Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-27
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

Confederate States Of America.
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order IN form permanent federal government estab-
M ,s Justice insure domestic TRANQUILITY and secure
the blessings OF liberty 10 ourselves and Onr TsteF
ty-nyoking the faver and guidance of Ain sghIy
do ordain aud establish this Constitution Tor the
| Confederate States of America
| ARTICLE l.
| SECTION l.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist OF a Senate and House of Representatives,.
SECTION 2.
l. The House of Representatives shall be composed
| of members chosen every second year by the people
of the several states and the electors each State
shall be citizens Of the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for electors the
| numerous branch of the State legislature but no
person of foreign birth not citizen OF the Confederate
States, snail be allow ed officer civil or
| political, State or Federal
| 2. No person shall be Representative who shall
not have attained the age twenty live years and
be citizen OF the Confederate states, aud who shall
not, when elected be an 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
cluded within this Conederacy according their re-
spectve numbers, which shall be determined, ad-
ding TO the whole number Of free persons including
those bound to service for term of years and ex-
cluding taxed, threeftlls of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
after the first meeting of the Congress of the
Confederate States and within every subsequent term
OF ten years, in such manner they shall, by law,
direct The number of Representatives shall not ex-
ceed one for fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representatives. and until such
meraton shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sX-tre State of Geo ga
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 K.
T. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill 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
other federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
of two-thirds Of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION g.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two senators from each State chosen for six
years by the legislature thereof the regular session
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 first election they shall be divided
equally may be three classes. The of
the of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration OF the second year Of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth year of the third
at the expiration of the sixth year that third
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 make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature which shall then fill
such vacancies.
g. 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 when elected,
be an inhabtant 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
also President pro tenpOre the the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office Of Presi
dent of the Confederate States.
6. The Senate shall have the sole power to all i'm
peachmens. Whenstting for that purpose, they shall
be oath affirmation. When the President of the
Cd
side and person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of twothirds of the members present.
z. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than TO removal from office, and dsquali
fcatOn to hold and enjoy any Office OF honor profit,
under the confederate put tue party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and sub eet To indict
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according 10
law.
SECTION 1.
l. The time place and manner of holding elections
Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State the legsl thereof subject
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
2 The Congress sall assemble at least in every
year aud such meeting shall be on the first Monday in
December, unless they shall by law, appoint diiier
ent day.
SECTION 5.
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
day and be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, IN such manner and under such
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish ts members dsordery behavior,
and with the of two thirds the whole
number, eXpel member.
8. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings and from time to time publish the excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy,
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, any question shall the desire of -lIh
of those present, by entered on the journal.
4. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for
than three days. TO other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION o.
1. The Senator's and Representatives shall receive
COMPENSATION for their services be ascertaned by
law and paid out of the treasury 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 to and returning from the same
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be app inted any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emou-
ments 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 his continuance in Office. But Congress may
law grant TO the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor OF either
appertaining 10 his department.
SECTION Z.
l. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives.; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments a other bills.
q Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
SHALL before it becomes a law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign but if not he shall return il with his OBJ
ections TO the House in which it shall have originated
who shall the objections at large their journ
ais, and proceed to reconsider it. IT. after such reconsd
Grafton two-thirds of that House shall agree pass
the bill, il shall be sent together with the objections
to the other House. by which it shall likewise be re-
considered, and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House. it 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 entered the journal of each House
spectivey. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within days Sundays excepted) it
shall have been presented to him the same shall
law, in like manner if ha had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return in
which it shall not be law. The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation in the same bill In snch case he SHALL
in signing the BILL designate the appropr disap
proved; and shall return a copy of such appropria
tions with his objections to the House in which the
bill sba have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had in of other bills diSapproved
by the President
3. Every order resolution vote, to which the
of both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President of the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect shall be approved by him;
being disapproyed by him. may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and lm
| tations prescribed in case OF a bill.
SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
/. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts and
cises for revenue pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment OF the Conieuefdte olAtes, out no oouhes Shall
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties
importations from foreign nations be laid 10
promote foster any branch of industry; and all du
ties mposts and excises shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
g. To borrow money the credit Of the Confeder-
ate States:
8. To regulate commerce with foreign nations and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, any other clause contain
ed in the constitution, shall be construed dele
gate the power to Congress TO appropriate money
any internal Improvement intended 10 facilitate CON-
merce except for the purpose Of furnishing lights
beacons and buoys and other aids navigation upon
the coasts and the improvement OF Larbors and the
removing Of distractions in river navigation, in all
which cases, such duties shall be laid the naviga