270 



FLORIDA. 



Section 2. All political power is inherent in the 

 people. Government is instituted for the protection, 

 security, and benefit of its citizens ; and they have the 

 right to alter or amend the same whenever the public 

 good may require it, but the paramount allegiance of 

 every citizen is due to the Federal Government, and 

 no power exists with the people of this State to dis- 

 solve its connection therewith. 



Section 8. This State shall ever remain a member 

 of the American Union : the people thereof a part of 

 the American nation, and any attempt from whatever 

 source, or upon whatever pretence, to dissolve said 

 Union, or to sever said nation, shall be resisted with 

 the whole power of the State. 



In compliance with an ordinance purposely 

 inserted in this organic law, as soon as a ma- 

 jority of the delegates had voted for its adop- 

 tion, their president gave public notice through 

 the press that the new State constitution 

 would be submitted to the people for their 

 ratification or rejection in a general election to 

 be held on the first Monday, Tuesday, and 

 Wednesday of May, 1868. Having thus com- 

 pleted its work, the convention adjourned. 

 Before adjourning, however, it organized it- 

 self again into a Nominating Convention, the 

 president of the former presiding also in the lat- 

 ter, but not all the delegates were admitted in 

 it. This exclusion was stoutly opposed by sev- 

 eral even of those who were admitted, and who, 

 on that account, left the assembly, refusing to 

 take part in its proceedings. This meeting 

 nominated Harrison Eeed for Governor, "William 

 G. Gleason for Lieutenant-Governor, 0. M. 

 Hamilton for member of Congress, all three 

 outside of the Constitutional Convention. It 

 nominated also the three presidential electors 

 from among its own members. No other State 

 officers were nominated, since the new constitu- 

 tion confers upon the Governor the power of 

 appointing all of them in every department of 

 State administration, constables only excepted. 

 These, it is ordained, " shall be elected by the 

 registered voters," each county being " entitled 

 to at least two constables." The number of 

 State officers to be appointed by the Governor 

 (and confirmed by the Senate), with the salaries 

 assigned to some of them, was condensed in a 

 list, published in the papers of April 9, 1868, 

 as follows : 



One Chief and two Associate Justices for life, with 

 salaries of four thousand dollars per annum. 



Seven Circuit Judges for eight years, salaries of 

 three thousand five hundred dollars per annum. 



A Secretary of State, Attorney-General, Comptrol- 

 ler, Treasurer, Surveyor-General, Superintendent of 

 Public Instruction, Adjutant-General, and Commis- 

 sioner of Immigration, for four years, with salaries 

 of three thousand dollars per annum. 



All commissioned officers of the militia. 



And the following county officers : 



Assessors of Taxes, Collectors of Eevenue, County 

 Ireasurers, County Surveyors, Superintendents of 

 Common bchools, and five County Commissioners in 

 each county, each of whom shall hold his office for 

 two years; "and "such officers shall be subject to 

 removal by the Governor when in his judgment the 

 public welfare will be advanced thereby." 



County Court Judges to hold office four years. 



As many Justices of the Peace as he may deem 

 necessary ;" and " Justices of the Peace will hold their 



offices during good behavior, subject to removals by 

 the Governor at his discretion." 



Seven State Attorneys, one in each judicial cir- 

 cuit, to hold office four years. 



County Sheriffs and Clerks of Circuit Courts to 

 hold office four years. 



The general election, to be held on the rati- 

 fication of the new constitution, was ordered 

 and its conduct provided for, by General Meade, 

 in the following order of March 16, 1868 : 



General Orders, No. 41. 



. HEADQUABTEBS, THIED MILITABY DISTEIOT ) 



(DEPABTMENTOF GEOEGIA, FLOEIDA, AND ALABAMA), > 



ATLANTA, GA., March 16, 1868. ) 



I. Whereas, The Constitutional Convention re- 

 cently assembled in Tallahassee, Fla., in compliance 

 with General Orders No. 110, issued from these head- 

 quarters, December 28 t 1867, did, in pursuance of the 

 Acts of Congress mentioned in said orders, proceed 

 to frame a constitution and civil government for the 

 State of Florida, and provide for the publication of 

 said constitution ; and did further, by an ordinance 

 of said convention adopted February 25, 1868, sub- 

 mit for ratification to the persons in said State regis- 

 tered and to be registered as voters under the Acts of 

 Congress specified in said General Orders, at an elec- 

 tion to be conducted according to the provisions of 

 said acts, to be held in the various counties of said 

 State, on the first Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 

 of May, A. D. 1868 ; 



II. And whereas, By an Act of Congress which be- 

 came a law March 12, 1868, it is provided that, here- 

 after, any election authorized by the Acts of Congress 

 aforesaid, shall be decided by a majority of the votes 

 actually cast ; and at the election, in which the ques- 

 tion of the adoption or rejection of any constitution 

 is submitted, any person duly registered in the State 

 may vote in the election district where he offers to 

 vote when he has resided therein for ten days next 

 preceding such election upon presentation of his cer- 

 tificate of registration, his affidavit, or other satisfac- 

 tory evidence of registration, under such regulations 

 as the district commander may prescribe ; 



III. And whereas, Said Acts of Congress provide 

 that the election for ratification of said constitution 

 shall be conducted by the officers or persons appoint- 

 ed or to be appointed by the commanding general, 

 and at the date nxed by said convention : 



IV. It is ordered, That an election be held in the 

 State of Florida on the first Monday, Tuesday, and 

 Wednesday of May, 1868, at which the registered 

 voters of said State may vote for or against the con- 

 stitution submitted to them by the ordinance afore- 

 said. Those voting in favor of the constitution shall 

 have written or printed on their ballots the words 

 ^ For the Constitution," and those voting against the 

 constitution shall have written or printed on their 

 ballots the words " Against the Constitution." 



V. It shall be the duty of the Boards of Kegistration 

 in Florida, in accordance with said Acts, commencing 

 fourteen days prior to the election herein ordered, and 

 giving reasonable public notice of the time and place 

 thereof, to revise, for a period of five days, the regis- 

 tration lists, and upon being satisfied that any person 

 not entitled thereto has been registered, to strike the 

 name of such person from the list, and such person 

 shall not be allowed to vote. And such Boards shall 

 also, during the same period, add to such registry the 

 names of all persons who, at that tune, possess the 

 qualifications required by said Acts, who have not 

 been already registered. 



In deciding who are to be stricken from or added to 

 the registration lists, the Boards will be guided by 

 the Acts of Congress relating to reconstruction, and 

 their attention Is especially called to the Supplement- 

 ary Act which became a law July 19, 1867. 



VI. Said election shall be held in each county in 

 said State under the superintendence of the Boards 



