Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-06
: : CONSTITUTION s
- -aK > OF TIE 4s71 a.ss -
Confederate States Of America.

Confederate States Of America,
we the people of the ssfedsrate States each State
acting in its sovereign and Independent character
order to form permanent federal government, estab
the blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and our poser
ty-nyoking the fayer and guidance Of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
4 Confederate States Of America H = eli -
| Is - 81 ARTICLE /. 81 -
/ SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress OF the Confederate States which shall
consist of Senate and House of Representatives.
| fEiatsa q SECTION 2. et9 1fsi
l. The House OF Representatives shall be composed
of members chosen every second year by the people
of the several staes and the electors in each
shall be citizens of the Confederate States, and have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch of the State legislature but no
person Of foreign BIRTH citizen OF the Confederate
States shall be allowed to vote for any officer civil or
q No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained the age OF twenty-five years and
not, when elected, be nhabtant of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
3. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cuded within this COnfederacy according to their
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 ex
cuding Indians not taxed, threefths of all slaves
/
years after the first meeting of the Congress OF the
Confederate States and within every subsequent term
Of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall not ex
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representative; and until such
eration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sx-the State of Georg gia
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isiana six, and the State of Texas six. ~ fts ~
| A. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, the Executive authority thereof shall
fcotrn xx-rfS fatQ inn tn lr.ph oroiac
s. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
other federal officers resident acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
Of two-thirds Of both branches Of the Legislature
thereof ~ ee s ~. !.
l. The Senate Of the Confederate States shall be com
posed Of two Senator'S from each State chosen for six
by the legislature thereof at the regular session
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
the term Of service and each Senator shall have
vote. 4
2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in
consequence Of the first election, they shall be divided
equally may be into three classes The seats OF
the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration Of the second year OF the second class at
the expiration of the fourth and Of the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the re-
cess Of the legislature of any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting Of the Legislature, which shall then fill
such vacancies. c.s5 Esf.5 7elf.se--
attained the age OF thirty years. and be citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall not, when elected
be nhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President Of the Senate but shall have vote,
less tfsy shall be equally divided. ~ -
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tempore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office of Pres
dent OF the Confederate States. -ih"
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments. Whenstting for that purpose, they shall
taffl
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convicted without the
concurrence Of twothirds of the members present.
I. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
tend further than to removal from Office and disqual
hcation to hold aad enjoy any Office of honor or profit
under the States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and subject to indct-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
1. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time, by law make or alter such regulations,
except the times and places of choosing Senator's
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they SHALL by law, appoint differ
snt day.
l. Each House shall be the judge Of the elections,
returns and qualifications Of its members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum to do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day to
day and may be authorized to compel the attendance
OF absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide; "a f,-'
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings punish its members for dsordery behavior,
and, with the concurrence Of twothirds of the whole
number, expel a member. ,hI-irs
g. Each House shall keep Journal of its proceed
ings and from time to e publish the same excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy,
and the yeas and nays of the members Of either
House, any question, SHALL at the desire of one fifth
4 Neither House, during the S session Of Congress,
SHALL without the consent OF the other, adjourn for
more than three days. nor to any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting. -,l-s
ae Ha SECTION g.
l. The Senator's and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services, to be asceraned by
law and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
States They SHALL in all cases. except treason, and
breach Of the peace be privileged from arrest during
their attendance at the session OF their respective
Houses; and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech debate 10 either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
q No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he elected, be appointed to any
civil office under the authority Of the Confederate
States which shall have been created, or the emou-
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be a member of either House
during his continuance in Office But Congress may,
by law, grant to the principal ofcer IN each OF the M
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House. with the privilege Of discussing any measures
appertainng to his department --.ls :
SECTION Z.
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House Of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments es on other bills.
q Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States he approve he
shall sign it if not he shall return it with his OBJ
iections to the House in which shall have originated,
who shall the objections at large their journ
ais and proceed reconsider it. r. after such reconsd
eration Of that House shall agree to pass
the BILL it shall be sent together with the objections,
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and IL approved by two thirds OF that
House. IL shall become law. But in all such cases
the votes of both Housesssha be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the Journal Of each House
spectiyely. II any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days undays excepted after it
law in like manner il he had signed it, unless the
Congress by their adjournment, prevent return; in
which case it hall not be law. The President may
approve any az preparation and disapprove any other
appropriation IN the bill In such he shall
in signing the A designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy of such appropria-
nons, with his objections, to the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then bead in Of other bills disapproved
by the President. 8 ~
g. Every order resolution VOTE TO which the con-
of both Houses may be necessary (except
question OF adjournment) shall be presented TO the
President of Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
being disapprcved by him, may be re-passed by
thirds of both Houses according 70 the rules and im
tatioas prescribed in case Of q bill. se.7.s., -, .
SECTION 8
The Congress shall have power = -s~f5 5sgs
tn lav and collect taxes. duties irnDosfs az