The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-11-01
Csarestisa OF the Prs1sssans Ep.sre,.,
Church in the lenf.d,rnte Sfsa...

OF the Protestant Episcopafs,hurch In the Con
federate States, now In session At Columbia. ..
o., Bishop Elliott moved that the Conveu jon
take up the Constitution rs amended After
which he presented the following rcsoln-
tions.
l. Resaired, That the Constitution prepared
by the committee of nine appointed at Mon;-
gcmery, with it's amensrnents, asssfbtnittes. to
theGonyention this morning by iss sngrcssir X
officer, be now adopted as the proposed Goa
snfutiun OF the Protestant Episcopal Church
in the Confederate States.
2. Resoieed That this Constitution BE-
printed. and sent to members by the Saere-
taries Of other Diocesan Conven tions within
the Confederate States, with the request that
u be laid before their respective Conventions
Tor their considerat ton an d ratification
J. Rcsotped, That eacn Conymtior yVhsn Il
sh3if nave ratified this Constitution is re-
ques teo 10 send their clerical an Law deputies
70 toe feherai Convention to be held in Au-
gnsta ON the second "Wednesday In Noyetn
bef, 1867.
4. Resetesd, That when the Con yentions Of
sil the Dtoeeses within the Confederate States
shall have had an opportunity of acting up 1,l
this Constitution, Ii seven or more of the ,n
shall have adopted il, the presiding Bishop
shah declare the onion OF their Dioceses to b..
complete, ana the Constitution to be Of force
cyer said Dioceses so adopting it,
RaS Mr.. Trapier submitted the following
resolutions:
r Resolped, That the Committee on the Const;
print with the Journal Of this body, in ram
phlet, the said Constitutions and Canens and
to send to the Secretary OF each Diocesan Con
Vennon OF tho Protestant Episcopal Church
now In the Confederate States, or which NAV
be so before the first meeting of our Gene raj
Council two copies of the pa m phlet for every
Clergyman of the Protestant Episc opal Church
within his Diocese.
Constitution Of sae Pro,astast Episeopal CaureA "a,
Ms CohJsdeTen States Of Ansrica.
ARraeI5 i, 81 !; This Church, retaining tho
as " The Protestant Episcopal Church in the
Confederate States of America
Arr. 2. There shall be in ibis Church
General Council. There may be also Pro-
Vincial Councils and Diocesan Councils.
ART. 5. The General Council of this
Church shall meet on the second Wednesday
OF November In the year Of cur Lord ons
thousand eight hundred and sixty.two, at
Augusta, Ga, Snd on the same day in every
third year thereafter, in such place as shall
be determined by the Council
In case there shall be an epidemic disease
or other good canse To render 1t necessary to
after the place appointed for such meeting,
the presiding btsnop may designate another
convenient place for the holding Of such coun-
ell; and special meeting may be called at
other times in the manner hereafter to be de-
termined.
The General Council shall consist of two
of Deputies.
The House Of Bishops shall be composed of
all bishops of this Church, having jarisdic.
| tion within the Confederate States or tha
Territories thereof.
| Each Diocese shall be entitled to an equal
| representation, clerical and lay in the House
OF Deputies. such represen tation shall con-
slst of not more than three Clergymen eDd
three LaymeiI communicates in this Church,
resident III the Diocese, and elected by the
! Council thereof
| Before they shall proseed to business, ma
Jority of the Diocese, which shall have
| adopted this Constitution, shall be represent.
| ed in the Council. The represent tions from
| two Dioceses shall be sufficient TO adjourn.
In all business of the Council freedom, OF
| debate shall be allowed.
Each House shall have right to originate
| acts; ;nd, when any act shall have been
| passed in either House, it shall be transmit
ted 10 the other House for its consideration
| No act shall have the operation of law, un-
less concurred in and authenticated by both
Houses.
When any proposed act shall have ps.ssd
| the House of Bishops, the House of Bishops
! shall, when requested by the House of Depi,.
! ties, signify to II in writing their non con-
| eurrence within three days after such req ues.
| shall have been made.
In all questions, when required by the cleri-
| cal or lay representation from any Dioces se
| each order shall have one vote, and the ma
| jority of su1rages by Dioceses shall be coEclu-
| sive in each order Prorided such majority
| com prehend a majority of the Dioceses repre-
| sen ted III that order. The concurrence of both
| orders shall be necessary in such case to con-
| stitute a vote of the House
If any Diocese should omit or decline to
| elect Clerical Deputies to the General Coun-
| Gil, or should omit or decline to elect Lay De-
pnties, if any OF those of eli ither order elect
ed should fail to attend, such Diocese sh3iI,
nevertheless, be considered as duly represent
| ed by such Deputy or Deputies as mag attend,
| lay or clerical. And if through the neglect Of
| any Diocese, which shall have adopted this
Constitution, no Deputy 'tharefrom either
| Law or clerical, should attend the General
| Confederate Council, the Church in such Do
cfSe shall, nevertheless be bound by the &c Is
/ OF such Council.
| AR. 4. Whenever any of the Con fede ate
| States shall ccntaiu more than one Diocese,
| said State may, 9th the consent Of all the
! Dioceses thereof, constitute an EctIesiastisrai
| Province, in which may be held, at least
| once in three years, Provincial Council
| which Council shall be made up of all the
| Bishops having jurisdiction within the
| Province, and of such representative cleri
| cal and lay, from the Diocese within the
Province, as may be determined upon by the
| Diocesan Council itself If there be more
| than one Bishop within the Province, the
senior Bishop, by conservation, shall preside
| in the Provincial Council, and when there
| shall be three, or more than three Bishops
| they shalI form a separate house.
Wherever such Council shall Iegisiate, it's
| acts shall be of force within all the Dioceses
| Elm braced within the Provinee.
Arr. 5. There shall be held annually in
| each Diocese Diocesan Council, to be COM
| posed of the Bishop or Bishops o the Diocese,
and Of 4 lay and clerical representation from
| each parish Of the Diocese. This Council
| shall legisiate for only Diocesan purposes
ARr. .. The Bishop or Bishops in each bio
| cese shall be chosen by the Council of the
Diocese, agreeable 10 such rules as i. may
prescribe, and every Bishop of this Church
| shall conflne the exercise OF his Episcopal
office to his proper Diocese, unless requested
10 perform any act of that office by the Eccle.
siastical authority of any other Diocese.
Art: I. A new Diocese foffned in any OF the
Confederate States, any Territory thereof,
not now represented, may, at any time, here
after, be admitted to union wi tn, and represen- !
tation ia, the General Conneii Of this Church
on acee.ling 10 this Constitution Presfdsd
there were at the time of organization, and a,
the time OF making application for admission
at least six officiating Presbyteries withir
such Diocese, regularly settled in parish or
| church. y =
A new Diocese may be formed within tn,
limits OF any existing Diocese, with the con
sent OF its Council and Bishop or Bishop.
thereof; or, il there be no Bishop, of the &c
clesiastieal authority thereof; and q new Dio
cese may be formed within the limits Of tws
or more Ooceses with the like consent: Pro
| rided, that no such new Diocese shall b.
| formed which shall contain less than ten self
| supporting parishes, or less than ten Presby
| ters, who have been for at least one wear ca
Ionically resident within the bounds OF sucl
new Diocese, regularly settled In parish ol
congregation, and qualified 10 vote for
! bishop; nor shall such new Diocese b,
formed, if thereby any existing Dtocess shouit
be so reduced az TO contain less than ffteeI
ssif-supporting parishes. or less than fifte~l
Presbyters, who have been resident therein
and settled, and qualified, rs above men
tionet Provided that no city shall form thu
one Diocese.
In case a diocese shall be divided into tw
| or more Diocesss, the Diocesan OF the Dioees
| 40 divided may elect the Diocese over which
J | he will preside, and shall become the Dloessai
thereof And the Assistant Bishop. il ther
be one, may elect the Diocese TO which h
will be attached, and II IL be not the ON
} elected by the Bishop, shall be- its DlocesS,
Il