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Record Group Number: 001000
Series/Collection Number: .S 1048
Creator: Florida. Constitutional Convention (1868)
Title, Dates: Constitution, 1868.
Amount: 1.00 item 46 x 74 cm.
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Biographical/Historical:     Florida became subject to the military authority of the federal government in 1867. Pursuant to an Act of Congress, General John Pope, Commander of the 3rd Military District, issued an order on April 8, 1867, dividing the 39 counties of Florida into 19 districts for the election of delegates to a convention to frame a new State Constitution. The Constitution had to conform with the Federal Constitution and with the 13th and 14th Amendments. The Convention met in Tallahassee on January 20, 1868.

    As the Convention began its functions, bitter factions formed and only after federal government intervention was the Convention brought under control. The Convention reconvened on February 18, 1868, and elected Horatio Jenkins, Jr. as President. The people of Florida adopted the new Constitution in May 1868. It conferred electoral franchise upon "male persons" instead of "white male persons" as in the 1865 Constitution. Once the federal military authorities accepted it, the State of Florida was recognized as being restored to the Union, and its Senators and Representatives were admitted to Congress.

Summary:     This series contains the 1868 Constitution for the State of Florida as drafted by the members of the Constitutional Convention in 1868. The 33-page document is handwritten and severely damaged. There are no proceedings to the 1868 Constitutional Convention in the Archives.

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Additional Physical Form: This document has been digitized and is available on the Florida Memory web site: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/189095
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Publication Note: Published in:  The Acts and Resolutions Adopted by the Legislature of Florida at its First Session (1868) Under the Constitution of A.D. 1868. Tallahassee : Hiram Potter, 1868.
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Electronic Records Access: https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/189095
Subject Access Fields: Constitutional conventions Florida
Constitutions. aat
Florida Constitution
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