Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-04
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

we the people of the Confederate States, each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order to form permanent federal government, estab
sh justice, insure domestic tranquility, and
the blessings of liberty ourselves and posteri
ty-inyoking the faver and guidance of Almighty Co.
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
Confederate States of America.
ARTICLE 1.
SECTION l.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vesteC
in Congress of the Confederate States which shal
consist of Senate and House of Representatives.
SECTION 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 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 nc
person of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil
political State or Federal
2. No person shall be Representative, who shall
have attained the age OF twenty-fiv years. and
be citizen of the Confederate states and who shall
not when elected be an inhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Conederacy according to their
ding TO the whole number Of free persons Including
those bound to service for term of years, and
cludng 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 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 sxthe State of Georgia
tenthe State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seventhe State of Lou
isana six, and the State of Texas six.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
B.. The House OF Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial
oher 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.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be COM
posed of Senators from each State chosen for six
years by the legislature at the regular session
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
the term OF service and each Senator shall have one
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 of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth 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 ill
such vacancies.
g. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the thirty and citizen
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 the Senate but shall have vote,
less they shall be equally divided.
g. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro teOre in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the office Of Pres
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 on oath or affirmation When the President of the
Confederate tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
". Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not eX-
tend further than to removal from office, and disqua
cation 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
Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the egsl ture thereof subject to 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 shau assemble at least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday
December, unless they shall, oy law, appoint differ
ent day.
SECTION s.
l. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum do bust
but a smaller number may adjourn from day to
day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance
penalties each House may provide.
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedngs, punish its members for dsorderly behavior,
and with the concurrence Of twothirds of the whole
number, expel member.
8. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to time publish the same excepting
such parts in their judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House. any question, shall the desire of fifth
of those present, by entered on the journal.
q. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
SHALL without the consent of the other, adjourn for
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services, be ascertained by
States They SHALL in all cases, except treason and
breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech debate 10 either House, they
shall not be questioned N any other place.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he elected, be appointed 70 any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created, the eou-
whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be 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 measures
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 or concur with amendments as on 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 return it with his OBJ
jectons the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their ourn
ais proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsd
Grafton thirds of that House shall agree pass
BILL il shall be sent together with the objections
TO the other House. by which it shall likewise be re-
considered, and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House. it shall become law But in all such cases
Iafa
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 same shall be
law in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress- their adjournment prevent its return in
which case it 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 disap
proved; and shall return copy of such appropra-
ons with his objections to the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had in of other bills dsapproved
by t, g President.
8 every order resolution or vote to which the con.
eurrence of both Houses may be necessary except on
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; or
being dsapproved by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according to the rules and mi
tations prescribed in case of a BILL
SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
l. 10 lay ana Collect taxes, outies lnposls, anu eA
cses for necessary to pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
of the Confederate States but no bocnties shall
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties OF
taxes mportations from foreign nations be laid tc
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:
8. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, nor any other tclause contain
ed in the constitution shall be construed to dele
gate the power Congress to appropriate money fol
any internal improvement intended 10 facilitate com
meroe; except for the purpose of furnishing lights
beacons and buoys and other aids to navigation upoi
the coasts and the Improvement of harbors and tn
removing of distractions in river navigation, In al
which cases such duties shall be laid the nayiga
tion facilitated thereby, may be necessary to pa,
the costs and expenses thereof
4 10 establish uniform laws of naturalization, anf
uniform laws the subject of bankruptcies through
out the Confederate States, but no law OF Congress