Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-05-14
Go N . t1tut1On
OF THE
Provisional Government
CONFEDERATE STATES OF AmERTC

We, the Deputies of the Sovereign ana Ioeepeno-
ent States of South Carolina, Georgia. FLORIDA, Ala
bama Mississippi and Louisiana. INVOKING tne favor
of Almighty God do hereby N DenaI OF these
Sto4os .J;n sind establish this Constitution for the
p,;;-1 Government of the to continue
one car from the inauguration Of the President, or
untiI uer1nanent Constitution or Confederation
batveen the said States shall be put in operation
Whatsoever shall first occur.
ARTICLE I.
SEC. 1. All legislative powers herein delegated
shall be vested in this Congress now assembled, I'M
iii otherwise ordained
SEC 2. When vacancies happen in the represen.
tation from any State, the same shall be filled in
such manner as the proper authorities of the State
shall direct.
SEC. al. The Congress shall be the judge of the
elections returns and qualification of its members
any number Of Deputies from majority of the
States being present, shall constitute quorum to
do business; but smaller number may adjourn
from day to day, and may be authorized to
compel the attendance of absent members; upon
all questions before the Congress each State shall
be entitled to VOTE and shall be represented by
any one or more of its Deputies who may be pre-
sent.
2. The Congress may determine the rules of its
proceedings punish its members for dizorderly be-
haViour and with the concurrence Of two-thirds
expel a member.
3. The Congress shall keep journal of its proceed
1DgS, anu from tune 10 TIME puOLSn tLe same, eA
cepting such parts as may, in their judgment, re
quire secrecy, and the ayes and nays of the mem
bers on any question: SHALL at the desire of one-fth
of those present, or at the instance of any one
State, be entered on the journal.
SEC. 4. The members OF Congress shall receive a
compensation for their services, to be ascertaiued
by law, and paid ont of the treasury of the Confed
ederacy They shall in all cases, except treason
felony and breach Of the peace be privileged from
arrest during their attendance at the session of the
Congress, and in going to and returning from the
same and for any speech ordebate they shall not be
questioned in any other place.
SEC. 81. Every bill which shall have passed tbs
Congress- SHALL before it becomes law, be presented
to the President OF the Confederate; if he ap
prove he shall sign it but if not, he shall return il
with his objections to the Congress. who shall en-
ter the objections at large their Journal and pro
coed reconsider it. If, after SUCH reconsideration
twothrds of the Congress shall agree to pass the
BILL it shall become law. But in all such cases
the votes shall be determined by yeas AID nays, and
the names of the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal. II any bll
shall not be returned by the President within ter
days Sundays exoepted) after it shall have
been presented to him, the same shall be a law
in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its re
turn in which case it shall not be law. The
President may veto any appropriation or apprOpri
atoms, and approve any other appropriation or ap
preparations in the same bill
2. Every order resolution vote, intended &c
have the force and effect of a law, shall be
presented to the President, and before
the same shall take effect shall be approved
by him; or being disapproved by him. may
be re>pGssed by tWothirds of the Congress, accord
ing to the rules and limitations prescribed in the
case of a bill,
3. Until the Inauguration of the President, al
bills orders resolutions and votes adopted by the
Congress shall be of full force without approval by
him.
SEC 6.-1. The Congress shall haze power to lay
and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excuses, for
the revenue necessary TO pay the debts and carry or
the Government of the Confederacy. And all du
ties, impcsts and excuses shall be uniform through
out the States of the Contederacy. And this Con
gress shall also exercise executive powers, until the
President is inaugurated
2. To borrow money on the credit of the Conted
eraoyG
3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations
and among the several States, and with the Indian
tribes:
4. To establish uniform rule of naturalization
and uniform laws the subject Of bankruptcies
throughout the Confederacy:
;. To coin money, regulate the value thereof and
of foreign coin and fix the standard of weights and
measures;
6. To provide for the punishment Of counterfeit
ing the securities and current coin of the COnfeder
acyi
J. To establish postofices and post roads;
6. To promote the progress of science and useful
arts, by securing Tor limited times to authors and
inventors the exclusive right to their respective
writings and discoveries;
9. To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme
Court;
10 To define and punish piracies and felonies
committed on the high seas, and offences against
the law of nations:
H. To declare war, grant letters of maTque and
reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on
land and water;
Il. To raise and support armies but no appro-
priatiOn of money to that use shall be for longer
term than two years:
l3 To provide and maintain navy:
Il, To make rules for the government and regula-
ton Of the land and paval forces
l5 To provide for cal ing forth the militia to ex-
ecute the laws of the COnfederacy, suppress nsur-
rections, and repel invasiens
10. To provide for organizing, arming, and disci-
pnI1g the militia, and for governing such part OF
them may be employed in the service of the Con-
federacy; reser'dng to the States, respectfully,
the appointment of the officers, and the authority
OF training the militia according the discipline
prescribed by Congress and
l.. To make all laws which shall be necessary
and proper for carrying into execution the forego-
ing powers, and all other powers expressly dee
gated by this CoaE.itEtioa to this Provisional Gov
eminent.
SIC. I. /. The Importation of African negroes
from any foreign country, other than the slave
holding States of the United States is hereby for
bidden and Congress is required TO pass such
laws as shall effectual prevent the same.
?. The Congress shall also have power to prohib-
it the introduction of slaves from any State not
member of this CODfederacy.
g. The privilege of the writ of habeeS corpus shall
not be suspended, unless when in of rebellion
invasion the public safety may require it.
4. No bill OF atainder, or er post tactO law. shall be
passed.
;. No preference shall be given by any regulation
az or
over those of another shall vessels bound to or
from one State be obliged to enter, clear, or pay
duties, in another.
G. No money shall be drawn from the treasury,
but in consequence Of appropriations made by law,
and regular statement and account OF the receipt;
and expenditures of all public money shall be pub
lished from time to time.
7. Congress shall appropriate no money from the
treasury unless it be asked for by the President
some one OF the head of Departments, except for
the purpose Of paying its own expenses and contin-
gencies.
g. No title of nobility shall be granted by the Con-
federacy and no perOn holding any office of profit
or trust under it, SHALL without the consent of the
Congress, accept of any present emolument, office,
or title of any kind, whatever, from any king,
prince, or foreign State.
0. Congress shall make no law respecting an es-
Enlistment OF religion or prohibit the tree exercise
thereof; or abridglng the freedom of speech, or of
the press or the right of the people peaceaby TO
aSseulDle, anu 70 SOtSEuLleuG IOr
dress of such grievances the delegated powers of
this Government may warrant it to consider and re-
dress
TO- A well regulated militia being necessary to
tAe security of free State the right of the people
to keep and bear arms shall not be infripged
IL. No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quarter
ed in any house without the consent of the owner;
nor in time of war; but in to be presc crib
ed by law.
r. The right of the people to be secure in their
persons houses, papers, and effects, against
sonable searches and seizures shall not be violated;
and no warrants shall issue but upon probable
cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and par
ticuarly describing the place to be searched, and
the persons or things TO be seized,
-. No person shall be held TO answer for capt.
tai or otherwise infamous crime, unless on pre-
sentiment or Indictment of grand jury, except in
cases arising in the land naval forces in the
militia when in actual service i'll time of war or in
public danger; shall any person be subject for
the same offence be twice puG in jeopardy of life
or limb; nor shall! be compelled N any criminal
case. to be witness against himself nor be depriv
ed of life liberty or property, without due process
of law; nor shall private property be taken for
public use, without just compensation.
II In all criminal prosecution the accused shall