Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-28
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

OF THE
Confederate States of America.
we the people of the Confederate States each State
acting in its sovereign independent character in
order tn form federal government estab-
isn Justice insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings of liberty ourselves and posteri-
ty-nvokng the faver and guidance OF Almighty God
-do orfain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of America.
ARTICLE
.-a SECTION l.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist of a Senate and House of Representatives
-se-- sECuoN 2.
1. 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 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 for any officer civil or
political, State or Federal.
2. No person shall be a Representative who shall
not have attained the age of twenty five years. and
be citizen of the Confederate States, who shall
not when elected, be inhabtaut of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
3. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy according 70 their re-
spective numbers, which shall be determined by adj
ding to the whole number of free persons including
those bound to service for term of years, and ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed, threefths 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
OF ten years, IN such manner they shall, by law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall ex-
ceed one for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representatives and until such
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose sx-the State of Georgia
en-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
siana six, and the State of Texas
4. When vacancies happen the representation
from any State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election 10 fill such vacancies.
5. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial
other federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
of twothrds Of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION 5.
l. The Senate Confederate States shall be com
posed of Senators from each State chosen for
years by the legislature thereof the regular
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
The term of service and each Senator shall have
vote.
q 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 the
expiration OF the second of the second class
the expiration of the fourth year and of the third class
at the expiration Of the sixth year that onethird
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 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 not, when elected,
be an inhabtant of the State for which he shall be
chosen.
L. The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate, shall have VOTE
less they shall be equally divided.
o. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro teBpOre in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the office Of Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
cl1aII tl,eoo
peachments. When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath affirmation. When the President of the
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of twothrds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than to removal from Office and disqua
fcation 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 4.
l. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the legs ture thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time by law, make alter such regulations,
except the times and places of choosing Senator's
2 The Congress shal assemble at least in every
year and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in
December, unless they shall by law, appoint differ
ent 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 to do bust
ness but a smaller number adjourn from day to
day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, i'll such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide.
2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish its members for disOrderly behav
and, with the concurrence of twohrds of the whole
number, expel member.
8. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to time 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 at the desire of enc fifth
those present, by entered the journal.
4. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall without the consent of the other, adjourn for
than three days to any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
SECTION 6.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a
compensation for their services be ascertaned by
law and paid 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 at the session of their respective
Houses, and in going to and returning from the
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be appointed TO any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any 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 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. AL bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives,; but the Senate may pro-
pose concur with amendments as on other bills.
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes a law, be presented 10 the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
iectiOns to the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their journ-
ais and proceed to reconsider it, IT, after such reconsid
GRAFTON, twohrds of that House shall to pass
the BILL shall be sent, together with the objections
the other House. by which it shall likewise be
considered. and i aDDrOyed by thirds of that
House, it shall become law But in all such cases,
the votes of both Housessha be determined by yeas
and nays, and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
spectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted after it
shall have been presented TO him. the shall be
law, in like IL he had signed it. unless the
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent its RETURN in
which il shall not be law. The President
approve appropriation and disapproye any other
appropriation the bill. In such he shall,
signing the BILL designate the appropr disap
proved; and shall return a copy of such appropria-
tions, with his objections, to the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the proceedings
shall then be had OF other bills disapproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution vote, to which the con-
currence of both Houses be necessary Except
question of adjournment shall be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
being disapproved by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and m
tations prescribed in case of a bill.
SECTION 8.
The Congress shall have power
1. To lay and collect taxes, dutes mposts and ex-
cses for revenue necessary to the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
of the Confederate States, but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties
taxes importations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry; and all du
ties imposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States
2. To borrow money ON the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
3. To regulate commerce with foreign nations and
among the several States, and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, nor any other clause contain
ed in the constitution, shall ever be construed TO dele
gate the power to Congress to appropriate money for
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate
merce; except for the purpose Of furnishing lights,
beacons and buOys, and other aids to navigation upon