25 



This act included no limitation upon or instruction to the Con- 

 vention of 1861-62, except xiith respect to minor matters of 

 convention organization and the pay and mileage of delegates. The 

 Convention of 1861-62 exercised its authority by taking North 

 Carolina out of the Union, ratifying the Constitution of the Con- 

 federate States, and adopting a dozen amendments to the State 

 Constitution which went into effect without being submitted to the 

 people for ratification, ■'•^ 



During the year of its existence, the Convention of I86I-62 

 held four sessions. In addition to the transaction of business 

 appropriate to a convention, it granted divorces, chartered private 

 corporations, and generally exercised legislative authority, al- 

 though a session of the legislature was held in the meantime. 

 Convention of l86$-66 . 



Immediately following the close of the Civil War, as an 

 initial phase of his program of reconstruction. President Johnson 

 on 29 May 1865 appointed a Provisional Governor of the State and 

 authorized him to convene 



"a convention composed of delegates to be chosen by 

 that portion of the people of said State x^ho are 

 loyal to the United States, and no others, for the 

 purpose of altering or amending the constitution 

 thereof, and with authority to exercise within the 

 limits of said State all the powers necessary and 

 proper to enable such loyal people of the State of 



-^ ^rdinances and Resolutions Passed by the State Convention . 

 . . l86l^52TR"aleigh! Jno. U. Syme, 1062). ~~~ 



