"Voice of the Confederate States of America"

"We the People of the Confederate States, each State acting in its independent and sovereign character, in order to form a permanent Federal Government, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity - invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God - do ordain and establish this constitution for the Confederate States of America." --- Preamble

"We the People of the Sovereign States and Territories constituting and entitled the Confederate States of America hereby proclaim before Almighty God and all who may read these presents that as our forefathers law-fully, peacefully and constitutionally seceded from that voluntary union of States entitled the United States of America and formed a new nation, according to their reserved political rights, and the inalienable rights endowed them by their Creator, so the aforementioned States and Territories were, are, and remain now Sovereign political entities within a voluntary national Confederation, conjointly constituting one independent nation amongst the nations of this world, and styled 'The Confederate States of America." --- Proclamation of Independence