Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-17

CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

confederate states Oh America
We the people of the Confederate States, each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order to form permanent federal government, estat
iisk Justice insure domestic tranquility, and secur
| ty-invOkng the faver and guidance of Almighty Go
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
| Confederate States of America
| ARTICLE 1.
| SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vesteC
in Congress of the Confederate States, which shai
consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
| SECTION 2.
l. The House of Representatives shall be composed
of members chosen every second year by the peopl,
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 nc
of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed TO vote for any officer, civil
political, State or Federal
2 No person shall be Representative who shall
not have attained the of twenty five years. and
be citizen of the Confederate states and who shall
not, when elected be inhabant 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
cuded within this COntederacy, 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 ex-
cluding Indians not taxed threefths 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 ex
eeed one for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have least Representative; and until such
meratiOn shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sx-the State of Geo ga
tenthe State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
wo-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isiana 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.
5. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker 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 tWO-thirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION 3.
1. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of Senators from each State chosen for
years by the legislature thereof 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 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 onethird
may be chosen every second year ; and if vacancies
happen by resignation, 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 ill
such vacancies.
B. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years. and be citizen the
Confederate States and who shall not when elected,
chosen
A. The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President Of the Senate but shall have vote
less they shall be equally divided.
B. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tepOre 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 i'm
peachments. Whensitting for 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 two-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than to removal from office, and dsquali
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according 10
law.
SECTION l.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
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 once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
1. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day to
day. and may be authorized compel the attendance
of absent members, such manner and under such
penalties as 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 two thirds of the whole
number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceed
ngs, and from time to e publish the excepting
such parts 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
:. Neither House, during the session of O6ngress,
SHALL without the consent of the other adjourn for
more than three days to other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 6.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services to be scertained by
law, 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 during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going to 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 no 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 the principal officer each the Ex
ecutive Departments a seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any measures
appertaining TO his department.
SECTION Z
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House of Representatives.; but the Senate may pro-
pose 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
jectons the House in which shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their Ourn
ais proceed reconsider it, If after such reconsid-
eration thirds of that House shall agree pass
the bill il shall be sent together with the objections
the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by twOthirds of that
House, il shall become law But in all such cases,
the of both Houses.sha be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
spectIvey. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented to him. the same shall be a
law, in like manner # he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return in
which il shall not be a law The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove other
appropriation in the same bill In such case he shall,
signing the bi designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy of such aPpropria-
tions with his objections, to the House in which the
bill shall have originated and the same proceedings
shall then be had in of other bills dsapproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote, to which the
of both Houses may be necessary except on
question adjournment) shall be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
beng disapproved by him, may De epassed by two
thirds both Houses according to the rules and mi-
tations prescribed in case OF a bill.
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
L. 10 anu COucCt teAecs uuticS, iuiFooS,
cises for revenue necessary pay the debs provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment of the Confederate States but no bounties shall
be granted from the treasury shall any duties or
importatons from foreign nations pc iid W
promote or foster any branch of industry; and all du-
ties mposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
Q To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
g. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
hnt neither this, any other SclauSe Icontain
ed in the constitution shall be construed to dele
cate the power Congress to appropriate money for
nv internal Improvement intended to facilitate
noerce except for the purpose of furnishing lights
heaeons and buoys and other aids TO navigation upon
the Coasts and the Improvement of harbors and the
ramoving of distractions river navigation, in al
which cases such duties shall be laid on the naviga
tjou facilitated thereby, may be necessary to pay
| the costs and expenses thereof:
4 10 establish uniform laws Of naturalization, and
uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, through
Confederate States but no law of COngress