Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-05
NASHVILLE, TENN. SATURDAY, OCTOBER s. 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of America.

| COniE0STdtt StdttS Vi AEiicFICa
We the people of the Confederate States, each Stat
acting its sovereign and independent character,
order to form permanent federal government, estab
| lish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secur
the blessings of liberty ourselves and posteri
| ty-invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty Coz
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
Confederate States of America
| ARTICLE L
| SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vestet
in Congress of the Confederate States which shal
/ consist of Senate and House Of Representatives,
| SECTION =.
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 State
shall be citizens of the Confederate States and have
| the qualifications requisite for electors OF the most
i numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed vote for any officer, civil or
| political, State or Federal
| 2 No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained the age OF twenty five years. and
b citizen of the Confederate States, and who shall
not when elected, be an nhabtant OF that State in
which he shall be chosen
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy according their
spective numbers which shall be determined, by ad-
ding 10 the whole number OF free persons, including
those bound service for a term of years and ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed, three thS of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years 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
ceed one 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 six-the State of Georgia
ten-the State of Alabama Dne-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isiana and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
Z hp hal hair
speaker and other officers and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
of two-thrds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof
SECTION 8.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of Senators from each State chosen for six
years by the legislature thereof at 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 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, 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 vacancies.
g. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
aIlalucu years. anu DC ClllZen OI
Confederate States and who shall not, 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.
5. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President e1pOTe in the absence of the Vice
President, when he shall exercise the office of Presi
dent of the Confederate States
g. The Senate shall have the sole power TO try all i'm
peachments When sitting for that purpose they shall
be IN oath or affirmation When the President of the
iS
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of wo-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not
tend further than removal from Office and dsquali-
fcaton to hold and enjoy any office of honor profit,
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indct
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
SECTION 4.
l. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each by the legis thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations,
except to the times and places of choosing Senator'S
1.-The Congress shall assemble at loast once every
year and such meeting shall be the frs. Monday
December unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
snt day.
SECTION 5.
l. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its own members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum do bust
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.
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior
and, with the Of thirds of the whole
number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time 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 at the desire of one-fth
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. any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
SECTION 6.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a
compensation for their services 10 be scertaned 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 arrest during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses, and in going TO and returning from the
and for any speech or debate in either House. they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
3 No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be app inted to any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emolu-
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,
by law grant 10 the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecatlve departments seat upon the hoor OF either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
appcrtaining to his department.
SECTION Z.
l. All bills for raising revenue 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 law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
jectons TO the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the obectonsa at large their journ
ais and proceed reconsider it. IT. after such reconsid
eration thirds of that House shall agree
the BILL it shall be SENT together with the objections,
TO the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by o-thirds of that
House, it shall become law. But in all such cases,
the votes of both Housesshall be determined by yeas
and and the voting and against the
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
kpectIvely. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after
shall have been presented to him. the same shall be
law, in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its return; in
which case 1t hall not be law. The President may
approve any ropriaton and disapprove any other
appropriation the same bill. In such case he shall,
in signing the hS 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 in of other bills disapproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or VOTE to which the con-
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. or
being disapproved by him. may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according to the rules and mi
tatons prescribed in case of a bill.
SECTION S
The Congress shall have power
L To lay and collect taxes, duties imposts, and ex-
cises for revenue necessary to pay the debts provide
| for the common defence, and carry the govern
nent of the Confederate Ststes but bountes shall
be granted from the treasury shall any duties or
taxes importatons 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:
2 To borrow money on 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 to dele
gate the power to Congress 10 appropriate money Ior
any internal Improvement intended facilitate COM
merce: except for the purpose of furnishing lights,
beacons and buoys and other aids to navigation upon
the coasts and the improvement OF harbors ana the
removing of distractions in river navigation, IN All
which cases such duties shall be laid on the naVga-
tion facilitated thereby, may be necessary 10 pay
/ the costs and expenses thereof:
4. % establish uniform laws Of naturalization, ana
uniform laws the subject OF bankruptcies tnrougn-