Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-16
NASHVILLE TENN. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER l6, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States of America.

/ tOVHlCuCA oeC St0tCc VI AtnVI tC0
We the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character il
order tn form permanent federal government estab
ish Justice insure domestic tranquility, and
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and cur poste-i
ty-invoking the fayer and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
| Confederate States Of America.
ARTICLE 1.
SECTION L.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
Congress of the Confederate States, which shall
consist OF Senate and House of Representatives.
sEcIIoS 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 each State
shall be citizens the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch Of the State Legislature but 10
person of foreign birth citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed TO vote tor any officer, civil
2. No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained the age OF twenty-five years, and
not when elected be inhabitant Of that State in
which he shall be chosen
8 Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy, according 70 their
spective numbers, which shall be determined, by ad
ding to the whole number of free persons, including
those bound TO service for a term of years, and
cluding Indians not taxed threeffths 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 as they shall By law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall not
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have least Representatives. and until such
neration 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
isiana six, and the State Of Texas six.
/ 4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue wrts of election TO fill such vacancies.
ia n 2ppf AZ lixess snan ha,Sa THAR
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power Of impeachment except that any Judicial or
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
OF two-thirds OF both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
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 al 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 of
the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration Of the second year of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
at the expiration Of the sixth that one third
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the re-
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.
g. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
the OF citizen OF
Confederate States and who shall not when elected,
be an inhabtant o? the State for which he shall be
chosen.
T. The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate, but shall have VOTE
less they shall be equally divided
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro epore in the absence of the Vice
President or when he shall exercise the office of Presi
dent of the Confederate States.
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all
peachments When sitting for that purpose, they shall
be oath or affirmation When the President of the
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thrds of the members present.
4: Judgment IN cases OF impeachment shall not ex
tend further than to removal from Office and disqua
fcation TO hold and enjoy 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 10
law.
SECTION 4.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the egsl Iture 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 Senator's
= The Congress shall assemble at least in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law appoint differ
slt 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 do bus
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 as each House may provide.
2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish s members for disorderly behavior
and, with the concurrence of twothrds of the whole
number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep a journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to tnae 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 the desire of one fifth
of those present, by entered on the journal.
f. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall, without the consent of the other adjourn for
than three days. any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 8.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services TO be ascertained 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 the session of their respective
Houses, and in going and returning from the
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 was elected, be appointed 10 any
States, which shall have been created the emolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any office under the Con-
federate States shall be q 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 Z.
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose concur with amendments 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 he approve, he
shall sign it but if not he shall it with his OBJ
jectons to the House in which il shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections al large their journ
ais ami proceed to reconsider It. IT. after such reconsd
eration thirds of that House shall agree to pass
the bill, shall be SENT together with the objections
to the other House, by which il shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House. it shall become law. Bat in all such cases.
the votes of both Housessh be determined by yeas
bill shall be entered on the journal Of each House
spectIvey If any bill shall not be returned by the
shall have been presented TO him. the shall be
law, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return in
which case IL hall not be law. The President may
approve any ,ropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation b the bill In such he shall,
in signing the designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy Of such appropria-
tons, with h objections, to the House in which the
bill shall ha3e originated and the proceedings
shall then be'had as in case Of other bills dsapproyed
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or VOTE to which the con-
currenae of both Houses be necessary Except
question of adjournment shall be presented to the
President of the Confederate States and before the
shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
being disapproved by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and mi-
| tations prescribed in case OF bill.
| SECTION 8
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts, and ex-
cses for revenue necessary to pay the debts provide
/ for the common defence, and carry the govern.
ment of the Confederate States but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury shall any duties OK
importatioRs from foreign nations be ala 10
promote foster any branch of industry and al dn
ties imposts and excuses shall be uniform througnou'
| the Confederate States: = -
/ ate States:
g. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the indian tFoes
but neither this, nor any other clause contain
ed in ihe constitution shall ever be construed 10 dele
ia aDDrODrLate money lor
snv internal Improvement intended to facilitate COM
merce; except for the purpose Of furnishing ngn.s
beaoons and buoys and other aids 10 upon
The coasts and the improvement OF harbors and the
removing of distractions In river navighticns IN a.
which cases such duties shall be laid on the naFiga
tion Facilitated thereby may be necessary 10 pay