Constitution of the Commonwealth of Liberia.

Whereas it has pleased a Gracious Providence to favour with success, the benevolent efforts of the citizens of the United States of America, to plant Christian Colonies of free colored people, on the western coast of Africa, in order to lay a durable foundation for their future Union, Freedom and Independence, the following Constitution of Government is ordained and established.

ARTICLE I.

Sec. 1. The several colonial settlements planted in Liberia, on the principles of the American Colonization Society, are hereby declared to be united under one Government, to be styled the Government of Liberia.

Sec. 2. The Colony of Monrovia and the several Settlements appurtenant thereto, shall make one Colony, under the common title of "Monrovia; " the Colonies at Cape Palmas and Bassa Cove shall maintain their present denomination, or receive such other as the associated Colonization Societies of New York and Pennsylvania, and the Maryland State Society, may hereafter respectively bestow on them.

ARTICLE II. Of the Legislative Power.

Sec. 1. There shall be a Legislature, entitled the Congress of Liberia, which shall hold one session, at least, in every two years, at the town of Monrovia; or at such other place as the Congress shall from time to time. appoint. The first meeting shall be held on the first Monday in December next following the ratification of this Constitution; and all succeeding meetings shall commence at such periods as the Congress may prescribe.

Sec. 2. The Congress shall consist of the Chief Executive Magistrate of each of the Colonies of Monrovia, Cape Palmas, and Bassa Cove, and of five Delegates, to be elected by the Legislative councils of the said Colonies, in such manner as they may respectively provide, in the proportion of three for the Colony of Monrovia, and one for each of the other Colonies; and the said delegates shall receive for their services, such compensation as their respective councils may determine and pay.

Sec. 3. The Governor of Monrovia shall preside over the deliberations of the Congress; and in case of his absence, death, resignation, or inability, such one of the other Colonial Governors as a majority of the delegates present may elect. In the absence of those Governors, a President, for the time being, shall be, in like manner, chosen from the delegates present.

Sec. 4. It shall be the duty of the President to call the members to order, and to preserve decorum in the debates and proceedings of Congress, according to such rules as they may adopt for their government. In his absence from the chair, for a period not exceeding one day, he may call on any other member to preside in his place. He shall be entitled to vote in all cases in which he is not personally interested, and shall, moreover, give the casting vote whenever the Congress is equally divided on any question.

Sec. 5. The presence of a majority of all the members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, but a less number may adjourn from day to day till a quorum be formed, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of the absent delegates, in such manner, and in such penalties as the Congress may provide.

Sec. 6. The Congress shall be the sole judge of the elections, returns and qualifications of the several delegates thereto, may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its members for disorderly conduct; and, with the concurrence of two-thirds, expel a delegate. Shall keep a fair journal of its proceedings, and from time to time, publish the same; except such parts thereof as may, in their judgment, require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members, on any question, shall by the desire of any two or more members be entered on the journal. They shall, by the first opportunity, transmit a copy of their entire journal to the American Colonization Society; they shall appoint a recording Secretary and such other officers as may be necessary to the transaction. of business and fix their respective compensation, which shall be paid by the several Colonies on a ratable assessment, according to their respective representation.

In all cases except treason, felony, and breach of peace, the delegates shall be privileged from arrest, during their attendance in Congress, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate. therein, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

Sec. 7. No person shall be chosen as a delegate from any Colony who shall be under twenty-five years of age at the period of his election; nor unless he be, at such period, a citizen of Liberia, and have been an inhabitant of the Colony for which he is elected, for at least six months prior to his election.

Sec. 8. Congress shall have power to prescribe uniform rules of naturalization for all persons of colour, provided that all persons now citizens of any Colony of Liberia, shall continue to be so, and that all

coloured persons emigrating from the United States of America, or any district or territory thereof, with the approbation, or under the sanction of the American Colonization Society; or of any Auxiliary Society of the same, or of any State Colonization Society of the United States, which shall have assented to this Constitution of Government, shall be entitled to all the privileges of citizens of Liberia; except the same shall have been lost or forfeited by conviction of some crime.

Sec. 9. They shall have power to fix the standard of weights and measures,until the Congress of the United States of America shall have prescribed some standard of the same, when the American, shall become the standard of Liberia.

Sec 10 They shall have power to settle the value of any African money, in the metallic currency of Liberia, which currency shall, in all other respects, be the same with that of the United States.

Sec 11. In time of war or insurrection, or of imminent danger thereof, they shall have power to emit bills and to borrow money on the credit of Liberia, under such restrictions and limitations as may be provided by the American Colonization Society; and at such times they shall have power to provide a treasury for the common defence, to appoint a treasurer and such other officers or agents as may be necessary to the collection and disbursements of the public money, no part of which shall be appropriated but by an act, or resolution of Congress; the treasury shall be supplied by a ratable assessment of such sums, as may be necessary, upon the several Colonies; which, until a more equitable mode can be provided, shall be in proportion to the number of delegates, in the Congress, elected by each Colony; such sums, to be assessed, collected, and paid by, or in pursuance of the acts, or orders, of the respective Legislative Councils of the Colonies, and all expenses incurred for the common defence shall be chargeable upon and paid out of the said treasury.

Sec. 12. The Congress shall have power to declare war, in self-defence, and make rules concerning captures on land and water; to raise and support armies in time of actual war; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer period than two years.

To provide and maintain a navy in time of war.

To make rules for the government of the land and naval forces.

To provide for organizing and disciplining a militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed under their authority; and to appoint over them, when so employed, or select from among them, the General, Brigade, and Regimental Staff officers: and to appoint and

commission, for the existing war, all other officers in command thereof, of higher grade than the commandants of companies: reserving to the Colonial Governments respectively, the appointment at other times of all their militia officers, and in time of war, of all officers of militia whose appointment is not hereby vested in the Congress of Liberia.

Sec. 13. The Congress shall have power to make treaties with the several African tribes and to prescribe for regulating the commerce between Liberia and such tribes: but they shall enter into no treaty or alliance, nor ascertain and assess the sum and expenses necessary to the common defence, nor emit bills, nor borrow money on the public credit, nor agree upon the number of vessels of war to be built or purchased, or the number of land and sea forces should be raised, without the assent of two-thirds of the members present.

Sec. 14. Congress shall have power to render uniform the tariff of duties on foreign imports into the territory of Liberia; but, in doing so, shall give no preference to one port thereof over another; and all such duties shall be collected by, and paid into the treasuries of the respective Colonies under the authority of their respective Legislative Councils.

Sec. 15. Congress shall impose no duty on the exports of any Colony, nor shall any Colony impose any duty on the entry or transportation of the produce or manufactures of any other Colony arriving in the same.

Sec. 16. The Congress may establish a communication by post, between the several Colonies and fix the rate of postage, but the proceeds thereof shall be paid into the treasuries of the several Colonies in which the same may be collected, and the officers required to sustain such communication, shall be appointed under the authority of the Colonial Legislatures, in such mode as they may respectively prescribe, and be paid such compensation as their respective Colonial Legislatures may provide out of the proceeds of the postage.

ARTICLE III. Of the Executive Power.

Sec. 1. The Supreme Executive power of the Government of Liberia shall be vested in the Governor of the Colony of Mourovia, whose title shall be "President of Liberia and Governor of Monrovia," and in a council to consist of the several Colonial Governors or a majority of them. The President shall, if empowered, perform the duties of Agent of the United States of America for the reception of recaptured Africans, provided that, if any other person shall be appointed to such agency, he may, also, be a member of the Executive Council with a right to debate, but not to vote on any question.

Sec. 2. During the recess of the Congress all vacancies in the several offices created and filled by them shall be filled on the nomination of the President with the advice and consent of the Council, if present-if absent, by the President alone; and all such officers, so appointed, shall hold their offices until the expiration of the ensuing session of Congress. Sec. 3. The President shall be, ex-officio commander in chief of the Land and Naval forces of Liberia, and of such portion of the militia as may be called into the service thereof. He shall receive his appointment from the American Colonization Society and shall be removable at their pleasure.

Sec. 4. The Executive power of the Colonies of Cape Palmas and Bassa Cove shall be vested in a Governor and such councillors, and inferior officers and agents, as the constitutions adopted for these Colonies by their respective Societies, may provide.

ARTICLE IV. Of the Judicial Power.

Sec. 1. The Judicial Power of the Government of Liberia shall be vested in a Supreme Court, to consist of the President of Liberia and the Governors of the several Colonies, and in such other Courts as the Congress may establish by law; and shall extend to all cases arising under this Constitution of Government; and the treaties and laws made in conformity therewith; to all cases in which controversies arise between citizens and other nations, or between such citizens and the colonists; to all cases in which controversies may exist between the Colonies themselves, and to all cases wherein the rights or privileges of any minister, diplomatic agent, or representative of any of the African tribes may be involved.

Sec. 2. In all cases between the Colonies themselves; or which may threaten to disturb the peaceful relations between Liberia and other nations, or the several African tribes, the Supreme Court shall have original jurisdiction. In all other cases it shall have appellate. jurisdiction only.

Sec. 3. The decisions of the Supreme Court shall be conclusive evidence of the construction of the Constitution, treaties, and laws, and with the treaties and acts of Congress shall have paramount authority to the acts of the several Colonial Legislatures and the decisions of their Courts; from the latter an appeal may be taken whenever those decisions involve the construction of any treaty, act of Congress, or prior decision of the Supreme Court of Liberia.