The 1868 constitution's preamble stated the purpose of the constitution's creation and adoption, which was given as, the establishment and perpetuation of "justice", "public order", "right", "liberty" and "freedom":

To the end that justice be established, public order maintained, and liberty perpetuated, we, the people of the State of Mississippi, grateful to Almighty God for the free exercise of the right to choose our own form of government, do ordain this Constitution.

—Preamble, Mississippi Constitution of 1868 (May 15, 1868).

This differed from the wording of the 1890 state constitution that replaced it, in which any and all references to "justice", "public order", "liberty", "right" and "freedom" were completely removed from the preamble by the convention's delegates. The words "in Convention assembled" appear after "the people of Mississippi", whereas the 1868 one was:

We, the people of Mississippi, in Convention assembled, grateful to Almighty God, and invoking His blessing on our work, do ordain and establish this Constitution.

—Preamble, Mississippi Constitution of 1890 (November 1, 1890).

Citizenship

The very first section of the state constitution's Bill of Rights section determined who was a citizen of the state. The section declared that "all persons" who lived within the borders of the State of Mississippi were its citizens. This extended citizenship to all persons who lived in the state, regardless of their gender or color:

All persons resident in this State, citizens of the United States, are hereby declared citizens of the State of Mississippi.

—Section 1, Article 1, Mississippi Constitution of 1868 (May 15, 1868)

Slavery

With the defeat of the Confederacy at the hands of the Union in the American Civil War, the Thirteenth Amendment was ratified to outlaw slavery throughout the United States. As a result, the 1868 constitution of Mississippi was the state's first one to ban slavery throughout the state:

There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in this State, otherwise than in the punishment of crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.

—Section 19, Article 1, Mississippi Constitution of 1868 (May 15, 1868).

Constitution of Mississippi

Constitution of Mississippi

American state constitution

Constitution of Mississippi
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Mississippi Constitution at Wikisource

The Constitution of Mississippi is the primary organizing law for the U.S. state of Mississippi delineating the duties, powers, structures, and functions of the state government. Mississippi's original constitution was adopted at a constitutional convention held at Washington, Mississippi in advance of the western portion of the territory's admission to the Union in 1817. The cur