Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-04
NASHVILLE, TENN. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 4, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States of America.

Confederate States of America.
We the people of the Confederate States each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character in
order to form permanent federal government, estab-
s Justice insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterl
ty-inyoking the favor and guidance of Almighty God
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 4 Senate and House of Representatives
SECTION 2.
/ The House of Representatives shall be composed
OF members chosen every second year by the people
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 no
person Of foreign birth not citizen OF the Confederate
States, shall be allowed 10 vote Tor any ohcer, civil or
political, State or Federal.
. No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained tie age OF twenty live years. and
bc citizen of the Confederate states, and who shall
not when elected, be nlIabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen
8. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the sever States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy according 10 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
Guiding Indians not taxed threehiths OF all slaves
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 not ex
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representative; and until such emu
meration shall be made the State o. south Carolina
shall be entitled to choose siX-the State of Geo! gia
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State OF Lou
isiana six, and the StIte OF Texas
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any State, authority thereof shall
Of 70
s. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
oher federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeachcd by vote
of twO-thirds of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of Senator'S from each State chosen for six
years 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 of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second year Of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth year and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth year SO that
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 appoin ntments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then I'LL
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 when elected
be nhabitant 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 and
also President pro tempOre III 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. When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath OF 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 imDeaCbmont shall not ex-
tend further than removal from Office, and disqua
fcation 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 1.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each by the legis thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
any time, by law, make alter such regulations
except the times and places of choosing Senator's
The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year and sucn meeting shall be tie ;Ts; Monday n
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day
SECTION 5.
L. Each House shall be the judge Of the eiections
r,s-fv of each sha constitutes quorum TO do bus
ness but si;lier number may adjourn from day Il
Ney AiieA AA-y @-N.40---0 0oA--PN-
of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide.
2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro
ceedngs punish its members for disOTderly behav Tor
and with the concurrence of twothrds of the whol
number, eXpel a member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time TO time publish the same ,exceptn!
such parts may in their Judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House. on any gu ston, SHALL the desire of one ftl
| of those present, by entered on the journal.
l. Neither House, during the session OF Congress
ID of rhn thAr
more than three days any other place than tina
| in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
| SECTION 6.
| l. The Senator's and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services, To be ascertaned b.
law and paid of the treasury of the Coniederat
States They shall in all cases, except treason, an
breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest durn
their attendance at the session OF theh respeCtlF
Houses and in going to and returning from the same
| and for any speech debate ia either House, the
| shall not be questioned any other place.
| 2 No senator or Representative shall, during th
| time for which he elected, be app intcd to an
civil office under the authority of the Confedera
States, which shall have been created, or the emo
ments whereof shall have been increased during sue
time and no person holding any office under the Coz
federate States shall be a member Of either Houi
| during his continuance in Office. But Congress ma
by law grant to the principal officer In each OF the r
| ecutive Departments seat upon the floor OF eth
| House, with the privilege OF discussing any measur
! appertaining to his department.
| SECTION 7.
l. 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 biIs.
3 Every bill which shall have passed both House
shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to .
President of the Confederate States If he approve,
shall sign il but if he shall return 1t with his
jections to the House in which it shall have originate
who shall enter the objections at large ON tnelr Jour
ais ami proceed TO reconsider IL IT, atter sdch recohs
Grafton thirds of that House shall agree TO pa
the bill it shall be sent, together with the ob]ec"l
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be
T | considered and if approved by twOthrds OF ii
| hail hacnm IL Law
the votes of both Houses shall be determined by y(
and nays, and the persons voting for and against
bill shall be entered on the journal OF each House
Q Spectlvey. If any bill shall not be returned by
president within ten days Sundays excepted( aitel
shall have been presented TO him. the same shall %
law in like manner if he had signed it, unless
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its return
which case il shall not be a law. The President
approve any appropriation and dsapprove any OF
appropriation in the same bill. In such case he sh
in signing the bill, designate the appropriations DIS
proved; and shall return copy Of such approp
= lions with his objections, to the House in which
| bill shall have originated, and the same proceedi
shalt then be had as in case of other bills disappro
by the President.
currence OF both Houses may be necessary (excepl
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 repassed oy
thirds of both Houses according TO the ruies ana
tations prescribed in case of a bill
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
/ To iay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and
cises for revenue necessary tn pay the debts, pro
| for the common defence, and carry on the gov
nent of the Confederate States, but no bounties
be granted from the treasury; nor snail any outle
taxes on importatons from foreign nations De Eil
nromote or foster any branch of industry and all
ties imposts and excuses shall be uniform throael
the Confederate States:
2 To borrow money on the credit Oh tne Oonio
ate States: 60. -.
g. To regulate commerce with foreign nations,
among the several States, and with the indian Ut
/ nor
ed in the cons nsftuon, shall ever be construed 70
:: gate the power to Congress to appropriate money
. snv internal Improvement intended to facllitaie
nsrce. except for the purpose of furnishing ie
| heacons and buoys, and other aids TO Navigation
the coasts and the Improvement OF harpors anu
| removing of obsiructions in river Navigation, u
which cases such duties shall be laid ON the na'
ton FACILITATED thereby, as may be necessary 10
the costs and expenses thereof:
- n establish uniform laws Of naturalization,
uniform laws on the subject of bankruptcies, thrC
= | out the Confederate States, but no law OF COM