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Confederates create their own Constitution... Jeff Davis elected President...
Confederates create their own Constitution... Jeff Davis elected President...
Item # 691104
February 11, 1861
NEW YORK HERALD, Feb. 11, 1861
* Confederate Constitution creation
* Rebel President Jefferson Davis
The top of the front page has: "The Southern Confederacy" "Important Action of the Congress at Montgomery" "Adoption & Copy of the Constitution" "Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, Elected President" "Alex. H. Stephens, of Georgia, Vice President" "Sketches of the Elect" "The African Slave Trade Not to be Reopened" "The Capital of the New Confederacy".
The text begins by noting: "The disunion of this great republic is now un falt acompli. The reality has at last burst suddenly upon the North that we are a divided people...On Saturday last, Feb. 9, 1861, six seceding States of the old Union organized an independent government, adopted a constitution, and elected a President and Vice President. These states passed their respective ordinances of dissolution as follows:..." and what follows is a charge of the seceding states with their dates of secession (see).
This is followed by text noting: "...appointed temporary chairman, the Divine blessing was involved by Rev. Dr. Basil Manly..." followed by the full--and lengthy--text of the blessing which was given at the Southern Constitutional Congress.
The last two columns of the front page contain the full text of new Confederate Constitution including the Preamble. This historic text carries over to take more than two columns on the back page as well.
Also on the back page: "The New Government - Election of President & Vice President" noting the results: Jefferson Davis as President, Alexander Stephens as Vice President. Also: "Sketches of the Elect" with very descriptive text on them; "The City of Montgomery - The Provisional Capitol of the New Confederacy" "The Effect of the Southern Congress" "The New Confederacy" and more.
Eight pages, slightly irregular at the blank spine, light damp stain at the right margin, generally good condition.
AI notes: On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven seceding Southern states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas—met in Montgomery, Alabama, to form a new government: the Confederate States of America (CSA). On this day, they adopted the Confederate Constitution, which closely mirrored the U.S. Constitution but with several key differences reflecting the priorities of the seceding states. Most notably, it explicitly protected the institution of slavery, guaranteed states’ rights over federal authority, and limited the power of the central government. Jefferson Davis was later elected as the President of the Confederacy, and Montgomery became the provisional capital. The adoption of this constitution formalized the political and legal framework of the Confederacy, setting the stage for the Civil War that would erupt just two months later.
Category: Yankee
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