Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-18
NASHVILLE TENN. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER Is, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

OF THE
Confederate States Of America,
We the people of the Confederate States each stat,
acting in its sovereign independent character
order To form permanent federal government estab
sh justice, insure domestic tranquility and secure
the blessings OF liberty 10 ourselves and our poser
ty--invoking the ver and guidance of Almighty God
do ordan and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States Of America.
ARTICLE l.
sEcTIoN l.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist Of Il Senate and House OF Representatives.
sECTIoS 9
l. The House OF Representatives skan be composed
o! members chosen every second By the people
of the several >taes aud the electors each State
shall be Citizens OF the Confederate States, aud have
the qualifications requisite for electors OF the most
numerous branch OF The State Leg gislature bat no
person OF foreign BIRTH not crzen Of the Confederate
States shall be allowed 10 vote any officer cvn or
political, State or Federal
2 No person shall be Representative who shall
~, have attnrd ttie age OF twenty years ana
b. citizen OF the Confederate States ana who shall
not, when elected, be an inhAbt4lI Of that
3. Representatives aud Direct Taxes sEsu be sppor-
toned among the severed SIaIes, which may be in
cluded within this Confectionery, according their re-
spectlve numbers winch shall be determined, by ad-
ding TO the whole number free persons including
lnOSe OOuuu 10 service f0F term and q
Guiding Indians not taxed, three fths of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years after the first meeting the Congress OF the
Confederate States, and within subsequent
Of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct The number of Representatives snail not ex
cee for every ifty THOUSAND but each State shall
have at least one Representatives aud until such
meraten shall be made the State South Carolina
shall be entitled 10 choose sixthe State OF sia
ten-the State OF Alabama nine-the Stale OF Florida
twothe State of Mississippi seven-tle State of Lou
isana six, and the State OF Texas SIX
L. When vacancies happen i'll the representation
from any State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election 10 fill such vacancies.
5. The House of Representatves shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power of Impeachment; except that any jndicial or
other federal officers resident and acting solely
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
of twothirs of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION g.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of Senators from each State, chosen for
years by the legislature thereof at the regular session
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
the term Of service and each Senator shall have
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
the Senators of the first class shall be vacated the
expiration of the second year of the second class
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year that one-third
may be chosen every second year and if 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 ill
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 when elected,
chosen.
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate but shall VOTE un-
less they shall be equally divided.
g. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tpOre 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 all i'm
peachments When sitting that purpose they shall
be oath 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 twOthrds of the members present
I. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall ex-
tend further than To removal from office aud disqua
under the Confederate States but tue party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable aud subject To indict
meut, trial, judgment and punishment according To |
aw
SECTION L.
L. The time, place and manner of holding elections
or Senator's aud Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the legs thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution hut the Congress may
1t 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 every
and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December unless they shall, by law, appoint dier
INT day.
SECTION s.
L Each House shall be the judge of the elections |
eturns and qualifications Of its members, and a |
majority OF each shall constitute quorum to do buSi
less but smaller number may adjourn from day to
lay, and may be authorized To compel the attendance
# absent members, in such manner and under such |
penalties as each House may provide.
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
eedings, punish its members disorderiy behavior
md, with the concurrence of thirds the whole
lumber, expel member.
g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs, and from time to time publish the excepting
uch parts as may in their judgment require secrecy
md the yeas and nays of the members of either |
House, on any question, shall, at the desire of h
# those present, by entered GU the journal.
T. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
hall, without the consent OF the other, adjourn for
more than three days TO other place than that
n which the two Houses shall be sitting.
Q.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
for their services TO be asceTtained by
aw, and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
states They shall, in all cases, except treason, and
preach of the peace be privileged from arrest during
heir attendance at the session of their respective |
fouses, and going and returning from the same
md for any speech debate 10 either House, they /
hall not be questioned any other place.
2 No Senator or Representative shall, during the /
vil office under the authority OF the Confederate
states, which shall have been created, the emolu
whereof shall have been increased during such
ime and no person holding any Office under the Con
ederate States shall be u member of either House
Turing his continuance in Office. But Congress may,
" law, grant 10 the principal officer IN each of the EX
cutive Departments seat upon the floor of either /
iOuse with the privilege of discussing any easures
ppertainng 10 his department.
q.
l. All bills for raising shall originate in the
Iouse of Representatives. but the Senate may pro-
'ose or concur with amendments as other bills.
2 Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
hall, before 1t becomes law, be presented the |
resident of the Confederate States approve he
hall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
ections to the House in which it shall have originated
Who shall enter the objections at large their iourn
s and proceed TO reconsider it, IT. after such reconsid
ration, twothrds of that House shall agree To pass
he bi it shall be sent together with the objections
o the other House, by which il shall likewise be
and if approved by two-thirds OF that /
House, it shall become law. Bat in all such cases
he votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
md nays, and the voting for and against the
ill shall be entered the journal of each House
pectlvely. If any bill shall not be returned by the /
resident within ten days (Sundays excepted) after IL
hall have been presented TO lsim the same shall be a
aw, in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its return in
which case IL shall not be law. The President
FTrUvr any appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation III the bill. In such he shall,
signing the bin, designate the appropriations disap
,reved; and shall return copy of such aPpropria-
ions, with his objections, the House in which the
,ill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
hall then be had as in case of other bills dispproyed
,y the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote to which the
of both Houses may be necessary Except on
question of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President of the Confederate States and before the
ame shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
being disapproved by him, may be passed by two
hirds of both Houses according the rules aud limi
ations prescribed in case OF a BILL
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, mposts and ex-
.iseS, necessary to the debts provide
or the common defence, and carry on the govern
nent Confederate States but bounties shall
granted from the treasury; shall any duties or
foster any branch of industry; and all du
les imposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
he Confederate States:
g. To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder- |
tie States: