Page:The Federal and state constitutions v2.djvu/597

1234 a direct vote of the people at a general election. Every such debt shall be authorized by law, and every such law shall provide for the payment of the annual interest of such debt, and the principal within ten years from the passage of such law; and such appropriation shall not be repealed until the principal and interest shall have been wholly paid.

The legislature may also borrow money to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend the State in time of war; but the money thus raised shall be applied exclusively to the object for which the loan was authorized or repayment of the debt thereby created.

No scrip, certificate, or other evidence of State debt whatever shall be issued, except for such debts as are authorized by the third and fourth sections of this article.

The levying of taxes by the poll is grievous and oppressive; therefore the general assembly shall never levy a poll-tax for county or State purposes.

Laws shall be passed taxing, by a uniform rule, all real and personal property, according to its true value in money; but burying-grounds, school-houses, and other property used exclusively for educational purposes, houses used exclusively for public worship, not exceeding fifty thousand dollars in value, institutions of public charity, public and municipal property used exclusively for public and municipal purposes, and personal property to an amount not exceeding in value two hundred dollars for each head of a family, may, by general laws, be exempted from taxation; but all such laws shall be subject to alteration or repeal, and the value of all such property so exempted shall, from time to time, be ascertained and published as may be directed by law.

The general assembly shall provide for raising revenue sufficient to defray the expenses of the State for each year; and also a sufficient sum to pay the interest and such part of the principal of a State debt, if any such debt shall accrue, as may be directed by law.

No tax shall be levied except in pursuance of law; and every law imposing a tax shall state distinctly the object of the same, to which only it shall be applied.

The State shall never contract any debt for purposes of internal improvements.

In the passage in either house of the general assembly of any law which imposes, continues, or renews a tax, or makes, continues, or renews an appropriation of public or trust moneys, or to release, discharge, or commute a claim or demand of the State, the vote shall be taken by yeas and nays, which shall be duly entered on the journal; and three-fifths of all the members elected to such house shall, in all such cases, be requisite to constitute a quorum.