Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-21

CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States Of America.


We, the people of the Confederate States, each Sta
| acting in its sovereign aud independent character
order to form permanent federal government, esal
| ish justice, insure domestic tranquility and secuI
the blessings of liberty TO ourselves aud our poster
| ty-invokng the avsr and guidance OF Almighty go
do Ordain aud establish this Constitution for IL
| Confederate States Of America.
ARTICLE L
| sEcnoNI l.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be veste
| IN Congress Of the Confederate states which shal
| consist vi Senate and House oi Representatives
| 2
| 1. The House of Representatives shall be composes
| OF members chosen every second year by the peopl
Of the several states; ami the electors each Stat
Shall be citizens of the Confederate states and have
the qualifications requisite for electors OF the mos
| numerous branch OF the State Legislature but nc
person of foreign birth citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed for any ofcer civ OF
politics al, State Federal.
2. No person shall be Representative who shall
net have attained the age OF twenty i've years aud
b<a citizen of the Confederate states, who shall
not, when elected, be nhabitanI that state IN
| which he shall be chosen.
3 Representatives Direct Taxes shall be aYpor-
toned among the s-veril Statas v hch NAV b4 IN
cluded within this COni,eracy according To- their re-
spectlve numbers, which Shall be determined BY ad-
ding To the whole number oi tree persons mel Iding
those bound 10 service for term of years and ex
Guiding Indians not taxed, three fths OF all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made W thin three
wears alter the drst meetug of tn. Co1t Itls.
Confederate States and With IA every subsequent tr
OF ten years, IN such manner they shall by law
direct The number of Representatives shall not ex-
ceed for every fifty thousand but State shall
have at least Representative; aud such
meration shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose sx-the State gia
tea-the State OF Alabama nine-the State OF Florida
two-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, Executive authority thereof shall
issue wrts of election To ill 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
her federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits Of any State, may be impeached by vote
of tw0thirdS OF both branches OF the leg sisalure
thereof.
SECTION 5.
l. The of the Confederate States shall be com
posed OF two Senator's from each State chosen for SIX
by the legislature thereof the regular
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 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 year and the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year that onethrd
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 I'LL
such vacancies.
s. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the of thirty years and be citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall not, when elected,
chosen
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate, but shall have vote
less they shall be equally divided
The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro epOre in the absence Of the Vice
President when lie shall exercise the office of Presi
dent of the Confederate States.
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all
peachmentS NhenSitting for that purpose they shall
be en oath affirmation. When the President OF the
Confederate tried the Chief shall
side and no person shall be convicted without the
lNNn pf 1h.1 n,ApnI
I. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not
tend further than TO removal from office, and dsquali
dcaton to hold and enjoy any office OF honor profit
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indict
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according to
law
SECTION e.
/. The time, place and manner OF holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall prescribed
IN each State by the egSi ture thereof subject 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 Senators
The Congress shall assemble AT least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday ia
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint diner
enl day.
SECTION s.
L Each House shall be the judge of the electious
returns and qualifications OF its members and a
majority OF each shall constitute quorum do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day to
day, and be authorized To compel the attendance
of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide
Each House may determine the rules Of its pro
ceedingS, punish its members for disOrdeFly 6ehavOr
and, with the concurrence of two thirds OF the whole
number, expel a member.
g. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceed
ings and from publish the same excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy,
aud the yeas and nays of the members OF either
House, on any question, shall at the desire OF hfth
of those present, by entered on the journal
a. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall, without the consent of the other adjourn
more than three days 10 other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 9.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be ascertsned by
States They shall, in all cases, except treason and
breach of the peace be privileged from during
Houses, and IN going TO and returning from the same
and for any speech or debate ia 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 app ,inted to any
civil office under the authority OF the Confederate
States which shall have been created or the euolu-
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding Office under the Con
federate States shall be a member OF either House
during his continuance in Office But Congress may,
by law grant to the principal officer each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
appertaining TO his department
SECTION Z.
1. All bills for raising revenue originate in the
House of Representatives,; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments other bills.
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before il becomes law, be presented TO the
President OF the Confederate States he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall with his
jectons to the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections large their ourn
ais and proceed 10 reconsider it, IT, after such reconsd
eratiOn two thirds of that House shall agree 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, 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 aud against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House
spectIvey. If any bill shall be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted) after
shall have been presented to him the same shall be
law, in like manner if he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its return; in
which case il shall not be a law The President may
approve any appropriation and disapProve any other
appropriation in the same bill. In such case he SHALL
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations dsap
proved; and shall return copy OF such approprla-
tions, with his objections, to the House in which the
Bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had as in case of other bills dlsapproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote to which the
of both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adlournment) shall be presented TO the
Prendent of the Confederate states and before the
shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
beng disapproyed by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and lInl-
tatons prescribed in case of a BILL
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
L. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and ex
cises for necessary TO the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
of the Confederate States, but bountes shall
De grauteu ifcin tfce&Sufy any
taxes importations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry and all du-
ties, mposts and excises shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
2. To borrow money the credit Of the Confeder-
1 ate States:
| g. To regulate commerce with foreign nations and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
| bat neither this, any other clause contain
ed in the constitution shall be construed dele
gate power Congress TO appropriate money foI
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate
merce; except for the purpose OF furnishing lights
beacons and buoys and other aids To navigation upon
the coasts and the Improvement of harbors and the
removing of distractions in river navigation, in ali
which cases, such duties shall be laid the naviga
tion facilitated thereby, may necessary 10 pay
the costs and expenses thereof:
4. 10 establish uniform laws OF naturalization, and
uniform laws the subject bankruptcies, through
out the Confederate States, but no law OF Congress