Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-02
NASHVILLE, TENN. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of America.


we the people of the Confederate States, each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order form permanent federal government, estab
| lsh Justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secur
the blessings of liberty ourselves and posteri
ty-inyoking the flyer and guidance of Almighty Got
do ordain and establish this Constitution for th
| Confederate States Of America
ARTICLE
| SECTION L.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
| in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist of Senate and House of Representatives.
| SECTION 2.
l. The House of Representatives shall be composed
of members chosen every second year by the people
of the several states and the electors in each State
shall be citizens of the Confederate States, and have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
| numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed 10 vote for any officer, civil
| political, State or Federal.
| 2 No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained the age of twenty-five years. and
b1 citizen of the Confederate states, and who shall
not when elected, be inhabtant of that State in
| which he shall be chosen
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
Guided 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
cluding 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 wKhln every subsequent term
of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least Representative; and until such
meratOn shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose siX-the State of Georgia
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 State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies
o. The House of Representatives shall choose their
power OF Impeachment; except that any judicial
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 3.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be COM
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
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 the
expiration of the second of the second class
the expiration of the fourth year and of the third
at the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation or otherwise, during the
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
3. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years and be citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall not when elected
be an inhabitan of the State for which he shall be
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.
5. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tempore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office of Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
8. The Senate shall have the sole power try all
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 twothirds of the members present.
I. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
tend further than to removal from Office and disqua
hcation to hold and enjoy any oice OF honor or profit
uHder the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and subject indict-
ment trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
SECTION 4.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the egsl ture thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time by law make alter such regulations,
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
SECTION 5.
1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its 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-
ceedings, punish members dsorderly behavior
and with the concurrence of twothrds of the whole
number, eXpel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to time publish the same, 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 fifth
of those present, by entered on the journal.
g. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall without the consent of the other, adjourn for
more than three days. to other place than that
IL which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION g.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services to be ascertaned by
iaw and paid out 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 and returning from the same;
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2 No Senator or Representative SHALL during the
time for which he elected, be appointed to any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created, the emou-
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be member of either House
during his continuance IN office But Congress may,
by law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
appertaining to his department.
SECTION 7.
l. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives,; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments as on other bills.
2 Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes law be presented to the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
jections to the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ais, proceed reconsider it. IT, after such reconsd
GRAFTON, twothrds 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 twothirds Of that
House, it shall become law. But in all such cases.
the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
be O hp q
spectIvely. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented TO him. the shall be
law, in like he had signed it, unless the
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its return in
which case it shall not be law. The President may
approve appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation in the same bill. In such he shall,
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
proved, and shall return copy of such appropria-
tons, with his objections, to the House in which the
bill shall have originated and the proceedings
shall then be had of other bills disapproved
by the President.
8. Every order, resolution VOTE which the con-
of both Houses may be Necessary Except
question of aUournment) shall be presented TO the
President Of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect shall be approved by him: or
being disapproved by him, may be re-passed by
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and m
tations prescribed in case of bill
SECTION s
The Congress shall have power
1. To lay and collect taxes, duties mposts and ex-
cises for necessary pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties
taxes mportations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry; and all du
ties, mposts, and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
2. To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
8. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations and
among the several States, and with the Indian tribes;
but neither this, any other clause contain
ed in the constitution shall ever be construed to dele
gate the power to Congress to appropriate money for
internal Improvement intended TO facilitate
merce; except for the purpose of furnishing lights
beacons and buoys and other aids to upon
the coasts and the Improvement of harbors and the
removing of distractions in river navigation in all
which cases, such duties shall be laid the naviga