altering or amending the constitution of this State, unless the question of convention or no convention shall be first submitted to a vote of the qualified electors of the State, and approved by a majority of the electors voting at said election.
Adopted by the convention, by the unanimous vote of all the delegates present, at the State capitol, in the city of Montgomery, on this, the thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, and of the Independence of the United States the ninetieth year.
Benj. Fitzpatrick,
- President of Convention.
Attest:
- Wm. H. Ogbourne,
- Sec’y of Convention.
preamble
We, the People of the State of Alabama, by our representatives in Convention assembled, in order to establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, provide for the common defence, promote the general welfare, and secure to ourselves and to our posterity the rights, of life, liberty, and property, invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God, do ordain and establish the following Constitution and form of government for the State of Alabama:
Article I
declaration of rights
That the great general and essential principles of liberty and free government may be recognized and established, we declare:
Section 1. That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Sec. 2. That all persons resident in this State, born in the United States, or naturalized, or who shall have legally declared their intention to become citizens of the United States, are hereby declared citi-
- ↑ Verified by “The Constitution of the State of Alabama as Revised and Amended by the Convention Assembled at Montgomery on the Fifth Day of November, A. D. 1867. Montgomery, Ala., Barrett and Brown, 1867.”
- ↑ Congress having directed how constitutions should be formed in the States recently in rebellion, by the acts of March 2 and March 21, 1867, a convention was called, which assembled at Montgomery November 5, 1867, and framed the above constitution and adjourned December 6, 1867. It was submitted to the people. Congress, after its reception, passed an act on the 25th of June, 1868, declaring that whenever the legislatures of Alabama [and other States named] should pass an act ratifying the fourteenth article of amendment to the Constitution, such State should be declared entitled to the admission of its Representatives in Congress. This was done on the 11th of July, 1868, and proclamation thereof was made by the President of the United States on the 20th of July, 1868.
