States, without the consent of the legislatures of the States concerned, as well as of the Congress. over the property of 2. The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all need- Power of Congress ful rules and regulations concerning the property of the Confederate the Confederate States States, including the lands thereof. be acquired; Con inhabitants. When 3. The Confederate States may acquire new territory; and Con- New territory may gress shall have power to legislate and provide governments for the gress to prescribe inhabitants of all territory belonging to the Confederate States, lying government for its without the limits of the several States; and may permit them. at they may form States. such times, and in such manner as it may by law provide, to form States to be admitted into the Confederacy. In all such territory, the institution of negro slavery, as it now exists in the Confederate States, Negro slavery to be shall be recognized and protected by Congress and by the territorial government: and the inhabitants of the several Confederate States and Territories shall have the right to take to such territory any slaves lawfully held by them in any of the States or Territories of the Confederate States. 4. The Confederate States shall guarantee to every State that now is, or hereafter may become, a member of this Confederacy, a republican form of government; and shall protect each of them against invasion; and on application of the legislature, (or of the executive, when the legislature is not in session,) against domestic violence. ARTICLE V. SECTION 1. 1. Upon the demand of any three States, legally assembled in their several conventions, the Congress shall summon a convention of all the States, to take into consideration such amendments to the Constitution as the said States shall concur in suggesting at the time when the said demand is made; and should any of the proposed amendments to the Constitution be agreed on by the said convention-voting by States-and the same be ratified by the legislatures of two-thirds of the several States, or by conventions in two-thirds thereof-as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the general convention they shall thenceforward form a part of this Constitution. But no State shall, without its consent, be deprived of its equal representation in the Senate. ARTICLE VI. recognized and protected in territories. Republican form of government guaran teed to each State. Protection of States against invasion, etc. Mode of amending the Constitution. Character of the lished by this Constitution. 1. The Government established by this Constitution is the successor of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, government esta band all the laws passed by the latter shall continue in force until the same shall be repealed or modified: and all the officers appointed by the same shall remain in office until their successors are appointed and qualified, or the offices abolished. Officers appointed overe Provisional Government remain in office. Debts, etc, heretofore contracted, valid against C. S. What is the su 2. All debts contracted and engagements entered into before the adoption of this Constitution shall be as valid against the Confederate States under this Constitution, as under the Provisional Government. 3. This Constitution, and the laws of the Confederate States made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made, preme law of the under the authority of the Confederate States, shall be the supreme law of the land; and the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, auything in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding. land. Oath to support whom to be taken. 4. The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the the Constitution; by members of the several State legislatures, and all executive and judicial officers, both of the Confederate States and of the several States, shall be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution; but No religious test no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the Confederate States. shall be required. Enumeration of 5. The enumeration, in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not deny others retained be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people of the certain rights, not to by people. Reserved powers. several States. 6. The powers not delegated to the Confederate States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States, respectively, or to the people thereof. Ratification of this Constitution. Congress, under the Provisional Con election of President ARTICLE VII. 1. The ratification of the conventions of five States shall be sufficient for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so ratifying the same. 2. When five States shall have ratified this Constitution, in the stitution, to prescribe manner before specified, the Congress under the Provisional Constitutime for holding tion shall prescribe the time for holding the election of President and and Vice President, Vice President; and for the meeting of the Electoral College; and for meeting of the elec counting the votes, and inaugurating the President. They shall, also, for holding first elec- prescribe the time for holding the first election of members of Congress tion of members of under this Constitution, and the time for assembling the same. Until the assembling of such Congress, the Congress under the Provisional How long Congress Constitution shall continue to exercise the legislative powers granted ander the Provisional them; not extending beyond the time limited by the Constitution of the Provisional Government. Congress. Constitution to exer cise power. Adopted unanimously by the Congress of the Confederate States of South Carolina.-R. Barnwell Rhett, C. G. Memminger, Wm. Porcher Georgia. Francis S. Bartow, Martin J. Crawford, Benjamin H. Hill, Florida.-Jackson Morton, J. Patton Anderson, Jas. B. Owens. Alabama.-Richard W. Walker, Robt. H. Smith, Colin J. McRae, Mississippi.-Alex. M. Clayton, James T. Harrison, William S. Barry, Texas.-John Hemphill, Thomas N. Waul, John H. Reagan, William- tree. EXTRACT FROM THE JOURNAL OF THE CONGRESS. On the question of the adoption of the Constitution of the Confederate States of America, the vote was taken by yeas and nays; and the Constitution was unanimously adopted, as follows: Those who voted in the affirmative being Messrs. Walker, Smith, Curry, Hale, McRae, Shorter, and Fearn, of Alabama, (Messrs. Chilton and Lewis being absent); Messrs. Morton, Anderson, and Owens, of Florida; Messrs. Toombs, Howell Cobb, Bartow, Nisbet, Hill, Wright, Thomas R. R. Cobb, and Stephens, of Georgia, (Messrs. Crawford and Kenan being absent); Messrs. Perkins, de Clouet, Conrad, Kenner, Sparrow, and Marshall, of Louisiana; Messrs. Harris, Brooke, Wilson, Clayton, Barry, and Harrison, of Mississippi, (Mr. Campbell being absent); Messrs. Rhett, Barnwell, Keitt, Chesnut, Memminger, Miles, Withers, and Boyce, of South Carolina; Messrs. Reagan, Hemphill, Waul, Gregg, Oldham, and Ochiltree, of Texas, (Mr. Wigfall being absent). A true copy: " J. J. HOOPER, Secretary of the Congress. CONGRESS, March 11, 1861. I do hereby certify that the foregoing are, respectively, true and correct copies of "The Constitution of the Confederate States of America," unanimously adopted this day, and of the yeas and nays on the question of the adoption thereof. HOWELL COBB, President of the Congress. |