The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-02-22

1.-THE C0NFEDERATED STATES OF
NORTH AMERICA"
Constitution of the Southern Confsd-
f "a sraey.
We are enabled to publish this morning
d sketch Of the action Of the Southern Com
gress, at Montgomery, Alabama. It is
composed Of forty-three delegates, from the
seeding States Of Alabama, Florida, Geor-
gia, South Carolina, Mississippi, and Lou
isiana. Texas has also seeded, but the
ordinance is to be voted on by the people
before she will join the Confederacy. How
ELL COBB, Of Georgia, on the first day Of
the Convention, was elected President. We
make the following extract from bis speech
on taking the chair:
The occasion which assemblies Us together is
one OF no ordinary character, We meet as the
representatives of sovereign and independent
States, who, by their solemn judgment, have
dissolved all the political associations which
connected them with the government of the
United States. VI the causes which have led
to this decision it is unnecessary now to speak;
it is enough to announce that by the judgment
of our constituents they have been ample and
sufficient. 1t is now q fact-an irrevocable
fact-the separation is perfect, complete and
perpetual. (Applause.] The great duty is
now imposed on US to provide for these States
government for their future security and pro-
a aud oh nvI To- ,;c
ter States-wh0 are identified with US in inter-
est, feeling and institutions-a cordial invita-
tion to unite with US in common destiny, de-
sirous, at the same time, of maintaining with
the rest of our late confederates, as with the
world, the most peaceful and friendly relations,
both political and commercial.
On the second day-the 5th-a commit
tee was appointed to report plan for
provisional government; and on the 9th, at
midnight, the Congress unanimously adopt>
ed provisional Constitution, similar in the
main to the Constitution of the United
States. Its title is "The Constitution for
the Provisional Government of the Con-
federate States OF America" A copy of
the document is before us. Its preamble
runs as follows: 5
We, the Deputies Of the sovereign and inde.
pendent States of South Carolina, Georgia,
Florida Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana,
invoking the favor of Almighty God, do hereby,
in behalf of these States, Ordain and establish
this constitution for the Provisional Govern
ment of the same to continue one year from
the Inauguration of the President, or until a
permanent constitution or confederation be.
tween the said States shall be put in operation,
Whatsoever shall first occur.
The following are the only provisions in
the body of the instrument which differ
from the Constitution
ARTICLE One. Sec. THE importation of
African negroes from any foreign country other
than the slaveholding States of the United
States is hereby forbidden, and Congress is re-
quired to pass such laws as will effectually
prevent the same.
ARTICLE SEcoND.-Congress shall also have
power to prohibit the introduction of slaves
from any State not member of this Confed-
eracy. r3ia a8 r. 50
AEr1cLE ONE. Sec. s.-The Congress shall
have power
i. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts,
and excises, for revenue necessary to pay the
debts and carry on the government of the Con-
federacy, and all duties, imposts and excises.
shall be uniform throughout the Confederacy.
ARTICLE FOUR. Sec. "A slave in one State
escaping to another shall be delivered up on
the claim of the party to whom said slave may
belong, by the Executive authority of the State
in which such slave may be found; and in case
of any abduction or forcible rescue full COM
pensati0n, including the value of slave, and all
costs and expenses shall be made to the party
by the State in which such abductios or rescue
snail take place.
ARTICLE SIX. Sec. 2.-The government here.
by instituted shall take immediate steps for
the settlement of all matters between the
States forming it and their late confederates of
the United States in relation to the public
property and public debt at the time of their
withdrawal from them these States hereby de.
claring it to be their wish and earnest desire
to adjust everything pertaining to the common
property, common liabilities and common OBJ.
legations OF that Union upon principles of right,
justice, equity and good faith.
The New York Herald, in commenting
upon the Constitution, says:
In gluncing over this Constitution several
important and note worthy features may be
observed in which it differs from the original.
The old one commences with the wOrds-s'We
the people Of the United States," &c. The new
-''We the deputies of the sovereign and inde-
pendent States of South Carolina" &C., thus
distinctly indicating their sovereign and inde-
pendent character, and yet their mutual rel-
ance.
Again, the new Constitution reverentially in.
vokes ''the favor of Almighty God" In the
old, the existence of a Supreme Being appears
to have been entirely ignored. i
In the original not only has the word slave
been omitted, but even the idea has been so
studiously avoided as to raise grave questions
concerning the intent of the several clauses in
which the institution" is subject of legisla-
tion; while in the foregoing the word 'sslave,'
is boldly inserted, and the intention of its
trainers SO clearly defined with reference to
them that there is hardly possibility of mis-
apprehension.
Again. contrary to the expectation of the
majority of Northern people, who have persist
entity urged that the object Of the South in estab-
fishing q separate government scas to reopen the
african slave trade, the most stringent measures
to be adopted for the suppression of the trade.
And all this has been done with unanimity
which indicates the harmony of sentiment that
prevails among the people of the seeding
States, and among the delegates by whom they
were represented in the Southern Congress.
On Saturday, February 9, the Conven-
tion by unanimous vote, elected Hon.
JEFF. DAVIS President, and ALEx. III. STE
PHENs Vice President N 7s