3

OF THE

STATE OF NORTH-CAROLINA,

TOGETHER WITH THE

ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

OF THE

CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION,

Assembled in the City of Raleigh, Jan. 14th, 1868.

RALEIGH:

JOSEPH W. HOLDEN, CONVENTION PRINTER,

1868,

CONSTITUTION

OF

NORTH-CAROLINA.

CHAPTER I.

PREAMBLE.

We the people of the State of North-Carolina, grateful Preamble. to Almighty God, the Sovereign Ruler of Nations, for the preservation of the American Union, and the existence of our civil, political and religious liberties, and acknowledging our dependence upon Him, for the continuance of those blessings to us and our posterity, do, for the more certain security thereof, and for the better government of this State, ordain and establish this Constitution.

ARTICLE I.

DECLARATION OF RIGHTS.

That the great, general and essential principles of liberty and free government, may be recognized and established, and that the relations of this State to the Union and government of the United States, and those of the people of this State to the rest of the American people, may be defined and affirmed, we do declare:

SECTION 1. That we hold it to be self-evident that all men and quality are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator men.

with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, the enjoyment of the fruits of their own labor, and the pursuit of happiness.