The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-12-18
TIE caxSr,rrrlaN OF ALARAMa.

s-saEThc Alabama Convention has adopted
Constitution to be submitted to the people
and Congress, under the reconstruction laws
the main features of which we condense as
follows: :.
The declaration of rights embodles the
first clause of the Declaration of lndepen-
dence regarding freedom and equality and
inalienahlc rights; secures popular govern
ment and religious freedom; prohibits an esr
tahishcd religion; guarantees freedom o,
the press and speech, the trial by jury, ana
8 and the rioht OF personal defence; proh'oits
excessive fines and penalties, and asserts the
right to bail by sureties The writ OF haoeas
corpus cannot be suspended except when
- necessary for public safety; treason against
the State consists of some overt act proven
by-two witnesses; imprisonment FOR deot IS
sprohibited rs also ec posto tdcto laws ana
laws impairing the obligation of contracts.
The navigable waters of the State are de-
clared public highways, and private proper
ty cannot he, taken for public use without
compensation.
Every citizen has right to bear arms in
tai defence of himself and the State, and the
people have the right peaceably to assemble
for the common good and to apply to those
invested with the power of government for
redress Of grievances. No standing army
can be kept up without the consent OF the
If, General Assembly, and appropriations there
fore can only be made for one year. Titles
of nobility are prohibited. and no property
Modification can be established for electors
or officers of the State Emigration from
the State shall not be prohibited, and no
citizen can be exiled. The clause on slavery
reads thus: -,
y That no form of s1arery shall erist an this
si State !, and there shall be no Involuntary ser
1861 p;t,,2a other,ciSe than for the punishment Of
-1 crime of aolich the party shall hace bee" duty
concicted.
Art. II defines the boundaries of the State
4, TO be those geographically known as com
prising the same and authorizes the Gener-
al Assembly to define the boundaries OF coun-
ties providing that no new county shall be
be made of less than six hundred square
,.s miles. and that no old county shall be rcduc-
~ ed to a less size ss.ai I'D
BY Art, III the powers of the government
are divided into three distinct depart
ments, Legislative, executive, and judicial,
Is and no person or persons, being OF one
of these departments, can exercise any
powers properly belonging to either Of the
Others.
oil. The legislative power of the State is by
4, Art. ~ vested in General Assembly, TO
consist of Senators and Representatives, the
former to be elected for four years the lat
e ter for two. Eligibility to either is the same
as to be an elector, except that Senator
must be twenty-seven years of age and have
resided two years in the State A majority
of each house Will constitute quorum, and
the provisions for regulating the sessions OF
each and the power given to each over its
own members are confurmable to the estab-
lished usages in other similar bodies. Mem
aff bers of the General Assembly shall in all ca
..e ses. except treason, felony, or breach OF the
peace, be privileged from arrest, and the
doors of each house shall be open except on
such occasions as in the opinion OF the house
NAV require secrecy No Senator of Repre-
sentative shall, during the term for which
he is elected, be appointed to ony civil office
of trust or profit under the State which
shall have been created or the emoluments
of which shall have been increased during
iii such term, except such office as may be fill
ed by election by the people.
No officers of the United States or of the
State, except postmasters or militia officers,
are eligible to seats In the Assembly, and all
State officers may be impeached for INSIDE
meanor in Office 1t shall be the duty of the
General Assembly to frame penal code,
and to pass such laws as may be necessary
to decide differences by arbitrators for par
ties who may choose that mode of ADJUST
ment Divorces can only be granted by suit
in Chancery. No money can be drawn from
the treasury except upon appropriation by
law, and the General Assembly can only Dor
row on the credit of the State for military
defence The State may lend its credit to
works of internal improvement, but cannot
engage in them itself.
The duties of the Governor are similar to
those of the same officer in other States and
generally comprised in his obligation to
"take care that the laws are faithfully execu-
ted.n He is made COMMUNICATIVE of
the military and naval forces of the State :;
may grant pardons, Issue commissions, call
extra sessions of the Legislature, and, in case
of disagreement between the two houses in
respect to the time of adjournment, may adj
journ the same.
The judicial power of the State is vested
in the Senate as court Of impeachment, a
supreme court, circuit court chancery courts,
9 courts of probate, and such inferior courts
of law and equity as the General Assembly
NAV establish. The division of the State
into circuits is left to the Legislature, which
shall also allot the chancery division, for
each of which there shall be chancellor
elected or appointed. to reside in the dis
trict and and chancery court shall be
held in each county at place to be deEmin-
ed by law.
The Judges of the courts are to hold their
Offices for six years, but may be removed by
the Governor on the address of two-thirds of
the General Assembly, or by Impeachment.
The clerk of the Supreme court is to be ap-
pointed by the Judges, and an attorney
general is to reside at the capital of the
State.
ELECTIONS
In all elections by the people the electors
shall vote by ballot Every male person
born in the United States and every male
person nh0 has been ndturalized or pho has
legally declared his intention to become q
citizen Of tile United States 81 gears old
and upaoard aOho shall hace resided in this
State sic months merit preceding the election
and three months an the county in mhich he
offers to COTE egcept as hereinafter 7orOviIed,
shall be deemed an elector
Soldiers, sailors, and marines, in the Uni
G ted States service, arc not permitted to vote
by reason of being stationed in the State on
duty. Registration must be provided for
by the General Assembly, and the following
persons are not permitted to register:
1st Those who, during the late rebellion,
inflicted, or cause to be inflicted, any cruel
or unusual punishments upon any soldier
D * sailor, or marine, employee or citizen of the
States, or who, in any other way, VIC
. lated the rules of civilized warfare.