美利堅邦聯憲法

美利堅聯盟國憲法（英語：Constitution of the Confederate States of America）簡稱聯盟國憲法、邦聯憲法（英語：Constitution of the Confederate States），是美利堅邦聯最高法律。該法案於1861年3月11日通過，自1862年2月22日起生效，直至美國內戰結束（1865年5月）。從1861年2月8日到1862年2月22日，邦聯也根據臨時憲法運作。 最初的臨時憲法位於維吉尼亞州里士滿美國內戰博物館，與後來的版本略有不同通過了。最終的手寫憲法位於哈格特善本和手稿圖書館喬治亞大學。其大部分條款逐字複製於合眾國憲法；然而，這兩份文件在語氣和法律內容上存在重大差異，主要是在奴隸制方面。

美利堅邦聯憲法 Constitution of the Confederate States
憲法正本第一頁
概況
司法轄區	美利堅邦聯
起草日期	1861年3月11日 (1861-03-11)
批准日期	1861年3月29日 (1861-03-29)
生效日期	1862年2月22日 (1862-02-22)
政府架構
政府分支	3
立法機關	兩院制
行政機關	總統
國家結構	聯邦制
選舉人團	是
立法機關 首設日期	1862年2月18日 (1862-02-18)
行政機關 首設日期	1862年2月22日 (1862-02-22)
廢除日期	1865年5月5日
原始文本 保存地點	喬治亞大學
初審機關	臨時國會
起草人	臨時國會50名代表
文本類型	羊皮紙
已取代	邦聯臨時憲法

與合眾國憲法比較

合眾國憲法和邦聯憲法的序言有一些相似之處，但邦聯憲法的作者似乎打算給新的序言賦予不同的感覺。此處提供了兩個前言。粗體文字顯示之間的差異。邦聯憲法的序言提到了上帝、永久政府以及每個州的主權和獨立。

• 合眾國憲法序言

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."

譯文：我們合眾國人民，為建立更完善的聯邦，樹立正義，保障國內安寧，提供共同防務，促進公共福利，並使我們自己和後代得享自由的幸福，特為美利堅合眾國制定本憲法。

• 邦聯憲法序言

"We, the people of the Confederate States, each state acting in its sovereign and independent character, in order to form a permanent federal government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity – invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God – do ordain and establish this Constitution for the Confederate States of America."

譯文：我們邦聯人民，每個州以其主權和獨立的特質行事，為了建立一個永久的聯邦政府、確立正義、保障國內和平以及為我們自己和我們的子孫爭取自由的祝福，恭請全能上帝的青睞和指引，立此憲法，成立美利堅邦聯。

文章摘要

邦聯憲法的正文大部分沿用了合眾國憲法，但也有一些變化

第一條差異

已隱藏部分未翻譯內容，歡迎參與翻譯。

• Amended Article I Section 2(1) to prohibit persons "of foreign birth" who were "not a citizen of the Confederate States" from voting "for any officer, civil or political, State or Federal."
• Article I Section 2(3) is essentially the same, and the clause still counts only "three-fifths of all slaves" for the population total of each state, just as it did in the US with the Three-Fifths Compromise: "The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every fifty thousand". while in the U.S. Constitution "The Number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty Thousand." A proposed Amendment to the U.S. Constitution which had been awaiting ratification by the states would have changed the maximum number of representatives to one for every fifty thousand.
• Amended Article I Section 2(5) to allow the state legislatures to impeach federal officials who live and work only within their state with a two-thirds vote of both houses of the state legislature.
• Concerning the appointment of Senators, Article I Section 3(1) adds "at the regular session next immediately preceding the commencement of the term of service." The state legislature, which then was responsible for the appointment of senators, had to wait until the seat was vacant.
• Article I Section 4(1) deals with elections and adds "subject to the provisions of this Constitution" to the U.S. Constitution Clause. That meant that each state legislature was free to make its own decision except if the constitution laid out other rules. The aforementioned Article I Section 2(1) and Article I Section 3(1) clauses would fall into that category.
• Amended Article I Section 6(2) to allow the House of Representatives and the Senate the ability to grant seats to the heads of each executive department to discuss issues involving their departments with Congress. The clause is the same as the one from the U.S. Constitution and adds:

But Congress may, by law, grant to the principal officer in each of the Executive Departments a seat upon the floor of either House, with the privilege of discussing any measures appertaining to his department.

• Amended Article I Section 7(2) to provide the President of the Confederate States of America with a line-item veto but also required any bill in which the president used the veto in to be resubmitted to both houses for a possible override vote by two thirds of both houses.
• In an attempt to prevent the Confederate Congress from protecting industry, the framers added to Article I Section 8(1):

The Congress shall have power – To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises for revenue, necessary to pay the debts, provide for the common defense, and carry on the Government of the Confederate States; but no bounties shall be granted from the Treasury; nor shall any duties or taxes on importations from foreign nations be laid to promote or foster any branch of industry; and all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout the Confederate States.

The phrase "general Welfare" was dropped from the Confederate Clause as well.

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

Article I Section 8(3) added quite a bit to the U.S. Constitution in an attempt to block the Confederate Congress from appropriating money to build "internal improvements" to "facilitate commerce," with some exceptions allowing for safety and improvement to waterways.

Article I Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes.

Article I Section 8(3) of the Confederate Constitution.

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian tribes; but neither this, nor any other clause contained in the constitution, shall ever be construed to delegate the power to Congress to appropriate money for any internal improvement intended to facilitate commerce; except for the purpose of furnishing lights, beacons, and buoys, and other aids to navigation upon the coasts, and the improvement of harbors and the removing of obstructions in river navigation, in all which cases, such duties shall be laid on the navigation facilitated thereby, as may be necessary to pay the costs and expenses thereof.

• There are changes and additions to Article 1 Section 9 Clauses (1), (2), and (4) that are covered in the Slavery section below.
• The first twelve amendments to the U.S. Constitution, including the Bill of Rights, were directly incorporated into the Confederate Constitution. That was done primarily in Article I Section 9 of the Confederate Constitution, with the first eight amendments to the U.S. Constitution becoming clauses (12) to (19).
• In addition to were three altogether-new clauses in the Confederate Constitution for Article I, Section 9.
• Article I, Section 9(9)

Congress shall appropriate no money from the treasury except by a vote of two-thirds of both Houses, taken by yeas and nays, unless it be asked and estimated for by some one of the heads of Department, and submitted to Congress by the President; or for the purpose of paying its own expenses and contingencies; or for the payment of claims against the Confederate States, the justice of which shall have been judicially declared by a tribunal for the investigation of claims against the government, which it is hereby made the duty of Congress to establish.

• Article I, Section 9(10)

All bills appropriating money shall specify in federal currency the exact amount of each appropriation and the purposes for which it is made; and Congress shall grant no extra compensation to any public contractor, officer, agent or servant, after such contract shall have been made or such service rendered.

• Amendments I through VIII are contained, in the same order, in Article I, Section 9(12) through Article I, Section 9(19) (the remainder of the US Bill of Rights is in Article VI).
• Article I, Section 9(20) was added to limit new bills to only one subject presented.

Every law or resolution having the force of law, shall relate to but one subject, and that shall be expressed in the title.

Then in Section 10:

• Article I Section 10(3):Confederate States did not have the ability to tax ships and negotiate treaties concerning waterways with other States without the consent of Congress. That clause limited the Confederate States in their ability to keep troops or to engage in war, but they would have the ability to enter compacts for the improvement of shared rivers.

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty on tonnage, except on sea-going vessels, for the improvement of its rivers and harbors navigated by the said vessels; but such duties shall not conflict with any treaties of the Confederate States with foreign nations; and any surplus revenue, thus derived, shall, after making such improvement, be paid into the common treasury. Nor shall any state keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as will not admit of delay. But when any river divides or flows through two or more States, they may enter into compacts with each other to improve the navigation thereof.

Article II

• The President of the Confederate States of America is to be elected by electors, chosen by the individual states, for a single six-year term, rather than a then-unlimited number of four-year terms. Article 2 Section 1(1) reads as: "The executive power shall be vested in a President of the Confederate States of America. He and the Vice President shall hold their offices for the term of six years; but the President shall not be re-eligible."
• Amendment XII of the U.S. Constitution is added here as Article II Section 1(3), (4), and (5)
• Article II Section 1(7) of the Confederate Constitution required candidates for the President of the Confederacy to have resided "within the limits of the Confederate States" for 14 years.

Changes to Article III

• Article III Section 2(1) of the Confederate Constitution combines the first clause of Article III Section 1 in the U.S. Constitution with Amendment XI. The phrase "citizens of the same state" is left out and "and foreign states, citizens or subjects; but no state shall be sued by a citizen or subject of any foreign state" is added in the Confederate Constitution.

Changes to Article IV

• There were changes and additions to Article IV Section 2(1) and Article IV Section 3(3), which are covered in the Slavery section below.
• Article IV Section 3(1) required a two-thirds of both houses of Congress vote for a new state to join the Confederacy.

Other states may be admitted into this Confederacy by a vote of two-thirds of the whole House of Representatives, and two-thirds of the Senate, the Senate voting by states; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.

Changes to Article V

• The Confederate Congress, unlike in the U.S. Constitution, could not propose amendments. Instead, amendments had to be proposed by constitutional conventions in at least three states. The Confederate Constitution also clarified an ambiguity in the U.S. Constitution's Article V by declaring that a national convention could propose only amendments that were suggested by state conventions, as opposed to having the authority to amend the entire Constitution. The process of amendment became easier (Article V Section 1(1)) by requiring only two thirds of the states to ratify, rather than three fourths.

Changes to Article VI

• The Confederate Constitution added a clause to aid with the transition from the provisional government.

Article VI Section 1(1) The Government established by this Constitution is the successor of the Provisional Government of the Confederate States of America, and all the laws passed by the latter shall continue in force until the same shall be repealed or modified; and all the officers appointed by the same shall remain in office until their successors are appointed and qualified, or the offices abolished.

• Amendments IX and X of the U.S. Constitution were added here as Article VI Section 1(5), and (6)

Changes to Article VII

• Article VII Section 1(2), with instructions for electing permanent officials after the ratification of the Confederate Constitution, was added.

When five states shall have ratified this Constitution, in the manner before specified, the Congress under the Provisional Constitution, shall prescribe the time for holding the election of President and Vice President; and, for the meeting of the Electoral College; and, for counting the votes, and inaugurating the President. They shall, also, prescribe the time for holding the first election of members of Congress under this Constitution, and the time for assembling the same. Until the assembling of such Congress, the Congress under the Provisional Constitution shall continue to exercise the legislative powers granted them; not extending beyond the time limited by the Constitution of the Provisional Government.

Differences by subject

Slavery

There were several major differences between the constitutions concerning slavery.

• Whereas the original U.S. Constitution did not use the word "slavery" or the term "Negro Slaves" but instead used "Person[s] held to Service or Labour," which included whites and Native Americans in indentured servitude, the Confederate Constitution addresses the legality of slavery directly and by name.
• Though Article I, Section 9(1), of both constitutions are quite similar in banning the importation of slaves from foreign nations, the Confederate Constitution permitted the Confederate States to import slaves from the United States and specified the "African race" as the subject. The importation of slaves into the United States, including the South, had been illegal since 1808.

邦聯憲法奴隸制

第一條第9(1)條
特此禁止從美利堅合眾國蓄奴州或領地以外的任何外國輸入非洲黑人；國會負責制定有效防止此類進口的法律。

然而，憲法保留國會廢除此類進口的權力：

第一條第9(2)條
國會還有權禁止從非本邦聯成員的任何州或不屬於本邦聯的領土引進奴隸。

第一條第9(4)款就黑人作出了澄清：

第一條第9(4)條
不得通過剝奪公民權法案、事後法律或否認或損害黑人奴隸財產權的法律。

第四條第2(1)節，針對黑人進行了修訂：

第四條第2(1)節
各州公民享有各州公民的一切特權和豁免權，並有權攜帶奴隸和其他財產在本邦聯任何州過境和居留：並有權上述奴隸的財產不得因此受到損害。

邦聯憲法中增加了一項條款，根據該條款，奴隸制將適用於未來所有希望加入聯邦的州：

第四條第3(3)節
國會有權為屬於邦聯各州的所有領土上的居民立法並建立政府，不受各州的限制；並可允許他們在法律規定的時間和方式組建被接納為邦聯的州。在所有這些領土上，目前在邦聯各州存在的黑人奴隸制度應得到國會和領土政府的承認和保護：並且幾個邦聯州和領土的居民應有權將他們在邦聯各州或領土上合法持有的任何奴隸帶到該領土。

簽署

• 豪厄爾·科布，國會主席
• 南卡羅來納州：
  • 羅伯特·巴恩韋爾·瑞特、克里斯多福·梅明格、威廉·波徹·邁爾斯、小詹姆斯·切斯納特、羅伯特·伍德沃德·巴恩韋爾、威廉·沃特斯·博伊斯、勞倫斯·M·凱特、托馬斯·傑斐遜·威瑟斯。
• 喬治亞州：
  • 羅伯特·圖姆斯、弗朗西斯·巴托、馬丁·詹金斯·克勞福德、亞歷山大·史蒂芬斯、班傑明·哈維·希爾、托馬斯·里德·魯茨·科布、尤金尼烏斯·阿里斯蒂德斯·尼斯貝特、奧古斯都·羅馬爾杜斯·賴特、奧古斯都·福爾摩斯·凱南。
• 佛羅里達州：
  • 傑克遜·莫頓、詹姆斯·巴頓·安德森、詹姆斯·拜拉姆·歐文斯。
• 阿拉巴馬州：
  • 理察·王爾德·沃克、羅伯特·哈迪·史密斯、科林·J·麥克雷、威廉·帕里什·奇爾頓、史蒂芬·F·黑爾、大衛·P·劉易斯、托馬斯·費恩、約翰·吉爾·肖特、賈貝茲·拉馬爾·門羅·庫裡。
• 密西西比州：
  • 亞歷山大·莫斯比·克萊頓、詹姆斯·托馬斯·哈里森、威廉·S·巴里、威廉·雪梨·威爾遜、沃克·布魯克、威利·P·哈里斯、喬賽亞·阿比蓋爾·帕特森·坎貝爾。
• 路易斯安那州：
  • 小約翰·帕金斯、亞歷山大·艾蒂安·德·克盧埃、查爾斯·馬吉爾·康拉德、鄧肯·F·肯納、亨利·馬歇爾、愛德華·斯帕羅。
• 德克薩斯州：
  • 約翰·亨普希爾、托馬斯·內維爾·沃爾、約翰·H·裡根、威廉姆森·辛普森·奧爾德姆、路易斯·維格福爾、約翰·格雷格、威廉·貝克·奧奇特里。

批准

國會於1861年3月11日開始批准《邦聯憲法》：

州份		日期
1	阿拉巴馬州	000000001861-03-13-00001861年3月13日
2	喬治亞州	000000001861-03-16-00001861年3月16日
3	路易斯安那州	000000001861-03-21-00001861年3月21日
4	德克薩斯州	000000001861-03-23-00001861年3月23日
5	密西西比州	000000001861-03-29-00001861年3月29日
6	南卡羅來納州	000000001861-04-03-00001861年4月3日
7	佛羅里達州	000000001861-04-22-00001861年4月22日

參見

• 合眾國憲法

外部連結

• 美利堅邦聯憲法全文閱讀英文 （頁面存檔備份，存於網際網路檔案館）