Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-11
NASHVILLE TENN. SUNDAY, AUGUST II. 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States Of America,

Confederate States Of America,
we the people of the Confederate States, each Stat,
acting sovereign and independent character
order to form permanent federal government estab
sh justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posteri
do ordan and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of America
ARTICLE 1.
SECTION 1.
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 second year by the people
of the several states and the electors in each
bII he Citizens of the Confaderate states and have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
of foreign birth citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil or
political, State or Federal
2. No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained the age OF twenty-five years and
be citizen OF the Confederate States, and who shall
not, when elected, be inhabtant of that State in
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
| toned among the several States, which may be in
cuded within this Confederaey, according to their
spective numbers, which shall be determined, by ad-
ding the whole number of free persons, including
those bound to service for term of years and ex-
cluding Indians not taxed three fhs 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 years, in such they shall, by law
direct The number of Representatives shall not
ceed one for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have least Representatives and until such
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sxthe State of Geo ga
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of
isiana six, and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the represen tatIon
tive ifvf hail
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
g. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and 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 twothirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof
SECTION 8.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen for
by the legislature thereof at 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 at the
expiration of the second year of the second class al
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth year that One-th
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the
of the legislature OF any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then nj
such vacancies.
g. 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 inhabitant of the State for which he shall be
chosen.
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 anC
also President tempore in the absence of the Vic
President when he shall exercise the Office Of Presi
l dent of the Confederate States.
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments. sitting for that purpose, they shal
be on oath or affirmation When the President of th
Confederate States is tried, the Chief Justice shall pre-
| side and person shall be convicted without th
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
/ l. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not eX
tend further than to removal from office, and disqual
fcaton to hold and enjoy any office of honor profit
under the Confederate but the party convicte
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject to indct
| ment, trial, judgment and punishment according T.
| law.
1. The time, place and manner of holding election
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribe
each State by the legis iture thereof subject th
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
/ at any time, by law, make alter such regulations
except the times and places of choosing Senators
2. The Congress shall assemble at least ever,
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday il
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 busi
ness /; but smaller number may adjourn from day 4
day, and may be authorized to compel the attendanc
of absent members, III such manner and under sue
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-thrds of the Who'll
number, expel member.
| 8. Each House shall keep journal of it's proceed
ngs, and from time to time publish the exceptin
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy
| and the yeas and nays of the members of ethe
House. any question: SHALL the desire of lift
of those present, by entered on the journal
A Mott thnrH tha aSSfnr nf GOnrrr
SHALL without the consent OF the other adjourn fo
than three days. any other place than tina
| in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
| SECTION 6.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services to be ascerained
law and paid out of the treasury of the Confederai
States They shall, in all cases, except treason, an
breach of the peace be privileged from arrest durn
their attendance at the session of their respectiy
Houses, and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech or debate in either House, the
| shall not be questioned IN any other place.
| 2. No Senator or Representative SHALL during ii
| time for which he was elected, be appointed to al
| civil Office under the authority of the COnfedera
States, which shall have been created, the emol
ments whereof shall have been increased during sue
time and person holding any Office under the Co
| federate States shall be a member of either Hou
| during his continuance in Office. But Congress ma
law, grant to the principal officer in each of the
| ecutive departments seat upon the floor OF eth
| House, with the privilege of discussing any measur
| appertaining to his department.
| SECTION Z.
1. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in Il
| House of Representatives; but the Senate may pr
| pose or concur with amendments as on other bills
| 2. Every bill which shall have passed both House
| SHALL before it becomes law, be presented to Il
President of the Confederate States if he approve,
shall sign but if not he shall return it with his o
ectons the House in which it shall have originate
who shall enter the objections at large their jour
ais and proceed to reconsider it, If after such reeonsi
Grafton, two-thirds of that House shall agree to pa
the BILL it shall be sent together with the objection
to the other House, by which il shall likewise be
| considered, and if approved by two-thirds oil tn
House, it shall become law. But in all such case
the votes of both Houses.sha be determined by We
and nays and the persons voting for and against Il
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
, spectiveIy If any bill shall not be returned by Il
President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after
shall have been presented to him, the same shall be
law, in like manner he had signed it, unless Il
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its return;
which it shall not be law. The President ms
approve any appropriation and disapprove any 9th
appropriation in the same BILL In such case he sha
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations disa
| proved; and shall return copy of such approprl
tions with his objections, TO the House in which q
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedin
shall then be had as in case of other bills dsapprov
v | by the President.
| currence of both Houses may be necessary Except
| a question of adjournment) shall be presented to
President of the Confederate States; and before
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
| being disapproved by him, may be re-passed by tv
thirds both Houses according to the rules and lin
= | tations prescribed in case OF bill.
= SECTION s.
;, The Congress shall have power
1. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts ana
cses for revenue necessary to pay the debts, Prov
II for the common defence, and carry on the govel
ment of the Confederate States, but no oountes sh
he Granted from the treasury; nor shall any duties
It taxes importations from foreign nations be aid
promote foster any branch of industry ana All
ties imposts and excuses shall be uniform througho
1t | the Confederate States:
lr 2. To borrow money on the credit Of the Confed
ate States: -
3 To regulate commerce with foreign nations, a
among the several States and with the Indian trib
| but neither this, nor any other tciause conta
ed in the constitution, shall ever be construed to de
IA gate the power Congress to appropriate money
any internal Improvement intended 70 facilitate co
d merce: except for the purpose OF furnishing ligh
"a heacons and buoys and other aids TO
the coasts, and the Improvement OF harbors and
| removing of distractions In river navigation, In
a. elaallh aid na1.i