Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-03-16

OF The
Confederate States Of Americaa

Confederate States Of americas
VIZ, the people Of the CoDfedsrats States, SEA
State acting 10 its sovereign and laaspe lssns
character, in order 10 form permanent ls.sts.
government, establish justice, insure ss's
tranquility. ans secure the blessings q noestx =
ourselves and cur teriiy-inseking Sne sssos sno
guidance Of Almighty God---dc ordain sna establish
this constitution for The Confederate S's's9 OF
America.
srcr1oA !.
An legislative powers herein delegated shall be
vested in Congress OF the ConlsderRte Stateh,
rb;eh shall consist Of . Senate and House OF
Representatives.
SECTION 2.
The House of Representatives shall be COM
nosed Of members chosen every second year BY the
neople of the several States; and the electors in
each State shall be citizens of the Confederate States,
and have the qualifications requisite fer electors Of
the most branch of the State Legislature;
bat no person of foreign birth not citizen of the
Confederate States shall be allowed to vote for any
officer. civil or politicsI State or Federal
2. No person shall be Representative, who shall
not hare STAINED the age Of tEenty- FIVE years, and
be citizen Of the Confederate States, and who
shall not, when elected, be an iuhabiiant of that
State in which be shall be chosen.
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be APP
portioned among the several States, which may be
included within this Confederacy according to their
respective nuenbers which ehall be determined by
adding to the whole number OF free persons, incud-
ing those bound to service for term OF years, and
excluding indians net faxed three-hfths Of ali
slaves. The actrai enumeration shall be made Nth
in three years after the first meeting Of the Con-
gress II the Confederate States, and within every
subsequent term Of ten years, in such manner as
they shall, by Law. direct. The number Of Repre-
sentatives shall not exceed for every fifty thous
aud but each State shall have at least one Repre-
sentative and until such enumeration shall be made
the State of South Carolina shall be entitled to
choose six-thc State Of Georgia ten--the State Of
| Alabama nine--the State Of Florida wo--the State
| CT Mississippi seven--the State Of Louisiana six,
| and the State Of Texas six.
l. When vacancies happen in the representation
| from any Slste, the Executive authority thereof
shall issue writs Of election to fill such vacancies
| The House Of Representatives shall choose
their speaker and ether officers and shall have the
| sole power of Impeachment; except hist any judi
cal or other federal officer resident and acting Sole
" within the limits Of any State, may eimpeached
| By vote of two thirds of both branches Of the
| Legislature thereof.
SECTION 8.
/. The Sc ate of the Confederate States shall be
composed of Two Senators from each State. chosen
for six years by the Legislature thereof at the regu
lar session next Immediately preceding the COM
mencement of the term Of service; and each Sena-
| tor shall have one vote.
g. Immediately after they shsll be assembled, in
Consequence Of the first election, they shall be d.
vided as equally may be into three classes The
seats of the Senators of the first class shall be
Gated at tbs expiration Of the second year; of the
second class st the expiration of the fourth year.
and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth
years so that ene-third msy be chosen every second
year; and if vacancies happen BY resignation, or
otherwise, during the recess OF the Legislature OF
| any State, the executive thereof may make Tempo
rary appointments until the next meeting of the
Legislature, which shall then FL such vacancies.
8. No person shall be Senator who shall not
have attained the age of thirty years, and be citi-
zen Of the Confederate States and who shall not,
| when elected, be an inhabitsnt 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, ualess they be equally divided
8. Phe Senate shall chcese their other ofAcers;
and also President pro tempoTe in the absence Of
the Vice President or when he shall exercise the
ofhce of President Of the Confederate States,
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try
all impeschmenis. When sitting for that purpose,
j they shall be on osth or affirmation. When the
President uf the Confederate States is tried, the
Chief Justice shall preside; and no person shall be
convicted without the concurrence Of tWo-thirds Of
| the members present
/ T. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
extend further than to removal from Office, and dis
qualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor
trust or profit, under the Confederate States; but
the party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and
subject to Indictment, trial. judgment and punish
ment according to law.
| sEprIaN 1.
|. Phe times, places and mannep of holding cleo
tons for Senators and Representatives, shall be pre-
scrbed In each State by the legislature thereof sub
ect to the provisions of this Constitutions but the
| Congress may, st any time, by law, make or alter
such regulations, except as to the times and places
| of choosing Senators.
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, APP
| point different day.
SECTION 5.
!. Each House shall be the judge of the ELECTIONS
returns and qualifications Of its avn meHber2, and
| majority of each shall constitute quorum to do
| businessi but smaller number may adjourn from
| day to day, and may be authorized to compel the
| attendance of absent members, in such manner ard
under such penalties as each House may provide.
| 2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro
ceedings, punish its members for disorderly beha>
vor and, with the nee oftwo>thirds of the
| whole number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal Of its proceed
lpgS and from time to tie publish the game, except
| ing such paFts as may in their Judgment require
secreSy, and the yeas and nays OF the members OF
either House, any question, SHALL at the desire Of
onefifth of those present. be entered on the jour-
nal
Neither House, during the session of Congress
SHALL without the consent Of the other adjourn for
more than three days, nor to any other place than
| that in WHICH the two Houses shsll be sitting,
| sEcEIaS G.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall re-
ceive q compensation for their services TO be
tanned by law, and paid out of the treasury Of the
Confederate States Tney 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 return
ing fFom ths sane and fer any speech OR debate in
either HOUSE, they SHALL net be questioned in any
other place.
2. No Senator or RepreseHtave SHALL during The
time for which he elected, be appointed to any
civil off &c under the authority Of the Confederate
States; which shall have been created the emoln
nents whereof shall have been increased during
such time and person holding any Office under
the Confederate States shall be member Of either
House during Ais csntinHanse In Office. BHt pon-
gress may, by Law, grant to the principal oneer in
each of the ExeeutiYe Departments q seat upon the
floor of either House, With the privilege of discuss
ing any measures appertaiaingtO his department.
SECTION T.
!. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in
the House Of REPRESENTATIVES bst the Senate may
propose or concur with amendments 9th, r
bills
g. Every bill which shall h&Ve passed both hoVs-
es bhalT before it becomes aiaw be presented to
the President of the Confederate States Il he ap-
prove, he shall sign but if not he shall return it
with his objections to that House in which it shall
have originated who shall enter the objec1 ms t
aFga on their iourng and proceed = reconsider it.
If after such recOnsidsEatQn, tR6-thirQs Of shat
House shall agree to pass the DILL. it shall be sent
together with the objections to the other House by
which 1t shall likewise be reconsdered, and if APP
proved by two-thirds 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 names of the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House
Fespeetiseig. n any iii shall not BE returned by
the President within ten days SUNDAY e4eeptedl az
ter it shall have been presented 10 him. the same |
shall be law in like manner as if ne had signed it.
unless tbs Congress-, by their adjournment prevent
its return; which case it shall not be law. |
The President may approve any appropriation and |
disapprove any other appropriation in the bill
In such case he shall, signing the bill designate
the appropriations disapproved; and shall return (