Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-05
CONSTITUTION
OF THE i -l
Confederate States Of America.

| Confederate StateS Of America
acting its sovereign and independent character,
order form permanent federal government, estat
Iish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secur
the blessings Of liberty to ourselves and our poster
ty-invoking the faver and guidance of Almighty Go
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
Confederate States Of America
ARTICLE
sEcroNI.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be veste
in Congress of the Confederate States which shal
consist OF q Senate and House Of Representatives.
80 SECTION q
i. The House Of Representatives shall be composes
of members chosen every second year by the peopl
OF the several aates and the electors in each Stat
shall be citizens Of the Confederate States and hav
the qualifications requisite for electors of the mos
numerous branch Of the State legislature; but NJ
person of foreign BIRTH citizen of the Confederat
States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, sivil
political, State or Federal.
2. No person shall be Representative, who shal
not have attained the age OF twenty-five years. anC
b citizen of the Confederate states and who shal
not when elected, be nhabitant Of that State in
which he shall be chosen. e
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the several States, which may be in
cuded within this Cenfederacy according to their re
spectve numbers, which shall be determined, by ad
ding to the whole number of free persons, including
those bound to service for term of years, and ex
cuding Indians not taxed three OF ali 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 as they shall, by law
direct The number of Representatives shall not
for every 1ty thousand but each State shall
have at least Representative; and untn such emu
meration shall be made the State oi South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sx-the State of t;eo gia
ten-the State of Alabama ninethe State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-tneState of Lou
iSiana 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
g. The House Of Representatives shall choose thor
speaker and other oticers and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial or
the limits OF any State, may be impeached 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 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
the expiration of the urth year and Of the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year that
may be chosen every second year and il vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the re-
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
8. NO person shall bo 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 inhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President Of the Senate, but shall have vote
less they shall be equally divided.
s. The Senate shall chsose their other officers; and
also President pro teporc 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 inn
peachments When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath or affirmation. When the President OF the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence OF two-thirds of the msmbers present.
J. Judgment In cases of impeachment shall not cx-
cation to hold and enjoy any Office of honor profit,
under the States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and subject indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the egsl ture thereof subject to the
provisions Of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time by law make or alter such regulations
The Congress shah assemble at Ieast once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December. unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
sat day. -- -
1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications of its members, and a
majority Of each shall constitute quorum to do busi
ness but a smaller number may adjourn from day TO
day. may be authorized to compel the attendance
Of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide. a
2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro
ceedngs punish its members for disorderly beay
and with the concurrence Of twothirds of the whole
number expel member. #
9. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time TO time publish the excepting
such parts as 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 fifth
Of those present, by entered on the journal.
4. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
than three days any other place than that
In which the two Houses shall be sitting. ar
SECTION g. ef t.-r --t
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
Law 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 IL any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall, during the
time for which he elected, be app inted TO any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created or the emolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be a member Of either House
during his continuance in office But Congress may,
by law grant the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the door of either
House, with the privilege Of discussing any measures
SECTION Z. 49, er,st : 81.
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pase or concur with amendments as on other bills.
g. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States he approve he
shall sign it but not he shall return it with his OBJ
iections to the House in which shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large on their ourn
ais proceed to reconsider it, IT, after such reconsid
Grafton, two thirds othat House shall agree TO pass
the BILL shall be sebt together with the objections,
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be re-
considered, and II approved by twothirds OF that
House. 1t shall become law. But IN all such cases,
the votes Of both Housesshau be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal Of each House re-
spectIyely. II any bin shall not be returned by the
shali have been presented TO him the same shall be
iaw in like If he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its return in
which case II hall not be law. The President may
approve any a Fropriation and dsapprove any other
appropriation IN the BILL In such he shall,
IN signing the ~ designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy Of such appropria
tions, with his objections TO the House in which the
bill shall ha originated, and the samc proceedings
shall then bead OF other bills disapproved
by the President. sa3ae1 ssbis3 ll& Aif-- - % =
Every order, resolution vote, to which the con-
question OF adjournment) shall be presented 70 the
President Of the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him. or
being disapproved by him, may bs re-passed by two
thirds Of both Houses according TO the rules aud mi
tations prescribed IN case or a bin.
. sss-e &zts SECTION
The Congress shall have power
/. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts and
cises for revenue necessary to pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry On the govern
ent Of the Confederate States but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties or
taxes on importatons from foreign nations laid Il,