Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-02-20
Constitution of the Sonfeaerated



In the following we note the principle de-
parturcs from the Federal Constitution, IN
that of the Confederated States, adopted at
The preamble is as follows:
The Contention for the Provisional Gorern-
niem Of the Confederated States IF Anaeri-
ca.-Framed by C0nUentioH Of Deputies
from. ALabaDla. Florida, Georgia, LOaisi-
ana. Mississippi, and South Carolina. at
Montgomery, ALdGdnla, february 8, 1861.
We, the deputies of the sovereign and in
dependent States of South Carolina. Georgia.
Florida. Alabama, Mississippi. and Louisi-
ana, invoking the favor of Almighty God,
do hereby, in behalf of. these States, ordain
and establish this constitution for the provis-
ional government Of the same, 20 continue
one year from the Inauguration of the Presi-
dent, or until 4 permanent constitution or
confederation between the said States shall be
put in operation, whatsoever shall first &C.
eur.
Article l, section Sth, giving to Congress
the power to levy taxes and duties is changed
to read thus
To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts
and excises, for revenue necessary to pay the
debts and carry on the governments of this
COnfederacy. aud all duties, imposts and ex-
cises, shall be uniform throughout the Con-
federacy.
That part of section 9Th of the same arti-
Gle, which refers to the slave trade is substf-
tuted by the following
Section7 l. The importation of Afri-
can negroes from any foreign county other
than the slavehclding States of the Confeder-
ated States, is hereby forbidden, and Con-
gress is required 20 pass such laws as shall
efectually prevent the sans.
Congress sha:. also have power to prohibit
the Introduction of slaves from any S tate not
a member of this Coofederacy.
In Article VI, this clause is added
The government hereby 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 pshlic property aed public
debt at the time of their withdrawal from
them, these States hereby declaring it to be
their wish and earnest desire to adjust every
thing pertaining to the public property com-
mon liabilities, and common obligations of
that Union upon principles of right, justice,
equity and good faith.
The following is added as a supplemental
article, aud is numbered Nil
If any citizen of the Cunfederated States
shall accept, claim, receive, retain any Il
tie OF nobility or honor, or shall, without the
consent of Congress, accept or retain any
present, pension. Office or emolumeDt Of any
kind whatever, from any emperor. king, OF
prince or foreign power, such person shall
cease to be a citizen of the Coufederated
States, and shall be inca pabie of holding any
Office of trust or profit under them, or either
of them.
Besides the foregoing changes. the words
''Confede rated" and ''Confederacy" replace
words United" and Union wherever the
latter occur in the Federal Constitution The
apportionment clause in SectIon ., Article 1, ,
the non- amendment clause of Article V, the
words ''as under the Confederation" in Ar
ticle VI. and the whole of Article VII of the
Federal Constitution are omitted in that of
the CoDfederated States. In all other respects
so far as we have observed. the two COustitu-
tions are Identical.