Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-25
NASHVILLE, TENN. SUNDAY, AUGUST s25, 1861
CONSTITUTION
a OF THE
Confederate States of America

=
We, the people of the Gonfederate States each Sta
acting in It's sovereign and independent character,
order tn form permanent federal government, esta
lish Justice insure domestic tranquility and secu
the blessings OF liberty ourselves and our poster
ty-inyoking the faver and guidance OF Almighty &C
do ordain and establish this Constitution u
| Confederate States Of America
ARTICLE l. ~
- Ell sEcrIoSI.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
| in Congress OF the Confederate States which sia
consist of u Senate and House OF Representatives
| SECTION 2.
1. The House OF Representatives shall be compose
of members chosen every second year by the peopl
of the several taIes; and the electors each Stat
shall be etiZens of the Confederate States hav
the qualifications requisite for electors of the
numerous b. IAN h of the State Legislature but u
person OF foreign birth citizen the Confederal
States, shan be allowed any officer civil
| politi al State Federal -.
2. No person shall be Representative. who shal
not have attained the age OF twenty five years an,
be citizen Of the Confederate states, and who shal
not, when elected, be inhabitant of that State il
which he shall be chosen -
3. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be amor
toned ansang the sever.i states which NAV he in
Guided within this COneeracy according to their re
spectiye numbers, which shat be determined by ad
ding 10 the whole number of free persons including
those bound 10 service for term of years and ex
ciuclE Indians n1 taxed thrse-ftIls OF ala slaves
TIE actual enumeration shall be made witain three
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
Coed one for every fifty thousand but each shall
have at least Representative aud until such emu
meraton shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled choose six-the State of teo ia
t'--the State OF Alabama nire-the State OF Florida
twothe State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isana six, and the State of Texas SIX
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any state the Executive authority thereof sh
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
her federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits OF any State, may be impeaehed by vote
OF twothrds Of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.
-5 SECTION g.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen for
years by the Legislature thereof 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 shaf be the
expiration of the second year of the second class
the expiration Of the fourth year and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the re-
cess 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 -L
5. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years and be citizen
Confederate States and who shall NOT, when elected
chosen.
The Vice President Of the Confederate States shall
be President of heSenate but shall have no vote un
less they shall be equally divided
s. The Senate shah choose their other officers and
also President pro tepore in the absence of the Vice
President, when be shall exercise the office u Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
g. The Senate shall have the sole power try all i'm
peachments. When sitting tor that purpose they shall
be oath or affirmation When the President of the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shah be convicted without the
concurrence of twO-thirds of the members present.
Z. Judgment in 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 party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and sub ect to indict
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according to
law. Elf
/. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives. shall be prescribed
in each State by the legs! ture thereof subject
provisions OF this Constitution but the Congress
at any time, by law make alter such regulations,
except the times and places of choosing
z The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, uness they shall, by law appoint differ
eni DAY.
l. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its members, and a
majority OF each shall constitute quorum to do busi
ness but a smaller number may adjourn from day TO
day and may be authorized 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 it's pro-
ceedngs punish its members disOrderly behavior
and with the concurrence of twothirds of the whole
number, expel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time TO time publish the same excepting
such paris as may in their judgmepf require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the fAembers of either
House, any question: shall tie desire of one fifth
of those present, by entered on tne journal
T. 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 snail be sitting.
sEc1IoS g.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
for their services to be ascertained 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 or debate ia either House, they
shall not be questioned any other place.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be app inted TO any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created or the emou-
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no 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 any measures
TO his department.
SECTION !. ~
1. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives,; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments other bills.
q Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States if he approye he
shall sign it but IL not he shall return IL with his oh
jectens TO the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their ourn
ais and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsd
eration twothirds of that House shall agree to pass
the bill il shall be sent together with the objections
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by two-thirds of that
House. il shall become law. But in all such cases.
the votes of 10th Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays a1d persons voting for and against the
m he of faar
spectIvely. If any bill shall be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted after
shall have been presented to him the same shall be
aw, in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the
Congress, by their adjournment prevent return; in
which case it shall not be 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 appropr dsap
proved; and Shall return a copy of such appropria-
tons with MS objections, to the House in which the
pill shall have originated, and the same Rroceedngs
by the President. tt4 tsalsiA4
g. Every order, resolution or vote which TIE
of both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adjournment) shall bs preserved TO the
President of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
beng disapproved by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules an l
tations prescribed in case of bill. ag5I
I hia SECTION 8 -
The Congress shall have power 81. rrf,, efs
1. TO lay and collect taxes duties imposts, and ex-
cises for necessary pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment of the Confederate States, but bountes shall
be granted from the treasury shall any duties or
taxes importatons from foreign nations be laid 10
promote foster any branch of Industry; and all du-
ties, posts, and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States: sti 49,
2. To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
8. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several Sates 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 ior
merce; except for the purpose of furnishing lights,
becons and buoys, and other aids TO navigation upon
the coasts aud the Improvement of harbors and the
removing of distractions in river navigation, IN all
which cases such duties shall be laid on the nayga-
tion facilitated thereby may be necessary 10 pay
the costs and expenses thereof:
L. O establish uniform laws of naturalization, and
uniforrn the subject of bankruptcies through
the Confederate States, but no law OF Congfess