Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-26
The Constitution of the Confederate States

stitution of the Provisional Government of the
Confederate States of America" which is in
the main a copy Of the Federal Constitution OF
the United States. The preamble to this Pro-
visional Constitution declares that it is to con-
tinue in force for one year from the iDaugura-
ton of the President, or until a permanent
Constitution or Confederation between the
States of South Carolina, Georgia, Florida
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, shall b'
put in operation, whichsoever shall frat occur.
The Montgomery Congress has since adopt
ed Permanent Constitution, under the title II
The "Constitution Of the Confederate States Of
America' The ratification of the Conven-
tions OF five States is made sufficient for the
establishment Of this Constitution, between the
States SO ratifying the same. When five
States have thus ratified the Permanent Consti
tuition, the Congress under the Provisional Con
stitution is to prescribe the time for the elec
ton of President and Vice President and for
members of Congress, and to prescribe generally
for carrying the new government into effect IN
der the Permanent Constitution.
This Constitution is, in oil essential respects,
similar to the Constitution Of the United States.
But the Congress which adopted the former had
the advantage of experience, as to the opera
ton of the Federal Constitution, and have,
therefore, made some deviations from the
latter, which are generally admitted to be, in
some particulars, decided Improvements. We
shall specify some Of these changes, and leave
our readers to judge of their relative merits.
The first inquiry naturally will be, what pro
visions does the Confederate Constitution make
in regard to slavery and the slave trade 2 1t
provides that the citizens of each State shall
have the right Of transit and sojourn in any
State of the Confederacy, with their slaves and
other property, and that the right of property to
said slaves shall not be thereby impaired. The
clause relating to fugitives from service is sim-
liar to that in the United States Constitution,
except that the phrase "No slave or other per,
son held to service or labor In any State Or Ter
ritory," is used.
The Constitution provides that in all the Ter
ritory belonging to the Coniederacy, the insti
tuition Of negro slavery, as 1t now exists in the
Confederate States, shall be recognized and pro-
tected by Congress and the Territorial Govern
ment; and that the inhabitants Of the several
Confederate States and Territories shall have
the right to take any slaves lawfully held by
them into any of the Territories.
The importation of negroes Of the African
race, from any foreign country, except the slave
holding States and Territories of the United
Ssates, is forbidden; and Congress is required. to
pass such laws as shall effectually prevent the
same. Congress has, however, power to prohibit
the introduction Of slaves from any State or Ter.
ritory not belonging to the Confederacy.
:, New States (either slaveholding or free)
may be admitted into the Confederacy, by vote
Of two-thirds OF the whole House of Represen-
tatives, and two thirds Of the Senate, the Sen
ate voting BY States. l'-'
Some Of the provisions which are claimed to
be improvements upoR our Federal Constitution
are the following: Ef. th
That Congress shall not appropriate money
except by two-thirds vote, unless It 10 asked
by some responsible head of department and is
estimated for; that no claims shall be voted for,
unless Judicial decision is frst had to establish
their Justice; that no extra compensation shall
be allowed for service rendered; that the Presi-
ient has the power to veto any single item in
IN appropriation bill, and that every Law or reso.
ution having the force of law shall relate to
out one subject, which shall be expressed in the
lille.
All bounties to sustain particular branches Of
business are prohibited, and duties upon impor-
sations for the purpose Of protection are not al
Owed. In providing for postal service, the
Constitution requires that IL shall be self-sus-
aiming after the first day of March,. 1863. Con.
yress is prohibited from appropriating money for
internal improvements to promote commerce,
except to furnish lights, beacons, &C., and to
improve harbors. This latter provision will
leave such projects as Q Pacific Railroad to be
Il undertaken at all, by private en-.
'erprise. s.as. -m Soas
2 The reader will be satisfied, we think, upon
the Constitution Of the Confederate
States with our own Federal Constitution, that
the former can justly lay claim to superiority
10 some importan. respects. In some few par
siculars, IL may be open to objection. But there
ioes really seem to be nothing "a either which |
should prevent an immediate reunion and re. |
toration Of harmony under one General Gov
'rnment, as heretofore. We close with the fol- |
owing extract from an article in the Philadel-
'hia Ledger, commenting upon the two Consti-
utions: ao. ~I %
In the man the changes suggested are improvements
apon tne United states Consultation, which probably the
people Of the latter Government would never be able to
ecnre In their organic law through the forms
10 their Constitution. Possibly comprornse Al some
,osure gay may be presented which will include the a
sections again hamonize Nh. ef new and improved Con
sntuiion such asekpefcbce has suggested AZ
70 union and maternity. ~ y n ~
The United states Army is in rebelliou,l
ln other words, Il has been satisfactorily as
certalned az the War Department, through the
omcers IN command OF The several posts ct
wnich !. the army 10 distributed, that the rank and
NE refuse 20 20 employed IN cannonading, fusi.
lading and bayoneting Their fellow countfymen. |
lney declare tnat they were enlisted TO fight
Indians, Mexicans, British, French, spaniafds.
'r any other enemies Of the country who mirht
'resent themselves, but not 10 fight the Amer.
cans. 50 the business Of coercion is 6t q dead
ock, for the goodpnd sufficient reason that eco.
rclyesH are not iorthcomiug.--N. Y. Es, !
rsss.