or resolution of the Legislature passed in accordance with the provisions of this article, proposing amendments to this Constitution, or calling a convention for the purpose of altering or amending the Constitution of this State, shall be submitted for the approval of the Governor, but shall be valid without his approval.

SCHEDULE

In order that no injury or inconvenience may arise from the alterations and amendments made by this Constitution to the existing Constitution of this State, and to carry this Constitution into effect it is hereby ordained and declared:

1. That all laws in force at the ratification of this Constitution and not inconsistent therewith, shall remain in full force until altered or repealed by the Legislature; and all rights, actions, prosecutions, claims and contracts of the State, counties, municipal corporations, individuals, or bodies corporate, not inconsistent with this Constitution, shall continue to be valid as if this Constitution had not been ratified.

2. That all bonds executed by or to any officer of this State, all recognizances, obligations, and all other instruments executed to this State, or to any subdivision or municipality thereof, before the ratification of this Constitution, and all fines, taxes, penalties, and forfeitures due and owing to the State, or any subdivision or municipality thereof, and all writs, suits, prosecutions, claims and causes of action, except as herein otherwise provided, shall continue and remain. unaffected by the ratification of this Constitution. All indictments which have been found, or which may hereafter be found, for any crime or offense committed before the ratification of this Constitution shall be proceeded upon in the same manner as if this Constitution had not been ratified.

3. That all the executive and judicial officers and all other officers in this State, who were elected at the elections held in this State on the first Monday in August in the years eighteen hundred and ninetyeight and nineteen hundred, or who have been appointed since that time, and all members of the present General Assembly and all who may be hereafter elected members of the present General Assembly, and all other officers holding office at the time of the ratification of this Constitution, shall, except as otherwise provided in this Constitution, continue in office and exercise the duties thereof until their respective terms shall expire as provided by the Constitution of eighteen hundred and seventy-five or the laws of this State.

4. This Constitution shall be submitted to the qualified electors of this State for ratification or rejection, as authorized and required by an act of the General Assembly of this State, entitled "An Act to provide for holding a convention to revise and amend the Constitution of this State," approved the eleventh day of December, nineteen hundred; and no elector shall be deprived of his right to vote at the election to be held for such purpose by reason of his not being registered.

5. That instead of the publication as required by the act to provide for holding a convention to revise and amend the Constitution,

approved the eleventh day of December, nineteen hundred, the Governor of this State is hereby authorized to take such steps as will give general publicity and circulation to this Constitution in a manner as economical as practicable.

6. The salaries of the Executive and Judicial and all other officers of this State, who may be holding office at the time of the ratification of this Constitution, and the payment of the present members of the General Assembly, shall not be affected by the provisions of this Constitution.

Done by the people of Alabama, through their delegates in convention assembled in the hall of the House of Representatives, at Montgomery, Alabama, this the third day of September, Anno Domini, nineteen hundred and one. JOHN B. KNOX, President.

Attest:

FRANK N. JULIAN, Secretary.

ALASKA

TREATY CEDING ALASKA, 1867

Convention for the cession of the Russian possessions in North America to the United States

Concluded March 30, 1867; ratifications exchanged at Washington June 20, 1867; proclaimed June 20, 1867

The United States of America and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, being desirous of strengthening, if possible, the good understanding which exists between them, have, for that purpose, appointed as their Plenipotentiaries, the President of the United States, William H. Seward, Secretary of State; and His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the Privy Counsellor Edward de Stoeckl, his Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States;

And the said Plenipotentiaries, having exchanged their full powers, which were found to be in due form, have agreed upon and signed the following articles:

ARTICLE I

His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias agrees to cede to the United States, by this convention, immediately upon the exchange of the ratifications thereof, all the territory and dominion now possessed by his said Majesty on the continent of America and in the adjacent islands, the same being contained within the geographical limits herein set forth, to wit: The eastern limit is the line of demarcation between the Russian and the British possessions in North America, as established by the convention between Russia and Great Britain, o fFebruary 28-16, 1825, and described in Articles III and IV of said convention, in the following terms:

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Commencing from the southernmost point of the island called Prince of Wales Island, which point lies in the parallel of 54 degrees 40 minutes north latitude, and between the 131st and 133rd degree of west longitude, (meridian of Greenwich,) the said line shall ascend to the north along the channel called Portland Channel, as far as the point of the continent where it strikes the 56th degree of north latitude; from this last-mentioned point, the line of demarcation shall follow the summit of the mountains situated parallel to the coast, as far as the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude, (of the same meridian;) and finally, from the said point of intersection, the said meridian line of the 141st degree, in its prolongation as far as the Frozen Ocean.

"IV. With reference to the line of demarcation laid down in the preceding article, it is understood—

"1st. That the island called Prince of Wales Island shall belong wholly to Russia," (now, by this cession to the United States.)

"2nd. That whenever the summit of the mountains which extend in a direction parallel to the coast from the 56th degree of north latitude to the point of intersection of the 141st degree of west longitude shall prove to be at the distance of more than ten marine leagues from the ocean, the limit between the British possessions and the line of coast which is to belong to Russia as above mentioned, (that is to say, the limit to the possessions ceded by this convention,) shall be formed by a line parallel to the winding of the coast, and which shall never exceed the distance of ten marine leagues therefrom.”

The western limit within which the territories and dominion conveyed are contained passes through a point in Behring's Straits on the parallel of sixty-five degrees thirty minutes north latitude, at its intersection by the meridian which passes midway between the islands of Krusenstern or Ignalook, and the island of Ratmanoff, or Noonarbook, and proceeds due north without limitation, into the same Frozen Ocean. The same western limit, beginning at the same initial point, proceeds thence in a course nearly southwest, through Behring's Straits and Behring's Sea, so as to pass midway between the northwest point of the island of St. Lawrence and the southeast point of Cape Choukotski, to the meridian of one hundred and seventy-two west longitude; thence, from the intersection of that meridian, in a southwesterly direction, so as to pass midway between the island of Attou and the Copper Island of the Kormandorski couplet or group, in the North Pacific Ocean, to the meridian of one hundred and ninety-three degrees west longitude, so as to include in the territory conveyed the whole of the Aleutian Islands east of that meridian.

ARTICLE II

In the cession of territory and dominion made by the preceding article are included the right of property in all public lots and squares, vacant lands, and all public buildings, fortifications, barracks, and other edifices which are not private individual property. It is, however, understood and agreed, that the churches which have been built in the ceded territory by the Russian Government, shall remain the property of such members of the Greek Oriental Church resident in the territory as may choose to worship therein. Any Government archives, papers, and documents relative to the territory and dominion aforesaid, which may now be existing there, will be left in the possession of the agent of the United States; but an authenticated copy of such of them as may be required, will be, at all times, given by the United States to the Russian Government, or to such Russian officers or subjects as they may apply for.

ARTICLE III

The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three years; but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory, they, with the exception of uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyment of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion. The uncivilized tribes will be subject to such laws and

regulations as the United States may from time to time adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country.

ARTICLE IV

His Majesty, the Emperor of all the Russias shall appoint, with convenient dispatch, an agent or agents for the purpose of formally delivering to a similar agent or agents, appointed on behalf of the United States, the territory, dominion, property, dependencies, and appurtenances which are ceded as above, and for doing any other act which may be necessary in regard thereto. But the cession, with the right of immediate possession, is nevertheless to be deemed complete and absolute on the exchange of ratifications, without waiting for such formal delivery.

ARTICLE V

Immediately after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, any fortifications or military posts which may be in the ceded territory shall be delivered to the agent of the United States, and any Russian troops which may be in the territory shall be withdrawn as soon as may be reasonably and conveniently practicable.

ARTICLE VI

In consideration of the cession aforesaid, the United States agree to pay at the Treasury in Washington, within ten months after the exchange of the ratifications of this convention, to the diplomatic representative or other agent of His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, duly authorized to receive the same, seven million two hundred thousand dollars in gold. The cession of territory and dominion herein made is hereby declared to be free and unincumbered by any reservations, privileges, franchises, grants, or possessions, by any associated companies, whether corporate or incorporate, Russian or any other, or by any parties except merely private individual propertyholders; and the cession hereby made conveys all the rights, franchises, and privileges now belonging to Russia in the said territory or dominion, and appurtenances thereto.

ARTICLE VII

When this convention shall have been duly ratified by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, on the one part, and, on the other, by His Majesty the Emperor of all the Russias, the ratifications shall be exchanged at Washington within three months from the date hereof, or sooner if possible.

In faith whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed this convention, and thereto affixed the seals of their arms.

Done at Washington the thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.

[SEAL.] SEAL.]

WILLIAM H. SEWARD.

EDOUARD DE STOECKL.

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