars per annum; but the attorney-general shall not have any fee or perquisite in any cases arising after the adoption of t h ~ s Constitution; but the provisions of this section shall not afiect the salaries of those now in office. Provided, however, that the counties of Clarke, Floyd, Sumter, Muscogee, Bibh, Chatham. Fulton and Richmond shall pay from their respective county treasuries to the superior court judges of the circuit of which they are a part, and the County of Fulton to the judge of the Stone Mountain Circuit or the fudge of such other circuit as may hereafter be required to regularly preside therein, for additional services rendered in the Superior Court of Fulton County, s.uch sums as will, with the salaries paid each judge from the State Treasury, make a salary of $5,000.00 per annum to each judge; and said payments are declared to be a p a r t of the court expenses of such counties, such payments to be made to the judges now in office as well as their successors.
The Act of the General Assemblv of 1904 entitled "An Act to regulate the salaries of Judges of the Superior Courts of all Judicial Circuits of this State having, or that may hereafter have therein a city with a population of not less than 54,000, nor more than 75,000 inhabitants, and for otber purposes," with the Acts of the General Assembly of 1905 and 1906 amendatory thereof; and also the Act of the General Assembly of 1906, entitled "An Act to Regulate the Compensation of Judges of the Superior Courts for services rendered outside of their own Circuits in those Judicial Circuits of the State having therein a city of not less than 75,000 inhabitants according to the Census of 1900, and for other purposes", which Acts provide for the payment from the treasuries of the

counties containing' said cities to the judges aforesaid of a p a r t of their salaries, a r e ratified, validated and confirmed as to the dates of said respective enactments.
Par. 11. The General Assembly may a t any time, by a two-thirds vote of each branch, prescribe other and different salarles for any or all, of the above otricers, but no such change shall atfect the officers then in commission: Provided, however, t h a t the General Assembly shall have power, a t any time, by a majority vote of each branch, to abolish the fees a t present accruing to the ollice ot solicitor-general in any particular judicial circuit, and in lieu thereof to prescribe a salary for such office, in addition to the salary prescribed in paragraph 1 of this section of this article, and without regard t o the uniformity of such salaries in the various circuits; and shall have the further power to determine what disposition shall be made of the fines, forfeitures and fees accruing to the office of solicitor-general in any such judicial circuit where the fees are abolished.
SECTIONX I V .
Paragraph I. No 'person shall be judge of the Supreme or superior courts, o r attorney-general, unless, a t the time of his election, he shall have attained the age of thirty years, and shall have been a citizen of the State three years, and have practiced law for seven y e a h ; and no person shall be hereafter elected solicitor general, unless, a t the time of his election, he shall have attained twentyfive years of age, shall have been a citizen of the State for three years, and shall have practiced law for three years next preceding his election.
SECTIONX V .
Paragraph I. No total divorce shall be granted, except on the concurrent verdicts of two juries a t different termris of the court.
Par. 11. When a divorce is granted, the jury rendering the final verdict shall determine the rights and disabilities of the parties.
SECTIONXVI.
Paragraph I. Divorce cases shall be brought in the county where the defendant resides, if a resident of this State; if the defendant be not a resident of this State, then in the county in which the plaintiff resides.
Par. 11. Cases respecting titles to land shall be tried in the county where the land lies, except where a single tract is divided by a county line, in wlricn case the superior court in either county shall have jurisdiction.
Par. 111. Equity cases shall be tried in the county where a defendant resides against whom substantial relief is prayea.
Par. IV. Suits against joint obligors, joint prornissors, copartners, or joint trespassers, residing in different counties, may be tried in either county.
Par. V. Suits against the maker and indorser of promissory notes, or drawer, acceptor, and endorser of foreign or inland bills of exchange, or like instruments. residing in different counties, shall be brought in the county where the maker or acceptor resides.
Par. VI. All other civil cases shall be tried in the county where the defendant resides, and all criminal cases shall be tried in the county where the crime was committed, except cases in the superior courts where the judge is satisfied that a n impartial jury cannot be obtained in such county.
SECTTONX V I I .
Paragraph I. The power to change the venue in civil and criminal cases shall be vested in the superior courts, to be exercised in such manner as has been, or shall be, provided by law.
SEC~?OXNV I I I .
Paragraph I. The right of trial by jury, except where i t is otherwise provided in this Constitution, shall remain inviolate, but the General Assembly may prescribe any number, not less than five, to constitute a trial or traverse jury in courts other than the superior and city courts.
Par. 11. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the selection of the most experienced, intelligent, and upright men to serve as grand jurors, and in-
21

telligent and upright men to serve as traverse jurors. Nevertheless the grand jurors shall be competent to serve as traverse jurors.
Par. 111. It shall be the duty of the General Assembly, by general laws, to prescribe the manner of fixing compensation of jurors in all counties in this State.
SECTIOXNI X .
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall have power to provide for the creation of county commissioners in such counties as may require them, and to define their duties.
SECTIONXX.
Paragraph I. All courts not specially mentioned by name in the first section of this article may be abolished in any county, a t the discretion of the General Assembly.
SECTIONX X I .
Paragraph I. The costs in the Supreme Court shall. not exceed ten dollars, until otherwise provided by law. Plaintiffs in error shall not be required to pay costs in said court when the usual pauper oath is filed in the court below.
ARTICLE VII.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. The powers of taxation over the whole State shall be exercised by the General Assembly for the following purposes only.
For the support of the State government and the public institutions.
For educational purposes, in instructing children in the elementary branches of a n English education only.
To pay the interest on the public debt.
To p a p the principal of the public debt.
To suppress insurrection, to repel invasion, and defend the State in time of war.
To supply the soldiers who lost a limb or limbs, in the military service of the Confederate States, with substantial artificial limbs, during life; and make suitable provisions for such Confederate soldiers a s may have been otherwise disabled or permanently injured in such service, or who may, by reason of age and poverty, or infirmity and poverty, or blindness and poverty, be unable to provide a living for themselves, and for the widows of such Confederate soldiers as may have died in the service of the Confederate States, or since, from wounds received therein, or disease contracted in the service, or who, by reason of age and poverty, or infirmity and poverty, or blindness and poverty, are unable t o provide a living for themselves: Provided, that the Act shall only apply to such widows as were married at the time of such service, and have remained unmarried since the death of such soldier husband.
To make provision for the payment of pensions to any ex-Confederate soldier, now resident of this State, who enlisted in the military service of this State, or who enlisted in the military service of the Confederate States during the civil war between the States of the United States, and who performed actual military service in the armies of the Confederate States, or the organized militia of this State, and was honorably discharged therefrom; and to widows, now residents or this State, of ex-Confederate soldiers who enlisted in the military service of this State, or who enlisted in the military service of the Confederate States, and who performed actual service in the armies of the Confederate States or of the organized militia of this State, who died in said military service, or were honorably discharged therefrom: Provided, that no person shall be entitled to the provisions of this constitutional amendment the total value of whose property of every description, including money and choses in action, shall exceed fifteen hundred dollars: and, Provided further, that only those widows who were married to such soldier or ex-soldier previously to the year 1870 shall be entitled to the provisions of this constitutional amendment. No widow of a soldier killed during the war shall be deprived of her pension by reason of having subsequently married another veteran who is dead, unless she receives a pension on account of being the widow of such second husband.

Par. 11. The levy of taxes on property for any one year by the General Assembly for all purposes, except to provide for repelling ~nvasion,suppressing insurrection, or defending the btate in time of war, shall not exceed five mills on each dollar of the value of the property taxable in the State.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. All taxation shall be uniform upon the same class of subjects, and ad valorem on all property subject to be taxed within the territorial limits of the authority levying the tax, and shall be levied and collected under general laws. The General Assembly may, however, impose a tax upon such domestic animals as, from their nature and habits, are destructive of other property.
Par. 11. The General Assembly may, by law, exempt from taxation all public property; places of religious worship or burial; all institutions of purely public charity; all buildings erected for and used as a college, incorporated academy, or other seminary or learning; the real and personal estate of any public library, and that of any other literary association, used by or connected with such library; all books and philosophical apparatus; and all paintings and statuary ot any company or association, kept in a public hall, and not held as merchandise or for purposes of sale or gain: Provided, the property so exempted be not used for purposes of private or corporate profit or income. The General Assembly shall, further, have power to exempt from taxation, farm products, including baled cotton, grown in this State and remaining in the hands of the producers, but not longer than for the year next after their production.
Par. 111. No poll-tax shall be levied except for educational purposes, and such tax shall not exceed one dollar annually upon each poll.
Par. IV. All laws exempting property from taxation, other than the property herein enumerated, shall be void.
Par. V. The power to tax corporations and corporate property shall not be surrendered or suspended by any contract or grant to which the State shall be a party.
Par. VI. All persons or classes of persons who were, by laws of force January lst, 1911, required to make returns for taxation to the comptrollergeneral, and all who may hereafter be so required, shall, on or beiore the tirst day of March of each year, make such returns as of date of January 1st of that year, and shall pay the taxes arising on such returns in favor of the State on or before the first of September of the same year, anything heretofore contained in the Constitution or laws of Georgia to the contrary notwithstanding. 'I'he laws of force on said date governing such returns and payments, and the collection and enforcement thereof shall remain of force as applicable to the returns and payments herein required until the same shall be changed by law. ' h e General Assembly shall have power to make or alter all laws that may be necessary or proper for enforcing the provisions of this paragraph.
Paragraph I. No debt shall be contracted by or on behalf of the State, except to supply such temporary deficit as may exist in the treasury in any year from necessary delay in collecting the taxes of that year, to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, and defend the State in time of war, or to pay the existing public debt; but the debt created to supply deficiencies in revenue shall not exceed, in the aggregate, Five Hundred Thousand Dollars, and any loan made for this purpose shall be repaid out of the taxes levied for the year in which the loan is made.
SECTIONI V .
Paragraph I. All laws authorizing the borrowing of money by or on behalf of the State shall specify the purposes for which the money is to be used, and the money so obtained shall be used for the purpose specified, and for no other.
Paragraph I. The credit of the State shall not be pledged or loaned to any individual, company, corporation, or association, and the State shall not become a joint owner or stockholder in any company, association, or corporation.

SECTIONVI.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall not authorize any county, municipal corporation, or political division of this State to become a stockholder in any company, corporation, or association, or to appropriate money for, or to loan its credit to, any corporation, company, association, institution, or individual, except for purely charitable purposes. This restriction shall not operate to prevent the support of schools by municipal corporations within their respective limits: Provided, that if any municipal corporation shall offer to the State any property for locating or building a capitol, and the State accepts such ofier, the corporation may comply with such offer.
Par. 11. The General Assembly shall not have power to delegate to any county the right to levy a tax for any purpose, except for educational purposes; to build and repair the public buildings and bridges; to maintain and support prisoners; to pay jurors and coroners, and for litigation, quarantine, roads and expenses of Courts; to support paupers and pay debts heretofore existing; to pay the county police, and to provide for necessary sanitation.
SECTIONV I I .
Paragraph I. The debt hereafter incurred by any county, municipal corporation or political division of this State, except as in this Constitution provided for, shall not exceed seven per centum of the assessed value of all the taxable property therein, and no such county, rrlunicipality or division shall incur any new debt, except for a temporary loan or loans to supply casual dificiencies ot revenue, not to exceed one-fifth of one per centum of the assessed value of taxable property therein, without the assent of two-thirds of the qualified voters thereof, a t an election for that purpose, to be held as nlay be prescribed by law; but any city, the debt of which does not exceed seven per centum of the assessed value of the taxable property a t the time of the adoption of this Constitution, may be authorized by law to increase, a t any time, the amount of said debt, three per centunl upon such assessed valuation; except that the City Council of Augusta from time to time, as necessary, for the purpose of protection against floods, may incur a bonded indebtedness upon its power producing canal and municipal water works, in addition to the debts nereinbefore in this paragraph allowed to be incurred to an amount in the aggregate not exceeding fifty per centum of the combined value of such properties, the valuation of such properties to be fixed as may be prescribeci by law. but said valuation not to exceed a figure five per cent. on which shall represent the net revenue per annum produced by the two such properties together a t the time of said valuation, and such indebtedness not to be incurred except with the assent of two-thirds of the qualified voters of such city, a t an election or elections for that purpose to be held as may be now, or may be hereafter, prescribed by law for the incurring of new debts by said the City Council of Augusta.
Par. 11. Any county, municipal corporation, or political division of this State, which shall incur any bonded indebtedness under the provisions of this Constitution, shall, a t or before the time of so doing, provide for the assessment and collection of an annual tax, sufficient in amount to pay the principal and interest of said debt within thirty years from the date of the incurring of said indebtedness.
SECTION VIII.
Paragraph I. The State shall not assume the debt, nor any part thereof, of any county, municipal corporation, or political division of the State, unless such debt shall be contracted to enable the' State to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend itself in time of war.
SECTIONI X .
Paragraph I. The rece'iving, directly or indirectly, by any officer of the State or county, or member or officer of the General Assembly, of any interests, profits, or perquisites arising from the use or loan of public funds in his hands; or moneys to be raised through his agency for State or county purposes, shall be deemed a felony, and punishable as may be prescribed by law, a part of which punishment shall be a disqualification from holding office.
SECTIONX.
Paragraph I. Municipal corporations shall not incur any debt until provision therefor shall have been made by the municipal government.

SECTIONX I .
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall have no authority to appropriate money, directly or indirectly, to pay the whole, or any part, of the principal or interest of the bonds, or other obligations, which have been pronounced illegal, null and void, by the General Assembly, and the constitutional amendments ratlfied by a vote of the people on the first day of May, 1877; nor shall the General Assembly have authority to pay any of the obligations created by the State under laws passed during the late war between the States, nor any of the bonds, notes, or obligations made and entered into during the existence of said war, the time for the payment of which was fixed after the ratification of a treaty of peace between the united States and the Confederate States; nor shall the General Assembly pass any law, or the Governor, or other State official, enter into any contract or agreement, whereby the State shall be made a party to any suit in any court of this State, or of the United States, instituted to test the validity of any such bonds or obligations.
SECTIONX I I .
Paragraph I. The bonded debt of the State shall never be increased, except to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend the State in time of war.
SECTIONX I I I .
Paragraph I. The proceeds of the sale of the Western and Atlantic, Macon and Bruniwick, or other railroads held by the State, and any other property owned by the State, whenever the General Assembly may authorize the sale of the whole or any part thereof, shall be applied to the payment of the bonded debt ot the State, and shall not be, used for any other purpose whatever so long as thc State has any existing bonded debt: P~ovided,that the proceeds of the sale oi the Western and Atlantic Railroad shall be applied to the payment of the bonds for which said railroad has been mortgaged, in preference to all other bonds.
SECTIONXIV.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall raise, by taxation, each year, in addition to the sum required to pay the public expenses and interest on the public debt, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, which shall be held as a sinking fund to pay off and retire the bonds of the State which have not yet matured, and shall be applied to no other purpose whatever. If the bonds cannot a t any time be purchased a t or below par, then the sinking fund herein provided for, may be loaned by the Governor and treasurer of the State: Provided, the security which shall be demanded for said loan shall consist only of the valid bonds of the State; but this section shall not take effect until the eight per cent. currency bonds, issued under the Act of February the 19th, 1873, shall have been paid.
SECTIONXV.
Paragraph I. The comptroller-general and treasurer shall each make to thGovernor a quarterly report of the financial condition of the State, which report shall include a statement of the assets, liabilities, and income of the State, and expenditures therefor, for the three months preceding; and it shall be the duty of the Governor to carefully examine the same by himself, or through competent persons connected with his department, and cause an abstract thereof to be published for the information of the people, which abstract shall be indorsed by him as having been examined.
SECTIONXVI.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall not, by vote, resolution, or order, grant any donation or gratuity in favor of any person, corporation, or association.
Par. 11. The General Assembly shall not grant or authorize extra compensation to any public officer, agent, or contractor, after the service has been rendered, or the contract entered into.
SECTIONXV'II.
Paragraph I. The office of the State printer shall cease with the expiration of the term of the present incumbent, and the General Assembly shall provide, by law, for letting the public printing to the lowest responsible bidder, or bidders,

who shall give adequate and satisfactory security foi the faithful performance thereof. No member of the General Assembly, or other public officer, shall be interested, either directly or indirectly, in any such contract.
ARTICLE VIII.
Enuc~noN.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. There shall be a thorough system of common schools for the education of the children, as nearly uniform as practicable, the expense of which shail be provided for by taxation, or otherwise. The schools shall be free to all. children of the State, but separate schools shall be provided for the white and colored races.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. There shall be a State school commissioner, elected by the people a t the same time and manner as the Governor and State-house officers are elected, whose term of office shall be two years; and until his successor 1s elected and qualified. His office shall be a t the seat of the government, and he shall be paid a salary not to exceed two thousand doilars per annum. The General Assembly may substitute for the State school commissioner such ofticer, or officers as may be deemed necessary to perfect the system of public education.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. The poll tax, any educational fund now belonging to the State (except the endowment of, and debt due to, the University of Georgia), a special tax on shows and exhibitions and on the sale of spirituous and malt liquors, which the General Assembly is hereby authorized to assess, and the proceeds ot any commutation tax for military service, and all taxes that may be assessed on such domestic animals as from their nature and habits, are destructive to other property are hereby set apart and devoted for the support of common schools.
SECTIONI V .
Paragraph I. Authority may be granted to counties, militia districts, school districts and to municipal corporations, upon the recommendation of the corporate authority, to establish and maintain public schools in their respective limits by local taxation; but no such laws shall take effect until the same shall have been submitted to a vote of the qualified voters in each county, militia district, school district, or municipal corporation and approved by two-thirds majority of persons voting a t such election, and the General Assembly may prescribe who shall vote on such questions.
SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. Existing local school systems shall not be affected by this Constitution. Nothing contained in first section of this Article shall be construed to deprive schools in this State, not common schools, from participation in the educational fund of the State, as' to all pupils therein taught in the elementary branches of an English education.
SECTIONV I .
Paragraph I. The trustees of the University of Georgia may accept bequests, donations, and grants of land or other property for the use of said University. I n addition to the payment of the annual interest on the debt due by the State to the University, the General Assembly may, from time to time, make such donations thereto as the condition of the treasury will authorize. And the General Assembly may also, from time to time, make such appropriations of money as the condition of the treasury will authorize to any college or university (not exceeding one in number) now established, or hereafter to be established, in this State for the education of persons of color.
ARTICLE IX.
HOMESTEAADND EXEMPTION.
SECTION I.
Paragraph I. There shall be exempt from levy and sale, by virtue of any process whatever under the laws of this State, except as hereinafter excepted,

of the property of every head of a family, or guardian or trustee of a family ot minor children, or every aged or infirm person, or person having the care and support of dependent females of any age, who is not the head of a family, realty or personalty, or both, to the value in the aggregate of sixteen hundred dollars.
SECTION11.
Paragraph I. No court or ministerial officer in this State shall ever have jurisdiction or authoriky to enforce any judgment, execution, or decree against the property set apart for such purpose, including such improvements as may be made thereon from time to time, except for taxes, for the purchase-money of the same, for labor done thereon, for material furnished therefor, or for the removal ot incumbrances thereon.
SECTION111.
Paragraph I. The debtor shall have power to waive or renounce in writing his riglit to the benefit of the exemption provided for in this Artlcle, except as to wearing apparel, and not exceeding three hundred dollars worth of household and kitchen furniture and provisions, to be selected by himself and his wife, it any; and he shall not, after it is set apart, alienate or encumber the property so exempted, but it may be sold by the debtor and his wife, if any, jointly, with the sanction of the judge of the superior court of the county where the debtor resides or the land is situated, the proceeds to be reinvested upon the same uses.
SECTION1V.
Paragraph I. The General Assembly shall provide by law, as early as practicable, for the setting apart and valuation of said property. But nothing in this Article shall be construed to affect or repeal the existing laws for exemption of property from sale contained in the present Code of this State, in paragraphs 2040 to 2049 inclusive, and the Acts amendatory thereto. It may be optional with the applicant to take either, but not both, of such exemptions.
SECTIONV.
Paragraph I. The debtor shall have authority to waive or renounce in writing his right to the benefit of the exemption provided for in section four, except as it is excepted in section three of this article.
SECTIONVI.
Paragraph I. The applicant shall, at any time, have the right to supplement his exemption by adding to an amount already set apart, which is less than the whole amount of exemption herein allowed, a sufficiency to make his exemption equal to the whole amount.
SECTIONVII.
Paragraph I. Homestead and exemptions of personal property which hare been heretofore set apart by virtue of the provisions of the existing constitution of this State, and in accordance with the laws for the enforcement thereof, or which may be hereafter so set apart, a t any time, shall be and remain valid as against all debts and liabilities existing a t the time of the adoption of this Constitution, to the same extent that they would have been had said existing Constitution not been revised.
SECTIONVIII.
Paragraph I. Rights which have become vested under previously existing laws shall not be affected by anything herein contained. In all cases in which homesteads have been set apart under the Constitution of 1868 and the law4 made in pursuance thereof, and a bona fide sale of such property has been subsequently made, and the full purchase-price thereof has been paid, all right of exemption in such property by reason of its having been so set apart shall cease in so far as it affects the right of the purchaser. I n all such cases where a part only of the purchase-price has been paid, such transactions shall be governed by the laws now of force in this State, in so far as they affect the rights of the purchaser, as though said property had not been set apart.
SECTIONIX.
Paragraph I. Parties who have taken a homestead of realty under the Constitution of eighteen hundred and sixty-eight shall have the right to sell said

homestead and reinvest the same, by order of the judge of the superior courts ot this State.
ARTICLE X.
Paragraph I. A well regulated militia being essential to the peace and security of the State, the General Assembly shall have authority to provide by law how the militia of this State shall be organized, officered, trained, armed and equipped; and of whom it shall consist.
Par. 11. The General Assembly shall have power to authorize the formation of volunteer companies, and to provide for their organization into battalions, regiments, brigades, divisions and corps, with such restrictions as may be prescribed by law, and shall have authority to arm and equip the same.
Par. 111. The officers and men of the militia and volunteer forces shall not be entitled to receive any pay, rations, or emoluments, when not in active service by authority of the State.
ARTICLE XI.
COUNTIEASND COUNTYOFFICERS.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. Each county shall be a body corporate, with such powers and limitations as may be prescribed by law. All suits by or against a county shall be in the name thereof; and the metes and bounds of the several counties shall remain as now prescribed by law, unless changed as hereinafter provided.
Paragraph 11. There shall not be more than one hundred and forty-five counties in this State: Provided, however, that in addition to the counties now provided for by this Constitution there shall be a new county laid out from the counties of Irwin and Wilcox, bounded as follows: beginning a t the point where the south line of land lot No. 167' in the third district of Wilcox County crosses the Alapaha river, and running due east along the south line to the northeast corner of land lot No. 159 in the third district of Irwin county; thence north to the northeast corner of land lot No. 172 in the third district of Wilcox county; thence east to the northeast corner of land lot No. 174 in the third district ot Irwin county; thence south to the northeast corner of land lot No. 157 in the third district of Irwin county, and thence east to the northeast corner of land lot No. 156 in the third district of Irwin county, and thence south to the northeast corner of land lot No. 66 in the third district of Irwin county; thence east to the northeast corner of land lot No. 62 in the third district of Irwin county, and thence south to the northeast corner of land lot No. 32 in the third district of Irwin county; thence east to the southeast corner of land lot No. 233 in the fourth district of Irwin county, and thence north to the southwest corner of land lot No. 206 in the fourth district of Irwin county, and thence east to the southeast corner of land lot No. 39 in the fourth district of Irwin county, and thence north along the east line of land lot No. 39 to the Ocmulgee river, and thence in a westerly direction along the Ocmulgee river to the point where House creek in Wilcox county empties into the Ocmulgee river, and thence in a westerly direction along the said House creek to the point where the said House creek crosses the north line of land lot No. 255 in the third district of Wilcox county, and thence west along the north line of said land lot No. 255 and the district line between the first and third districts in the said county of Wilcox to the Alapaha river, and thence in a southerly direction along the said Alapaha river to the starting point. That Fitzgerald shall be the county site of said county. Said count y shall be attached to the Third Congressional district, and to the Oconee judicial circuit until another circuit shall be established embracing the present county of Irwin, in which case it shall belong to said new circuit, and shall be attached to the fifteenth State senatorial district. That all legal voters residing in the limits of said county of Ben Hill, entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly under the laws of Georgia, shall, on the first Tuesday in January, 1907, elect an ordinary, a clerk of the superior court, a sheriff, a coroner, a tax collector, a tax receiver, a county surveyor, and a county treasurer, and three commissioners of roads and revenues for said county, said election to be held a t Fitzgerald, the county site

of said county. That the superior courts of said county shall be held on the first Mondays in April and October of each year. The limits of the said county, the Congressional and senatorial districts and the judicial circuit to which it is attached, the time of holding the terms of the superior courts shall be as designated above until changed by law:
Provided, however, that, in addition to the counties now provided for by this Constitution there shall be a new county laid out and created from the territory now comprising Pulaski County, to be made up and composed of all that part of the territory of Pulaski County lying north and east of a line extending northwest and southeast across said county, said line beginning a t the point on the boundary line of Pulaski and Dodge Counties where land lots Nos. 123 and 148, in the 20th land district of Pulaski County meet, and thence extending from said point in a northwesterly direction along the line dividing said lots 123 and 148; thence continuing in a northwesterly direction along the dividing lines of the following land lots: Nos. 122 and 149, 121 and 150, in the 20th land district; and Nos. 300 and 301, 299 and 302, 298 and 303, 297 and 304, 296 and 305, 295 and 306, 294 and 307, 293 and 308, 292 and 309, 291 and 310, 290 and 311, 289 and 312, 288 and 313, 287 and 314, 286 and 315, in the 2lst land district, and Nos. 354 and 361, and between lots 360 and 355, and between 359 and 356, between 358 and 357 in the 24th land district, to the Ocmulgee river and to the line of Houston County.
That the said new county shall be known as the County of Bleckley, and the City of Cochran shall be the county site of the same.
That the said County of Bleckley shall be attached to the same Congressional District, and to the same Judicial Circuit, and to the same State Senatorial District as those to which the County of Pulaski is attached a t the date of the ratification of this amendment.
That all legal voters residing in the limits of the County of Bleckley, entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly under the laws of Georgia, shall, on the first Wednesday in January following the ratification of this proposed amendment, elect an Ordinary, a Clerk of the Superior Court, a Sheriff, a Coroner, a 'l'ax Collector, a Tax Receiver, a County Surveyor, and a County Treasurer, and one Commissioner of Roads and Revenues for said new county, and'said election shall be held a t Cochran.
That the Superior Courts of said Bleckley County shall be held on the second Monday in January and the first Monday in July, of each year.
That the Congressional and Senatorial Districts, the Judicial Circuit to which said county is attached, the time of holding the terms of the Superior Court, and the limits of the county, shall be as designated above until changed by law.
Provided, that the laws applicable to the organization of new counties as found in Sections 829 to 848 inclusive, of the Code of 1911, are hereby made applicable to said County of Bleckley, whenever the same may be created by the proposed amendment to the Constitution, and that said county when created, shall become a statutory county and shall be a t all times subject to all laws applicable to all other counties in this State.
Provided, however, that in addition to the counties now provided for by this constitution there shall be a new county laid out from the county of Montgomery, and bounded as follows: Commencing a t a point on the western bank of the Oconee river where the Laurens county line intersects with said river, thence down the western b a n k o f the said river to the mouth of the said river; thence up the northern bank of the Ocmulgee river to the mouth of Little Ocmulgee river, thence up the said Little Ocmulgee river to the line of Dodge county, thence east along said line of Dodge county and Laurens county to the western hank of the Oconee river to the starting point. That said new county, the boundaries of which are described herein, shall be called and known by the name of Wheeler, and shall be attached to and become a part of the Twelfth Congressional district, the Fifteenth State Senatorial district and the Oconee judicial circuit, and the county site of the said new county shall be the town of Alamo. That all legal voters residinc in the limits as herein described of said proposed new coantv of Wheeler entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly under the laws of Georgia, shall, on the first Tuesday in January, 1913, elect an ordinary, a clerk of superior court, a sheriff, a coroner, a tax collector, a tax receiver, a county surveyor, a county treasurer and three commissioners of roads and revenues for said county, said election to be held a t town of Alamo, the

county site of said new county. That the superior courts of said county shall be held on the first Mondays in March and on the first Mondays in September of each year. The limits of the said county, the Congressional and Senatorial districts, and the judicial circuit to which i t is attached, and the time of holding the terms of the superior courts, shall be as designated above until changed by law; provided, that the laws applicable to the organization of new counties as found in section 829 to 848 inclusive, of the Code of 1911, are hereby made applicable to said county of Wheeler whenever the same may be created by the proposed amendment to the Constitution, and that said county when created, shall become a statutory county and shaIl be a t all times subject to all laws applicable.to all other counties in this State.
Provided, however, that in addition to the counties now provided for by this constitution there shall be a new county laid out from the counties of Gwinnett, Walton and Jackson, said county bounded as follows: Beginning a t a point amid stream where the Mulberry River crosses the Hall County line joining Jackson County; thence following the line between Hall and Jackson Counties to the corner of Hall, Gwinnett and Jackson Counties; thence in a direct line to the center of the Appalachia River a t Freeman's mill; thence following the middle of the current of said Appalachia River down to the
line of Walton and Oconee Counties; thence following the line between Walton and Oconee Counties to the common corner of Walton, Jackson and Oconee counties; thence following the line between Jackson and Oconee Counties to the Clarke County line dividing Oconee and Clark Counties; thence in a direct line to McClesky's Bridge a t the central point over the Mulberry River; and thence up the said Mulberry River to the beginning point on the Hall County line. That Winder, Georgia, shall be the county site of said county. Said county shall be attached to the Ninth Congressional District and to the Western Judicial Circuit and shall be attached to the Thirty-third Senatorial District. That the name of said new county shall be Barrow, and that all legal voters residing in the limits of said county of Barrow entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly under the laws of Georgia shall, on the first Tuesday in January, 1915, elect an ordinary, a clerk of the Superior Court, a sheriff, a coroner, a tax collector, a tax receiver, a county surveyor and a county treasurer. Said election to be held a t Winder, Georgia, the county site of said county. That the Superior Courts of said county shall be held on the fourth Mondays in March and September of each year. The limits of said county, the congressional and senatorial districts and the judicial circuit to which it is attached, the time of holding the terms of the Superior Court shall be as above designated until changed by law.
That in addition to the counties heretofore existing in this State, created by the General Assembly, and those created by amendments to the above and foregoing Paragraph, Section and Article of the Constitution of this State, there is hereby created an additional county, which county shall be known as Candler County. The
territory for the formation of said county of Candler shall be taken from the counties of Emanuel, Bulloch and Tattnall, and the said territory so taken for the formation of said new county of Candler shall be included within the following described boundaries, to-wit.: Starting a t the south of Ten Mile Creek where it empties into Canoochee River; running in a northerly direction up said river to Excelsior Bridge; thence in a northerly direction straight course to Lott's Creek to a point one quarter of a mile above new bridge; thence along the line of Lott's Creek to DeLoach's Pond; leaving DeLoach's Pond running in a northwesterly direction, crossing the Bulloch and Emanuel County lines, intersecting with the Swainsboro and Statesboro public road, a t D. B. Johnson's place; thence in a southwesterlv direction to Union School House; thence in a southwesterly direction to Cowart's Mill Pond; thence a direct line sonth to the Leo Collins crossing on Central of Georgia Railroad; thence a southwesterly cour4e to Griffin's Ferry Bridge on the Ohoopee River (crossing line of Emanuel and Tattnall Counties), a southerly
course to a point where the counties of Emanuel and Tattnall meet on the Ohoopee River; thence a direct line east to Kennedy's Bridge on the Canoochee River. That when said countv is created the countv seat of the same shall he the town of Metter, now in the county of Bulloch; that if the above and foregoing amendment should he ratified by the people when the same is submitted to them for their ratification ~t the next qeneral election after the adoption of this proposal to amend the Constiti~tionthere shall be on the first Wednesday in December after the proposed amendment to the Constitution is adopted an election for the county officers herein named in and for said new county, to be held a t the severaI

election precincts existing within the limits of said new county a t the time of the adoption of the proposed amendment, during the usual hours of holding elections, and all legally qualified voters residing in said territory shail be qualified to vote a t said election and the ordinaries of the several counties in which said election precincts are located a t the time of the adoption of this amendment shall each appoint the election managers for the precincts in the counties in which he shail exercise jurisdiction of ordinary, and the managers of the election shall on the day suc-
ceeding the election, meet a t the town of Metter, the place designated as thc county seat of the new county, and consolidate the vote for the county officers, a t such place within the limits of the town of Metter as shall be designated by the Judge of the Superior Court of the middle circuit, whose duty i t is hereby made 'to designate the place of meeting of said election managers within the corporate limits of said town of &letter, and the general laws now in force as to the consolidation of the votes, the return of the election and the commission of officers shall be applicable to officers elected a t such special election herein provided for; that the officers to be elected at said special election herein provided shall be an ordinary, a clerli of the Superior Court, a sheritf, a tax collectol, a tax receiver, a coroner, a county surveyor, and a county treasurer; that said officers shall be comniissioned as now required by law, and all laws now in force in this State to commission officers and for bonds required of them shall be applicable to the officers so elected; that the officers elected a t said general election shall hold their offices until the next general election for county officers and until their successors are elected and qualified. The General Assembly is hereby given power to create any additional statutory officers in said county or statutory courts and to provide by law for filling said offices. Any vacancies that may occur before the next general election in any of the offices created by said county may be filled, as now provided by law. The said county of Candler shall be: attached to the First Congressional District, the Middle Judicial Circuit and the Seventeenth Senatorial District, but it shall be in the power of the General Assenv bly a t any time to change the judicial circuit to which said county of Candler is attached, and the said General Assembly of Georgia is hereby given power to change said county of Candler in arranging congressional and senatorial districts as now provided by law. That the Superior Courts in said County of Candler shall be held on the third Mondays in February and August months of each year, but i t shall be within the power of the General Assembly a t any time by law t o change the time of holding the courts and the number of terms thereof. That the Justices of the Peace and Constables residing in the territory included w i t l i i ~ ~ the new county of Candler shall exercise the duties and powers of their office until new militia districts are laid out in said county of Candler, as now provided by law; that all of the provisions of the law as contained in Chapter Thirteen (13), of the Code of 1910, are hereby made applicable to the said county of Candler whenever the same is created; that all of the general laws in this State in addition to the above having application to the statutory counties of this State are hereby made applicable to the said county of Candler, especially the law in reference toeholding elections for the purpose of creating a debt for said county; that the said county of Candler, so created by this amendment, shall become in all respects a statutory county and shall be governed by all laws now in force in this State regulating county and county affairs.
Provided, however, that in addition to the counties now provided for
by the Constitution of the State of Georgia, there shall be a new county laid out from the counties of Appling, Pierce and Ware; that the name of said county shall be Bacon, and the boundaries, shall be as follows: Commencing a t the southwest corner of the county of Appling, where it corners with Ware and Coffee Counties, being a t the southwest corner of land lot 471 of the 5th district of Appling County; and running thence north along the dividing lines between the counties of Appling and Coffee to the southwest corner of land lot 464 of the 5th district of Appling County; and running thence west along the original land line to the southwest corner of land lot 510 of the 5th district of Appling County where i t corners with Coffee County; and running theflce north along the dividing line between the counties of Appling and Coffee to the northwest corner of laud lot 115 of the 2nd district of Appling County where it corners with JeB Davis County; and running thence east along the dividing line between Appling and Jeff Davis Counties to the northwest corner of land lot 108 in the 2d district of Appling County; thence running north along the dividing line of Appling and Jeff DaCis Counties to the northwest corner of land lot 169 of the 2d district of

Appling County; and thence east along the original land line to what is known as the Little Satilla River; and thence southeasterly along the middle thread of the Little Satilla River to a point where said river crosses the southern line ot land lot 75 of the 4th district of Pierce County and running thence west along the
original land line to the northwest corner of land lot 76 in the 4th district of Pierce County; thence running south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 63 in the 4th district of Pierce County; and running thenee west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 30 in the 4th district of Pierce County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 31 of the 4th district of Pierce County; thence west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 16 in the 4th district of Pierce County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 15 in the 4th district of Pierce County; ,thence west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 38 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 36 in. the 5th district of Pierce County; thence west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 57 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 58 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 81 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 80 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence west along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 105 in the 5th district of Pierce County, thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land' lot 106 in the 5th district of Pierce County; thence west along the original land lines to the southeast corner of land lot 198 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence south along the original land line to the southeast corner of land lot 199 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence west along the original land lines to the southwest corner of land lot 291 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence north along the original land lines to the northwest corner of land lot 290 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence west along the original land line to the southwest corner of land lot 310 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence north along the original land lines to the southwest corner of land lot 312 in the 5th district of Ware County; thence west along the original land lines to the southwest corner of land Iqt 471 to point and place of beginning.
That Alma, Georgia, shall be the county site of said county; that the said county shall be attached to the Eleventh Congressional District and to the Waycross Judicial Circuit and to the Third Senatorial District. That all the legal voters residing in the limits of said county of Bacon, entitled to vote for members of the General Assembly under the laws of Georgia, shall on the first Tuesday in January, 1915, a t Alma, Georgia, the county site of said county, elect an ordinary, a clerk of the Superior Court, a sheriff, a coroner, a tax collector, a tax receiver, a county surveyor, county school superintendent, and a county treasurer. The limits of said county, the congressional and senatorial districts and the judicial circuit to which it is added shall be as above designated until changed by law. The Superior Court of said county shall be held on the third Mondays in March and October. That said County of Bacon is hereby declared to be a statutory county, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia is hereby given the power by legislation to create local offices and local courts in the said county, other than those provided for in this constitution; and it is further declared that the General Assembly shall have the same power to legislate in reference to said County of Bacon, that it has now as to other counties in the State. That all laws ap-
plicable t o the counties in this State are hereby made to apply to the said County of Bacon. That said County of Bacon is hereby authorized to create a bonded debt not to exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for public improve-
ments in said county of Bacon, by the consent of the majority of the regular qualified voters of said County of Bacon voting a t an election for that purpose. That'said election to create said debt shall be held under law now in force, for creation of the debt.
Provided, however, that in addition to the counties now provided for by this Constitution, there shall be a new county laid out and created from portions of the Counties of Bulloch and Tattnall and embraced within the following boundary lines: Commencing a t a point known as Johnson's Old Ferry on the Canoochec
River and running thence in a southwesterly direction along the boundary line

between Liberty and Tattnall Counties to a point known as the Ford on Canoochce

Creelr; thence in a westerly direction, a straight line to Jennie; thence a westerly

direction a straight line to Roger's Crossing, a t the intersection of the Bell-

ville and Reidsville Roads; thence in a northerly direction in a straight line to

a point on the Seaboard Air Line Railway, half way between the towns ot Bellville and Manassas, thence northerly in the same direction in a straight line until i t intersects the line of the proposed county of Candler, thence along said line to the Canoochee River, thence in a southerly direction down the Canoocnee River to Kennedy's Bridge, thence in an easterly direction along the public road

leading from Kennedy's Bridge to Ada Belle on the Register and Giennville Railroad; thence in an easterly direction along the old Dublin Road, to the right-ot-

way of the old Dublin Railroad bed; thence in a southeasterly direction down said right-of-way to Scott's Creek, thenee in the same direction down Scott's Creek to its mouth in Lott's Creek, thence in a southerly direction down Lott's Creek to its mouth into Canoochee River; and from thence down Canoochee River in a southeasterly direction to the starting point at Johnson's Ferry. l'hat the territory embraced in the foregoing boundary lines shall be known as and be rlamed Evans County, and the city of Claxton shall be the county site of the same. That said proposed county shall be attached to the First Congressional District, to the Atlantic Judicial Circuit and to the Second Senatorial District. That all legal voters residing within the limits of said proposed county of Evans, entitled under the laws of Georgia to vote for members of the General Assembly, shall, on the first Wednesday in January tollowing the ratification by the people of this proposed amendment, elect the foilowing officers for the said county of Evans: An ordinary, a clerk of the Superior Court, a sheriff, a coroner, a tax collector, a tax receiver, a county treasurer, a county surveyor, a county superintendent of public schools, and three commissioners of roads and revenues,
said election to be held a t Claxton, the county site, according to law. . That the
Superior Courts of the said county of Evans shall be held on the fourth Mondays of January, March, June and October, of each year and that the grand jury for said county of Evans shall serve a t the January and June terms of said court, each year; provided, however, that the Judge of the Superior Court may, in hi!: discretion, cause the grand jury of said county to be summoned a t any term ot said Superior Court. That the limits of said county of Evans, the congressional and State senatorial districts, the judicial circuit to which said county of Evans

is hereby attached, the terms of the Superior Court of the same shall be as designated herein until changed by law; provided, that the laws applicable to new counties, and not inconsistent, or in conflict with the provisions of this Act,
as found in Section 829 to 848, inclusive, of the Code of Georgia, 1910, are hereby made applicable to said county of Evans, whenever said county is created, and that said county shall be subject to all laws applicable to all other counties ot

this State.

Par. 111. County lines shall not be changed, unless under the operation of a general law for that purpose.

Par. IV. No county site shall be changed or removed, except by a two-thirds vote of the qualified voters of the county, voting a t an election held 'for that purpose, and a two-thirds vote of the General Assembly.

Par. V. Any county may be dissolved and merged with contiguous counties, by a two-thirds vote of the qualified electors of such county, voting a t an election
held for that purpose. SECTION11.

Paragraph I. The county officers shall be elected by the qualified voters ot their respective counties or districts, and shall hold their office for four years. They shall be removed on conviction for mal-practice in office; and no person

shall be eligible to any of the offices referred to in this paragraph unless he shall have been a resident of the county for two years and is a qualified voter. Provided, that the provisions of this amendment shall not become etiective until

January lst, 191'7.

SECTION111.

Paragraph I. Whatever tribunal, or officers, may hereafter be created by the General Assembly, for the transaction of county matters, shall be uniform
throughout the State, and of the same name, jurisdiction, and remedies, except that the General Assembly may provide for the appointment of commissioners of roads and revenue in any county, and may abolish the office of county treasurer

in any county, or fix the compensation of county treasurers and such compensation may be fixed without regard to uniformity of such compensation in the various counties.
SECTION1V.
Paragraph I. The city of Atlanta shall be the capital of the State, until changed by the same authority, and in the same way, that is provided for the alteration of this Constitution.
ARTICLE XII.
THE LAWSOF GENERALOPERATIONIS FORCEIN THIS STATE.
SECTIONI .
Paragraph I. The laws of genera! operation in this State are-First, as the suprenle law: The Constitution of the United States, the laws of the United States in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made under the authority of the United States.
Par. 11. Second, as next in authority thereto: this Constitution.
Par. 111. Third, in subordination to the foregoing: All laws now of force in this State, not inconsistent with this Constitution, and the ordinances of thls Con~ention,shall remain of force until the same are modlfied o r repealed by the General Assembly. The tax acts and appropriation acts passed by the General Assembly of 1877, and approved by the Governor of the State, and not inconsistent with the Constitution, are hereby continued in force until altered by law.
Par. IV. Local and private acts passed for the benefit of counties, cities, towns, corporations, and private persons, not inconsistent with the supreme law, nor with this Constitution, and which have not expired nor been repealed, shall have the force of statute law, subject to judicial decision as to their validity when passed, and to any limitations imposed by their own terms.
Par. V. 1\11 rights, privileges, and immunities which may have vested in, or accrued to, any person or persons, or corporations, in his, her, or their own right, or in any fiduciary capacity, under and in virtue of any act of the General Assembly, or any judgment, decree, or order, or other proceeding of any court of competent jurisdiction in this State, heretofore rendered, shall be held inviolate by all courts before which they may be brought in question, unless attacked for fraud.
Par. VI. All judgments, decrees, orders, and other proceedings of the several courts of this State, heretofore made, within the limits of their several jurisdictions, are hereby ratified and affirmed, subject only to reversal by motion for a new trial, appeal, bill of review or other proceeding in conformity with the law of force when they were made.
Par. V I I . The officers of the government now existing shall continue in the exercise of their several functions until their successors are duly elected or appointed, and qualified, but nothing herein is to apply to any officer whose office may be abolished by this Constitution.
Par. V I I I . The ordinances of this Convention shall have the force of laws until otherwise provided by the General Assembly, except the ordinances in reference to submitting the homestead and Capital question to a vote of the people, which ordinances, after being voted on, shall have the effect of constitutional provisions.
ARTICLE XIII.
AMENDMENTTSO THE CONSTITUTION.
SECTIONI.
Paragraph I. Any amendment or amendments to this Constitution may be proposed in the Senate or House of Representatives, and if the same shall be agreed to by two-thirds of the members elected to each of the two houses, such proposed amendment or amendments shall be entered on their journals, with the yeas and nays taken thereon. And the General Assembly shall cause such amendment or amendments to be published in one or more newspapers in each Congressional district, for two months previous to the time of holding the next general election, and shall also provide for a submission of such proposed amendment or amendments to the people a t said next general election; and if the people shall ratify such amendment or amendments by a majority of the electors qualified t o vote for members of the General Assembly, voting thereon, such amendment or amendments shall become a p a r t of this Constitution. When more

khan one amendment is subn~itteda t the same time, they shall be so submitted as to enable the electors to vote on each arnendment separately.
Par. 11. Xo convention of the people shall be caIled by the General Assembly to revise, anlend, or change this Constitution, unless by the concurrence of two-thirds of ail the members of each house of the General Assembly. 'The representation in said convention shall be based on population as near as practicable.
SECTION11. Paragraph I. The Constitution shall be submitted for ratification or rejection t o the electors of the State, a t an election to be held on the first U'ednesday in December, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven, in the several clection districts of this State, a t which election every person shall be entit:ed to vote who is entitled to vote for the members of the General Assembly under the constitution and laws of force a t the date of such election; said election t o be helc! and conducted a s is now provided by law for l~oldingelections for members of the General Assen~b;y. All persons voting a t said election in favor of adopting the Constitution shall write or have printed o n their ballots the words "b'or Rcctt$cation2, and all persons opposed to the adoption of this Constitution shall write or have printed on their ballots the words "Against Ratification".
Par. 11. The votes cast a t said election shall be consoiid~tedin each of tlie counties of the State as is now required by law in elections for members of the General Assembly, and returns thereof made to the Governor; ant1 should a majority of all the votes cast a t said election be in favor of ratification, he shall declare tlie said Constitution adopted, and make proclamation of tlie result ot said selection by publication in one or more newspapers in each Congressional district of tlie State; but should a majority of the votes cast be against ratitication, he shall in the same ~ n a n n e rproclaim the said Constitution rejectecl.
ORDINANCES
STLiTE CAPITAL.
Re it ordained by the people of Georgia in Convention assembled:
1. That the question of the location of the capital of this State be kept out of the Constitution t o be adopted by this Convention.
2. That a t the first general election hereafter held for members of the General hswmbly, every voter may indorse on his ballot "Atlanta" or "Millrdgexille," and the one of these places receiving the largest number of votes shall be tlie capital of the State until changed by the same authority and in the same way that may be provide4 for the alteration of the Constitution that may 1)e adopted by the Convention, whether said Constitution be ratified or rejected. And t h a t every person entitled to r o t e for members of the General .isseinbly, under the present Constitution and laws of this State, shall be entitled to vote under this ordinance; and, in the event of the rejection of said c o n s t i t ~ ~ t ~ o n , :hall (slionld) a majority of votes cast be in favor of Milledgeville, then tins provision to operate and take effect as an arnendment to the present C'onstit~ltion.
HOhIESTEAD.
UP i t ordninerl by the people of G ~ o r g i ain Convention assembled, and it is hareby
ordnined by authority of the sanze:
1. That the article aclopted by the Convention on the sub,ject of homestead and exemption shall not form a p a r t of this Constitution, except a i heremafter provided.
2. A t the election held for the ratification or rejection of this Constitution, it shall be lawful for eat11 voter to have written or printed on his ballot the words "Homestead of 1877," or the words "Homestead of 1868."
3. I n the event that a n~a,jorityof the ballots so cast have indorsed upon then1 tlle words "Homestead of 1877," then said article, so adopted by this Convention, shall form a p a r t of the Constitution sul)mitted, if the same is ratified; but in ?rent that said Constitution, so \ubrnitted, shall not be ratified, then the article on homestead ancl exemptions, so adopteci a'; ;tfore\aid by this Convention, shall

sscpersetle Article Seven of the Constitution of 1868 on the subject of homesteatl' and exemptions, and f o r n ~a p a r t of this Constitution.

4. If a majority of the ballots so cast a s :tfores;~id shall have indorsed dpon them the words "Homestead of 1868", then ~ l r t i c l eSeventh of the Constitution ot 1868 shall supersede the article on homestead and exemptions adopted 11y t h ~ s Convention, and shall be incorporated in and form ( a p a r t ) of the Conititut~on so submitted and ratified,
JUDICIAII,CIlZCUlTS.

There shall be sixteen judicial circuits in this State, and it shall he the dut: of the General Assembly to orgai~izea n d proportion the sarrre in such rnanner a s t o equalize the huisiness and labor of the judge^ in said several circuits, as f a r a \ may be practicable. But the Gencritl lisse~nblys h d l 11a1.e power hereafter to reorganize, increase, o r diminish the n u i r ~ l ~ eorf circuits: Provzded, however. that the circuits shall remain as now o r g a n r ~ r duntil changed hy law.

S I G N I N G ,\NU ILATIFIVrlTI(Y?U'.

Be it ordained 6y the people of Ceorcgia in Conaetliion as.senrblrd:

1. That the Coni;titution as adopted and r e r i ~ e t lbe enro-led ;tmil signed b) the officers and rnembers of this Convention.
2. That the Governor shall imue Ins proclamdtiorr, order in^ a n election for
members of the General ,\ssembl>, and a vote Ilpon the ratification or rejection! of this Constitution, as therein proxided, and a rote upon the capital anti homeqtead questions, ar. provided by the ordinances of this Convention.

Read and adopted in Convention, Ailqust 25tl1, 1877.

Attest: J A M E S COOPER NISBET, Srcretnry

C. J. S E S K I N S ,
Prrsident Con.uf~tutiolial("orrz3c.~~tton

V O I D BONIIS N U 1 TCJ R E P A I D .
Neither the General Assembly nor any other authority or officer of this State !,hall ever have power t o pay or recognize as legal, or in any sense \ d i d o r binding upon tlie State, any direct bonds, or currency honds, gold honds, .or the State's alleged guaranty or indorsement of an: railroad bolrds, or any otner honds, guaranties, or indorsements heretofore declared to be illegal, fraucluieiit, or void act or resohltion of t h r legislature of the State, or that r r ~ ; ~ ybe drclared ~llegal,fraudulent, or void bj act or resolution of the legislature originating this amendment, viz: The S t a t e gold bnntls issued llncler the A i c t of October 17th, 1870, in aid of the Rrunswick and .libany ltailroali C o m l ~ a n;j the carrenc) honds issued under tlie Act of August 27tl1, 1870; the quarterly gold I~ondsissuer1 under the Act of September 15th, 1870, which are ennrrler;ttetl in tlie L\ct of ,\ugust 23d. 1872; the indor~ementof the State upon the bonds of the Brunswiclc and Albany Railroad Cornpanj, rnade under the A l c t of 3T:lrcll 18tl1, 1869; the indorsement of the State upon the boncls of thr Cartrrsville and V a n W e r t IZailroatC Cornpany, and of the Cherokee Railroad Cornpany; the indorsement of tlie S t a t e upon the honds of the Bainbridge, Cnthhrrt, and Columhui; Itailro:i(l C'ompany; and all other honds, guaranties, or indorsements declared illegal, fraudulent, o r void as herein provided. Nor sh;ill any Gencr;il Assembly exer 11arr power t o provide for the reindorsement of such railroad hondq, or to place the State's guaranty upon the same; or to provide for the indorsement or guarttnt) I)y the S t a t e of any new boncls issued in lieu of, or to p a y off or retire, snch railroad hontls. hy any railroad corripany; or to icsne 1)onds of the State t o s~rchr:~ilroad companies, or other persons in palrnent, or in lira of snch indorsed l~,)ntls,or other I~ondsherein declared illegal; or to lend the aid or credit of the State, Ilr any act, resolution, or law to snch railroad coinpanies, or to other incornorwtetl conpanies or persons acqniring or ~uccceilinc to the rights :~n:l franc*liises of said cc,nlnanies; or to huy the railroacls of such companies; or t o suhmit the question of the liability of the State upon an\ of the h,)nrls or indorcements upon honds. or other guaranty herein ileclared illegal, frauclulent, and void, or upon any claim for nloner ailvanced upon said l~onds, incloreem~nts, or guaranties, or expended by said conipanicl\ or other persr)n in and about the construction o t said railroads, to the rlcci~inn nf :rny cnnrt. triljanal, or 17erson whatever; o r to pa)', assnme, or secure, ilirectlr or indirectly, IIV auv act, resqlntion, or law, any money advanced or claimeil to h a l e heen :rdr:tncerl on the honds, indorsements, or pl.u:~rantiesherein tleclared invalid.
36