In
Convention of the people of the state of South Carolina by their
Representatives held in the city of Charleston on Monday the twelfth day of May
and continued by divers Adjournments to Friday the twenty third day of May Anno
Domini One thousand seven hundred and eighty eight, and in the twelfth Year of
the Independence of the United States of America.
The Convention having
maturely considered the constitution or form of Government reported to Congress
by the Convention of Delegates from the United states of America and submitted
to them by a Resolution of the Legislature of this State passed the seventeenth
and eighteenth days of February last in order to form a more perfect Union,
establish Justice, ensure Domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense,
promote the general Welfare and secure the blessings of Liberty to the people
of the said United States and their posterity DO in the name and behalf of the
people of this State hereby assent to and ratify the said Constitution.
Done in Convention the
twenty third day of May in the Year of our Lord One thousand seven hundred and
eighty eight, and of the
THOMAS PINCKNEY
President [SEAL.] Attest
JOHN SANDFORD DART
Secretary [SEAL.]
And Whereas it is essential
to the preservation of the rights reserved to the several states, and the
freedom of the people under the operations of a General government that the
right of prescribing the manner time and places of holding the Elections to the
Federal Legislature, should be for ever inseparably annexed to the sovereignty
of the several states. This convention doth declare that the same ought to
remain to all posterity a perpetual and fundamental right in the local, exclusive
of the interference of the General Government except in cases where the
Legislatures of the States, shall refuse or neglect to perform and fulfill the
same according to the tenor of the said Constitution.
This Convention doth also
declare that no Section or paragraph of the said Constitution
warrants a Construction that the states do not retain every power not expressly
relinquished by them and vested in the General Government of the
Resolved that the general
Government of the United States ought never to impose direct taxes, but where
the monies arising from the duties, imposts and excise are insufficient for the
public exigencies nor then until Congress shall have made a requisition upon
the states to Assess levy and pay their respective proportions of such
requisitions And in case any state shall neglect or refuse to pay its
proportion pursuant to such requisition then Congress may assess and levy such
state's proportion together with Interest thereon at the rate of six per centum
per annum from the time of payment prescribed by such requisition-
Resolved that the third section of the Sixth Article
ought to be amended by inserting the word "other" between the words
"no" and "religious"
Resolved that it be a
standing instruction to all such delegates as may hereafter be elected to
represent this State in the general Government to exert their utmost abilities
and influence to effect an Alteration of the Constitution
conformably to the foregoing Resolutions.
Done in Convention the
twenty third day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and
eighty eight and of the
President [SEAL.] Attest
JOHN SANFORD DART
Secretary [SEAL.]