The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-02-16
The Southern COnfederacy.


last adopted Constitution for the Southern
ConGde,acy. Its title is" The Constitu.
ton for the Provisional Government ofthe Con.
iederatc States of America" The preamble
reads as follows:
We the deputies Of the sovereign and in
dependent States of South Carolina, Gcorg 10
Florida, Alabama. Mississippi and Louisiana
invoking the favor of Aim iehty God, dc
hereby in behalf of these States, ordain and
establish this Constitution for the Provision
al Government of the same, to continue one
year from the inauguration of the President
or unit. permanent Constitution or Confed-
Grafton between said States shall be put il,
operation, whatsoever shall first occur.
The seventh section Of the first article pro-
vidcs
" The importation of African negroes from
any foreign country other than the slave
holding States OF the United States is hereby
forbidden, and Congress is required to pass
such laws as Shall eilectually prevent the
same"
The second section provid es -" Congress
shall also have power to prohibit the intro.
duction Of Slaves from any State not merli-
Der Of this Conftderacy."
Article fourth, thiid clause OF second Sec
ton, provides -" a slave in one State es-
Gaping 20 another shall he delivered up on
claim cf 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 compensation, including the value of the
slave, and all costs and expenses, shall bt
made to the party by the State in which
such abduction or rescue shall take place"
Article 9th, second clause, provides -
The Government hereby instituted shall
take immediate steps for settlement Of al
matters between the States forming it and then
Other lat, conf,darates of the United States o
North America, in relation to public property
and the public debt at the time Of their with
drawal from them. these States hereby de-
claring it to be their wish and earnest de.
sire to adjust everything pertaining to com
mon property, common liability and common
obligations Of that Union upon principles O
right justice and equity. and good faith"
All other portions of the instrument arc
almost identical with the Constitution of tn,
United Stats"
Hon. JEFF Davis was unanimously elected
President and Hon. A. II. Stephens, Vic,
President Of the Provisional Government.
- -
Report of the House Select Committee
in Reference 10 the abstraction of The Ind,
an Trust Fund from the Interior Depart
mcnt.
WASHINGTON, Feb. l2.-The report of tn
Select Commute, of which Morris, of Illinois
y fha ;l,l
facts relative to the abstraction of the Indiar
Trust Bonds Thirty or forty witnesse
were examined including xSecre!ary Floyt
| and Thompson. The latter is exonerate,
from any completely in the theft, but he, u
well as former Secretaries Of the Interior, ar
censured for the insufficient manner in whicl
the bonds have been held in that Department
there being no adequate responsibility at
tached to the custodian. According to Nh
| Russell S own evidence, he did not know, n
first, where the bonds, Of which he ob,aine,
| possession, came from.
| Mr.. Bycrly was all agent for the ncgocia
lion or sale Of the bonds, and Mr. Lea was n
Intermediate party between Russell an,
Bailey.
1t was also ascrrtained that Secrear
Floyd gave acceptanccs to the amount o
nearly seven millions. or from two to thre
millions more than Messrs. Russell. Mayer
& Co., ever earned, while these contractor
received all the money due them. The ac
ceplances were given on the strength of thei
contract.
Senator Benjamin was nm important wit
ness. About a year ago The could not exactl
fix the tme) be received n letter from Messrs
Duncan. Sherman X Co., asking him to as
certain whether Secretary Floyd's acccptau
ces were good.
Mr.. Benjamin called on the President. WIN
said ne knew nothing about them or any Law
authorizing their issue. Mr.. Benjamin mex
called on MIR. Floyd, who said the acceptan
ces were in accordance with the usage o
the Department, and were given conditionall
as to the arrival of trains from one point T.
another.
MIR. Benjamin reminded him of thu impro
priety Of such proceedings. and Mr.. Floy,
said he would sign no more, but, notwith
standing, from April 10 December he CAV
acceptance to the amount Of 81, l03 00O.-
The last batch were given on the 18th o
December. the day that Bailey delivered W
the last supply of bonds.
| The committee have ascertained that man,
OF these acceptances are still out. Two hun
dred and sixty thousand dollars worth o
them are in She hands of one or Two par
| tics alone, but which are worthless. TIL
committee make no recommendations, anC
merely report the facts.
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