Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-25
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of America.

We, the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order IN form permanent federal government estat
iish justice insure domestic tranquility, and
the blessings OF liberty ourselves and our poster
| ty-invokng the faver and guidance of Almighty Go
do ordain and establish this Constitution for IN
| Confederate States of America
ARTICLE l.
sEcrIoS1
All legislative powers herein delegated shall veste,
in Congress of the Confederate States which shal
consist Of Senate and House of Representatives..
SECTION g.
| l. The House of Representatives shall be composeS
| of members chosen every second year by the peOps
OF the several states; and the electors each
shall be citizens of the Confederate Sstes and have
the qualifications requisite for electors most
| numerous branch of the State legislature but no
person of foreign BIRTH citizen of the Confederate
states, shall be allowed to vote tor any otcer civil
| political, State Federal.
2. No person shall be Represen tatiFe. who shall
| not have attained the age twenty-five years and
be Citizen of the Confederate states and who shall
which he shall be chosen. t - ="
3. Representatives aud pFser Isxes aaH be ao,.r-
| toned among The several States, which may be in
cuded within this Conederacy according TO their re-
spective numbers, which shall be determined by ad-
ding to the whole number of free persons, including
those bound TO service for term of years and
cluding Indians not taxed, threefths of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years after the first meeting of the Congress of the
Confederate Staes and within every subsequent term
of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall hot ex
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representatives and until such
meration shall be made the state of south Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sx-the State of gia
teDthe State of Alabama Dine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
siana six, and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any State the Executive authority thereof snail
issue writs of election TO ill such vacancies.
s. The House Of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any Judicial or
her federal officers resident and acting solely WITHIN
the limits Of any State, may be mpeached by
of twothrds OF both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION 5.
l. The Senate OF the Confederate States shall be com
posed OF Senators from each State,
next Immediately preceding the commencement OF
The term OF service and each Senator shall have one
vote.
2 Immediately after they shall be assembled In
consequence OF the rst election they shall be divided
equally may be into three classes Tho seats of
the senators Of the first class shall be vacated the
expiration of the second year of the second class
the expiration of the fourth year and Of the thir class
at the expiration of the sixth year that onehird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the re-
of the legislature Of any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the legislature which shall then I'LL
such ancies.
8. NO person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the age OF thirty years and be citizen OF the
Confederate States and who shall moi, when elected,
be inhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
chosen.
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President Of the Senate but shall have VOTE
less they shall be equally divided
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro epoe in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the office Of Presi
dent of the Confederate States!
O. The Senate shall have the sole power try all i'm
peaohments When sitting for that purpose they shall
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not
tend further than to removal from office, and dsquali
cation to hold and enjoy Office Of honor profit,
under the Confederate but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and sub ect indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according 10
law.
1. The time, place and Of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the legisl thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
any time, by law, make alter such regulations,
except the times and places of choosing Senator'S
2. The Congress shl assemble at least in every
year ana such meeting shall bo the Monday in
December, unless they shah, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications of its own members, and q
majority OF each shall constitute quorum TO do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day 10
day, and be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, IN such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide
2, Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedngs punish its members disorderly behavior,
and with the of twothirds OF the whole
number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time 20 time publish the excepting
such may in their Judgment require secrecy,
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, any question, SHALL the desire of -th
Of those present, by entered on the journal
q. Neither House, during the session Of Congress,
shall without the consent OF the other adjourn for
more than three days nor TO other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION a.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be ascertained by
law and paid of the treasury of the Confederate
States. They shall, in all cases, except treason and
breach Of the peace be privileged from during
their attendance at the session OF their respective
Houses and IN going 10 and returning from the same
and for any speech debate 10 either House. they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he elected, be app .inted any
civil Office under the authority Of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emolu
mens whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any office under the Con-
federate States shall be member OF either House
during ms oontin9ance @ IN once, But congress may,
by law grant 10 the principal oncer IN each Of the Ex
ecutlve Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
appertaining 10 his department
SECTION I.
1. All bills for raising shall originate In the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose concur with amendments other bills.
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes q law, be presented the
President of the Confederate States if he approve
shall sign il but If not he shall return il with his OBJ
jectons the House in which il shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ais proceed to reconsider it. r. after such reconsid
eration twothrds of that House shall agree pass
the BILL II shall be sent together with the objections,
the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House. shall become law. But in all such cases,
the Of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be the journal of each House
spectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented to him. the same shall be
law in like if he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return in
which case il shall not be law The President may
approve appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation in the same BILL In such case he shall,
In signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap-
proved; and shall return copy OF such appropria-
tons with his objections, TO the House in which the
bill shall have originated and the same proceedings
shall then be had as in case Of other bills dsapproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote to which the con-
currence OF both Houses may be necessary (except
question of adjournmen) shall be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him.
beng disapproyed by him, may be re passed by two
tations prescribed in case Of q bill.
SECTION 8.
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and ex
cses for revenue necessary TO pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
of the Confederate States, but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties or
importatons from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch OF industry; and all du
ties mposts and excuses shall be uniform through
the Confederate States:
2. To borrow money on the credit Of the Confeder
ate States
s. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, nor any other clause contain
ed in the constitutions shall be construed dele
gate the power to Congress TO appropriate money for
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate
nlerce except for the purpose Of furnishing lights
oeacons and buoys, and other aids vigaton upon
The coasts and thsi Improvement OF harbors and the
removing of distractions IN river navigation in all