The eastern clarion. [volume] (Paulding, Miss.) 1837-1863, 1861-04-12

Forms Of the New Governmslt.
The convention OF Mississippi having
ratified the permanent constitution Of The
Confederate States-the requisite lmbcr
Of Eve States being Rttained-lhc oonsts-
tuition is definitely accepted "a to them.
South Carolina and Florida are yet 10 act,
but their assent Is not doubted. hai OF
Florida Is reported 20 have been already
given but we have seen no authentic con-
hrnation OF the statement. Both States
will probably have given in ihir adj
hesion. in form. before tho re-asse nblng
Of the Confederate Congress in My. In
none Of these States have there been any
serious objections 20 the constitution itself,
a. frame of Government. Portions have
been criticised. according 70 differing esti-
mates OF policy, but by general consent ia
is allowed % be an Improvement on the
old constitution, correcting parts which
had been proved 20 be defective and 90
defining what was doubtful. tn re ard 20
questions Of vital importance 70 the slave
holding States, as TO make clear % all
comprehension what they wanted, under
the Old Government, To make theu secure
and contented, and why they quilted i
TO set mp safeguards for themselvcs. Tho
dissensions among us have been In respect
70 the sanction which ought 20 be given
70 the constitution, hv giving i the un-
answerable ratification Of the peoI le. act
ing separiely ou that subject, rather than
the presumption, however strong might
oe estimated, 81 she popular assent
through their refreso ntaiiVes not pcciaily
chosen with that view The constitution
being adopted in due form, the Govern
ment viii go INTO operation as 20 the
States rai.ying the same, in the manner
prescribed ly the seventh article, second
section, which is a. follows
when five States shah have ratified
the constitution in the manner beiore
specified, the Congress under he pro-
visional consti ntion. shall prescribe the
time for holding the election 81 11Sssdentw
and Vice President..-and for the ntANf
Of the electoralcollege, end far cnus7Tfnc Il
the votes arl1suaugaIatiu the President
They shall also prescribe the lime Tor
holding the lifet election oi members of
Congress under this constitution ma the
tiuse for assembling the same. Until the
assembling of such Congress the Congress
under the provisional constitution shall
continue 70 exercise the ieEisiatlyc powers
granted 20 them, uut eNtendius beyond
tha time iniitna h&fhe constitution ot che
tafaaisiFssi Citee nels
The Congroos y tne Coniedefai 5a lUt-
sued the same plan OF tho ratification ~
the constitution of l7s7 hF the "nine
states required. and appointed The iirst
election ct President to take place on tho
first "Wednesday in January. llSQ. the
votes to oe counted on the first Wednes-
day In February, and the Government to
40 into operation on the FIRST Wednesday
IN March 1850. The iirst "Wednesday ia
March. 1889. happened TO be the 4th day
of March. and tho first Congress while
changing the days for appointing electors
and counting votes. retained the 4th OF
March as tho beginning OF the Govern
ment. In point Of fact, however, Con-
gress did not make n quorum until the
first day o. April. and the first PRESIDENT
was not inaugamted until the 30th Of
April.
The Confederate Congress viii probably
appoint early days for the first election OF
President and the commencement Of the
new Government but there Is a sign In
the body of the instrument itself which
indicates that they expect the Presidcn-
tial terms. at least after the first 20 COM
mence on the fth Of March. In the clause
prescribing the manner of elecung a
President. in case OF failure 70 elect by
the electoral college, the second article
transcribes literally the provision in the
twelfth amendment Of that constitution,
in which the House Of Represen tatiyes ia
directed 70 vote by States, among the
three highest candidates, with the pro-
viso that ii shall not chose a PRESIDENT
''before He fourth drg II Hareh nelSt Follow
ing" then the Vice President shall act,
SC.
II is not likely that the Confederate
Congress copied these words o. the old
constitution without purpose. They
iaf rrF
bat were put into the amendment which
was Incorporated into IL after the Alh Of
March had been fixed permanently a. tho
commandment Of the Government, aud
the date FOR tho Inauguration Of Presi-
dents, and the beginning of Congressional
terms. Whatever may be decided, there
lore, for the first elections, the terms
hereafter will probably bo made % con-
form 70 the usagcs We have been a0 long
familiar with.
The Federal Constitution wa adopted
by the convention the 18th OF Sepiom-
Der. 1857. and ~ them accepted on The
18th Of September in the same year. and
bv resolution dated the 28ih was directed
10 be transmitted 90 the Legislatures "a
the several States 'in order 10 b. submit
ted 10 a convention OF delegates chosen
ia each State by the people Thereof" The
ratification took place ia the following
order Delaware, December Z, lleii fenu
sylvania. December T.. 1857; AcE jersey
December rs, 1857; Georgia, January :
lIsSS; da.sF'SI aF'SIlltisat, Jana2e 100
eetts. February Cap "
South Carolina. May Jwlaud AMT -
June 1, - Virginia JanetlS al'i'ySi,rS yors
These eleven States rhUnad ~
tntion before the Government teeo
into operation. but New York did not ~
At the Presidential election in Jannar,
North Carolina did not ratifethe coustit,-
tion until November 2lst. lI9. more tban
two years after the Union wis formed
and Rhode leland not until May ~. 1900
Two years and seven month after the
onion.
II is TO be noted, however. IA proof Of
the confidence that these Sihtes would
come into the Union, that after the full
raiilicltion Of the constitution bv the
other States. and before Il went into opra-
ton. the delegates from North Carolina
and Rhode Island siill appeared ii the
Congress Of the confederation and partici-
pated IN the preparatory legi alton for
setting the new government 10 motion
No form Of admission was REQUIRED of
them, AZ Of new States when they camo
into the Union, only il was deemed ex-
pedient % pass acts Tor extending the
laws Of the United States over them.
Tho same freedom Of admission
would doubles extend 70 any of the
seven Stat os represented in tie pr0vi-
sional Congress, but any other tates must
be treated rs new States, subject 10 the
conditions Of acceptance a. ex pressed in
the permanent eonstitution.-fc cay1ne.
ave roe 49,