Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-26
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

VSnIedefate StateS Oh america
we the people of Confederate States, each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character,
order to form permanent federal government, estab
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secur
ty-nvoking the favor and guidance of Almighty Coz
do ordain and establish this Constitution for th
| Confederate States Of America
ARTICLE l.
| SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist of a Senate and House of Representatives
SECTION 2.
1. The House of Representatives shall be composed
OF members chosen every second year by the people
shall be citizens of the Confederate States, aud have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person of foreign BIRTH citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed to for any officer, civil
| political, State Federal.
2. No person shall be 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 in
which he shall be chosen.
s. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this COnfederacy according to their
spective 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
Guiding 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 term
Of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall
ceed one for every hty THOUSAND but each State shall
have least Representatives and until such emu
meration shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sxthe State of t;eor ola
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State Of Lou
isana 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.
8. 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 impeached by vote
of twOthrds of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION g.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen for six
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 of the second class at
at the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and If vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the
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 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,
chosen.
4 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 choose their other ofleess and
also President pro temore in the absence Of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office Of Iresi
dent of the Confederate States.
9. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments Whensitting for that purpose they shall
he aorO OQth Qff he Of he
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
tend further than to removal from Office and dsquaii
fcation 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 ndict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
SECTION 4.
1. The time, place and of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the legsl ture thereof subject to the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time by law make alter such regulations,
except to the times and places of choosing Senator's
2 The Congress shall assemble at least in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law appoint differ
snt day.
1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its own members and
majority of each shall constitute quorum to do bust
ness 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-
ceedngs punish its members for disorderly behavior
and with the concurrence of twothrds of the whole
number, expel member.
8. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs 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 the desire of fifth
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
more than three days. any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
SECTION @.
l. The Senator's and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services, TO be ascertaned by
and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
States. They SHALL in all cases. except treason and
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going to and returning from the
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be appointed to any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created, or the emou
mens whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any office under the Con-
during his continuance in Office But Congress may,
by law grant TO the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutiye Departments seat upon the floor OF either
House, with the privilege of discussing any measures
appertaining TO his department.
SECTION Z.
1. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose 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 if ne shall return it with his OBJ
jectons the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections at large their ourn
ais proceed reconsider it, IT. after such reconsd
eration thirds of that House shall agree to pass
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 two-thirds Of that
House, 1t shall become law. But all such cases,
the votes of both Housessha be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the Journal Of each House
specively. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted after it
shall have been presented 10 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 il hall not be law. The President may
approve any propriation and disapprove any other
appropriation in the bill In such he shall,
in signing the 0A designate the appropriations dsap
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 beihad as in case of other bills dsappreved
by the President. ts
g. Every order resolution or VOTE to which the con-
of both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adjournment) shall be presented the
President of the Confederate States and before the
shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
being disapproved by him, may be passed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and 1mi-
tatons prescribed in case of q bill.
SECTION -e
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and
cises for necessary TO pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry the govern
f,r1f uof,o