The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-04-12
Forms o. the new oOvsrnmsus


The convention Of Mississippi having
ratified the permanent constitution Of the
Confederate States-the requisite number
of FIVE States being attained-the consh-
tuition Is definitely accepted as to them.
South Carolina and Florida are yet to act.
but their assent is not doubted. That Of
Florida is reported to have been already
given, but we have seen no authentic con-
tirrnation OF the statement. Both States
will probably have given in their adj
hesion, in form, before the re-assembllng
Of the Confederate Congress in May. In
none Of these States have there been any
serious objections to the constitution itself,
as frame of Government. Portions have
been criticised, according to differing esti-
mates Of policy, but by general consent It
is allowed to be an improvement on the
old constitution, correcting parts which
had been proved to be defective, and 50
defining what was doubtful, in regard to
questions Of vital Importance to the slave
holding States, as TO make clear TO all
comprehension what they wanted, under
the old Government. to make them secure
and contented, and why they quilted it
to set up safeguards for themselves. The
dissensions among as have been in respect
to the sanction which ought to be given
to the constitution, BY giving it the un-
answerable ratification of the people, act
ing separately on that subject, rather than
the presumption, however strong it might
be estimated, Of the popular assent,
through their representatives not specially
chosen with that view. The constitution
being adopted in due form the Govern
ment will 20 into operation as TO the
States ratifying the same, in the manner
prescribed by the seventh article, second
section, which is as follows
when five States shall haVe ratified
the constitution in the manner before
specified, the Congress under the pro-
visional constitution, shall prescribe the
| time for holding the election Of PresidentA
and Vice President.-4dfd for the me-. ~
OF the electoral college, and for counting
the votes and fnanguIating the President
They shall also prescribe the time for
holding the FIRST election Of members of
Congress under this constitution and the
time for assembling the same. Until the
assembling Of such Congress the Congress
under the provisional constitutions shall
continue 70 exercise the legislative powers
granted 70 them, not extenelil.z beyond
thR time limited hnuthe Constitution oI de
9te
The Congress u ine Cor III 81 e
sued the same plan of the ratification 81
the constitution Of 17S7 By the mine
States" required, and appointed the first
election of President to take place on the
first "Wednesday in January, 1889, the
votes to oe counted on the first Wednes-
day in February, and the Government to
20 into operation on the first Wednesday
In March, I7S9. The first Wednesday in
March, 1889, happened to be the 4th day
| of March, and the first Congress, while
changing the days for appointing electors
and counting votes, retained the 4th Of
March as the beginning Of the Govern
ment. In point of fact, however, Con-
gress did not make a quorum until the
first day o. April, and the FIRST President
was not inaugurated until the 30th Of
April
The Confederate Congress will probably
appoint early days for the first election Of
President and the commencement Of the
new Government; but there is sign in
the body of the instrument itself which
indicates that they expect the Presiden-
tial terms, at least after the first, to COM
mence on the 4th of March In the clause
prescribing the manner Of electing q
President, in case Of a failure TO elect by
the electoral college, the second article
transcribes literally the provision in the
twelfth amendment of that constitution,
in which the House Of Representatives is
directed to vote by States, among the
three highest candidates, with the pro-
yiso that it shall not chose q President
'bsfore the fourth dag Of hareh next follow
ing" then the Vice President shall act,
&c.
1t is not likely that the Confederate
| Al l.. r. ~ =
constitution without a purpose. They
were not in that constitution, as adopted,
} but were put into the amendment which
was Incorporated into it after the 4th Of
! March had been fixed permanently as the
! commencement of the Government, aud
the date for the Inauguration Of Presi-
dents, and the beginning OF Congressional
terms. Whatever may be decided, there
fore, for the first elections, the terms
hereafter viii probably be made to con-
, form to the usages we have been SO long
familiar with.
The Federal Constitution was adopted
: by the convention the 18th Of Septem-
Der, 1887. and by them accepted on the
18th of September in the same year, and
: by resolution dated the 2Sth was directed
to be transmitted to the Legislatures Of
: the several States TN order to be submit
| ted to convention of delegates, chosen
2 in each State by the people thereof The
e ratification took place in the following
J order: Delaware, December 7, 1877; Penn
| | sylvania, December II. 1887; New Jersey
December Is, I7ST; Georgia. January
2 ] 1883; GonrDatieat, Janu9kF g: kisssachn
: 'sisfts, February S-~.AIsryhand. April -
! South Carolina, May % New Hampshire
June %; Virginia, June . New York
7 July 26.
! These eleven -States ratifedathe cousti
e tuition before the Government was pu
;. into operation. but New York did not vot
5 At the Presidential election in (Iannary
l North Carolina did not ratifv the Sonstifr
l ton until November 2lst, lIS9. more thal
= two years after the Union was formed
a and Rhode Island not until May 29l l79G
two years and seven month after th
q Cnion.
; 1t is to be noted, however, as a proof q
! the confidence that these States woui,
e come into the Union, that after the ful
+ ratification of the constitution by th
{ other States. and before it went into oprs
y tion, the delegates from North CaroIin
4 and Rhode Island still appeared in th
L Congress of the confederation and partici
l, pated in the preparatory legislation 70
tic nDN Al AAOliOAl--
No form of admission was required {
5 them, as of new States when they cam
b into the Union, only it was deemed e1
E, pedient to pass acts for extending th
It laws of the United States over them.
e The same freedom of admissio
1t would doubtless extend to any of tn
a seven States represented in the Prov
5, sional Congress, but any other States mus
1i be treated as new States, subject to th
'e conditions Of acceptance as expressed
ID the permanent Picspuis.
Is -
II The SIS GOO 600 Loan.