Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-21
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States Of America.

Confederate States Of America,
we the people of the Confederate States each Stat,
acting in its sovereign and independent character, il
order to form permanent federal government estab
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility and secure
the blessings OF liberty 10 ourselves and posteri
ty-invoking the faver and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of America.
ARTICLE 1.
SECTION /.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States, which shall
consist of Senate and House Of Representatives.
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
numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person Of foreign birth not citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed to vote for any officer civil
political, State or Federal
2. No person shall be a Representative who shall
not have attained the age of twenty five years and
be citizen of the Confederate States and who shall
not, when elected, be inhabitant of that State
which he shall be chosen.
3. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which NAV be in
cluded within this Conederacy accordingto their
spective numbers, which shall be determined, by
ding TO the whole number of free persons including
those bound to service for term of years, and
cludng Indians not taxed three fths 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
of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representative; and until such emu
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose sixthe State of Geo gi
ten-the State of Alabama nine-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 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 mpeached by vote
of twO-thirds Of both branches of the Legislature
thereof
SECTION s.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of two Senators from each State, chosen for
years by the legislature thereof the regular session
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 of the second class
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth year so that onethrd
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the
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.
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 not when elected,
be an 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 tenore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the office Of Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments. Mhens SITTING or that purpose they sha
be oath affirmation When the President of the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than removal from Office, and disqua
cation TO hold and enjoy any office of honor or profit
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indict
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
SECTION T.
/ The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the egsl tture thereof subject TO the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
any time, by law, make or alter such regulations,
except as the times and places Of choosing Senator's
The Congress shall assemble at least in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
Dsoetsahsr. nh!es tlas shan by law, appoint differ
ent day
1 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 may be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide.
q 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 member.
g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to time publish the same excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays Of the members OF either
House, question shall, at the desire of one tf
of those present, by entered on the Journal.
a. Neither House, during the session of Congress
shall without the consent OF the other, adjourn fol
than three days. to any other place than tha
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
6.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be ascertained bI
States. They shall in all except treason, anC
breach of the peace be privileged from arrest during
Houses and in going to and returning from the
and for any speech debate 10 either House, the,
shall not be questioned In any other place.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during tn
time for which he elected, be appointed to an
civil office under the authority of the Confederat
States which shall have been created, or the emolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during sue
time and person holding any office under the Con
federate States shall be a member of either Hous
during his continuance in office. But Congress may
by law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ez
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor OF ethe
House. with the privilege of discussing any measure
appertanng TO his department.
IL SECTION Z.
l. An bills for raising shall originate th
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro
| pose or concur with amendments on other bills
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses
/ SHALL before it becomes law, be presented to tn
President of the Confederate States if ne approve,
shall sign it but if not he shall return with his ot
jections TO the House which it shall have originated
shall the objections at large their jour-
ais proceed reconsider it. If after such reconsid
GRAFTON, twothrds Of that House shall agree TO pas
the bill it shall sent together with the objections
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be
| considered, and if approved by twOthirds OF ths
House, il shall become law. But in all such cases
the of both Housesssnall be determined by yea
and nays, and the persons voting for and against tn
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
spectyely If any bill shall not be returned by tn
| President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after
shall have been presented 10 him. the same shall be
law in like manner if he had signed it, unless th
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its return
which case il shall not be law The President ma
| approve any appropriation and disapprove any othe
appropriation in the same bill. In such case he shal
signing the bill, designate the appropriations disal
proved; and shall return copy of such approprii
tons with his objections, TO the House in which th
bill shall have originated, and the proceeding
shall then be had as in case Of other bills dsapprove
| by the President
currence of both Houses may be necessary Except
a question of adjournment) shall be presented TO Il
same shiul take effect, shall be approved by him;
| being disapproved by him, may be passed by tw
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and linn
| tations prescribed in case of a bill
SECTION 8.
| The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties imposts, and e.
cises revenue necessary pay the debts, provil
| for the common defence, and carry on the COVER
ment OF the Confederate States but bounties shs
be granted from the treasury; nor shall any duties
taxes on importations from foreign nations be laid
promote foster any branch Of industry; and all
ties, imposts, and excuses shall be uniform througho
1 the Confederate States:
2 To borrow money the credit of the Confede
ate States:
| g. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations al
among several States and with the Indian tribe
but neither this, any other clause contai
gate the power to Congress 10 appropriate money {
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate COZ
| merce; except for the purpose of furnishing light
beacons and buoys and other aids to navigation up.