ORDINANCES. ་ AN ORDINANCE Declaring null and void all Contracts and Judgments and Decrees heretofore made and entered up, where the consideration was for the purchase of slaves. We, the People of South Carolina, in Convention met, do hereby ordain, That all contracts, whether under seal or not, the consideration of which was the purchase of slaves, are hereby decared null, void, and of no effect; and no suit, either at law or in equity, shall be commenced or prosecuted for the enforcement of such contracts. SECTION 2. That all proceedings to enforce satisfaction or payment of judgment or decrees rendered, recorded, enrolled or entered up on such contracts in any Court of this State are hereby prohibited. SECTION 3. That all orders heretofore made in any Court in this State in relation to such contracts, whereby property is held subject to decision, as to the validity of such contracts, are also hereby declared null, void, and of no effect. Done in Convention, at the city of Charleston, this thirtieth day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight. Attest: A. G. MACKEY, President of the Constitutional Convention. C. J. STOLBRAND, Secretary. AN ORDINANCE Defining the Pay and Mileage of the Members and Officers of this Convention. We, the People of South Carolina, in Convention assembled, do ordain: That the pay, per diem, of the members shall be eleven dollars ($11.00); Sergeant-at-Arms, eleven dollars ($11.00); Secretary, eleven dollars ($11.00); Assistant Sergeantat Arms, eight dollars, ($8.00); Assistant Secretary, eight dollars, ($8.00); Engrossing Clerk, eight dollars, ($8.00); Reading Clerk, seven dollars ($7.00); Doorkeeper, eight dollars ($8.00); Assistant Doorkeeper, six dollars ($6.00); Two Messengers, five dollars ($5.00) each; and Janitor, four dollars ($4.00); in bills receivable of the State, which have not the par value of United States currency. SECTION 2. And be it further ordained, That the mileage of members and officers of the Convention shall be twenty (20) cents per mile to and from the Convention by the usual mail routes. SECTION 3. And be it further ordained, That all payments made in conformity to the several provisions of this Ordinance or Ordinances, shall be upon the recommendation of the Finance Committee and upon the authority of the President of the Convention. Done in Convention, at the city of Charleston, this thirty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight. A. G. MACKEY, President Constitutional Convention. ATTEST: C. J. STOLBRAND, Secretary. AN ORDINANCE To Levy a Special Tax to Defray the Expenses of this Convention and preserve the credit of the State. We, the People of the State of South Carolina, by our Delegates in Convention met, do ordain, That there shall be assessed and collected by the Tax Collectors of the several Districts and Parishes in this State, in addition to the tax already levied under General Order, No. 139, issued from Headquarters Second Military District, by Brevet Major General E. R. S. Canby, commanding said District, dated Charleston, December 3, 1867, the following taxes, which shall be collected by the persons, and at the times and in the manner prescribed by said General Order: On all real estate seven and a half cents on every hundred dollars, excepting such lands as are exempted in Article 1 of said General Order. On articles manufactured for sale, barter or exchange, between the first day of January, 1868, and the first day of January, 1869, fifteen cents on every hundred dollars, to be paid by the manufacturer. On buggies, carriages, gold and silver plate, watches, jewelry and pianos, on hand on the first of January, 1868, except when held by dealers for purposes of sale, fifty cents on every hundred dollars. From the sale of goods, wares, or merchandize, embracing all the articles of trade, sale, barter, or exchange, (the cotton taxed by the United States excepted,) which any person shall make between the first day of January, 1868, and the thirtyfirst day of December, 1868, fifteen cents on every one hundred dollars. And the Tax Collectors, Sheriffs, or any other persons whose duty it may be to collect, or the Treasurer of the State, whose duty it is to receive, shall be liable upon their respective official bonds for neglecting or refusing to collect, safely keep, pay over, and disburse the same in conformity to the orders of this Conven tion. SECTION 2. Be it further ordained, That a sufficient amount of the sum thus realized is hereby appropriated to refund to the Treasurer of the State of South Carolina any sum or sums which may be advanced by the order of General Canby, or otherwise, for the payment of the per diem, mileage, or other expenses of this Convention, in Bills Receivable of the State. SECTION 3. Be it further ordained, That the faith and credit of the State are hereby pledged for the redemption of Bills Receivable of the State of South Carolina, issued in conformity to an Act of the General Assembly of the said State in December, 1865, and subsequently the Act of September, 1866; and also for the payment of the bonds and other obligations of the State: Provided, That all obligations created for the purpose of aiding the rebellion, and for maintaining a hostile government to the laws and authorities of the United States are hereby declared to be null and void, and shall never be paid by any tax to be imposed upon the people of South Carolina. SECTION 4. Be it further ordained, That for the purpose of defraying the current expenses of this Convention, the payment of its officers, members, and contingent accounts, Brevet Major General E. R. S. Canby, Commanding the Second Military District, be requested to issue from time to time, as may be necessary, such orders upon the Treasury of the State of South Carolina, for the payment of such sums as may be authorized by this Convention, in such amounts as may be agreed upon between the President of the Convention and the General Commanding to the officers and members of this body, for their per diem and mileage, and for the current expenses of the same; and that the amount of tax herein authorized to be levied, shall be placed in the Treasury of the State to reimburse said advances. SECTION 5. Be it further ordained, That if the taxes levied and assessed under this Ordinance should be in excess of the whole expenses of this Convention, they shall be retained in the Treasury, subject to the future order of this Convention, or of the General Assembly, which may meet in conformity to the provisions of the Constitution to be adopted by this Convention. Should there be any deficiency in the sum required to be raised by taxation under this Ordinance to reimburse the Treasury for its outlay, the first General Assembly which shall assemble hereafter shall make such |