Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-29

We the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character,
order form permanent federal government, estah
lish justice insure domestic tranquility, and secur
the blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and poster
ty-invokng the faver and guidance of Almighty Co
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
/ Confederate States of America.
ARTICLE L
SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
in Congress of the Confederate States which shaI
consist of Senate and House OF Representatives,.
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
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, shah be allowed to vote for any officer, civil
pOtiral, State 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
winch he shall be chosen.
8 Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be amor
toned among the sever Il States, which may be in
cuded within this Confederacy according their re-
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, three ths 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 not ex
ceed for every fifty thousand each State shall
have at least one Representative; and until such
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose siX-the State of Geo gia
ten-the State of Alabama uine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isiana six, and the State of Texas
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, the Executive authority thereof shall
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
Oher federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be mpeached by a vote
Of two-thirds Of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION s.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of Senators from each State chosen for six
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
as equally as may be into three classes The seats of
the Senators of the first class shall vacated at the
expiration of the secoud 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 or 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.
8. No person shall be 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 nhabitant of the State for which he shall be
chosen
l. The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate but shall have no vote, un
less they shall be equally divided
g. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President tenpore in the absence of the Vice
President or 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 or affirmation. When the President of the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and 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 disduali
fcation to hold and enjoy any office Of honor profit,
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable and subject ndict
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
each by the Iegis 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 shall assemble least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday
unless they shall, by law, appoint dier-
ent day.
SECTION s.
1. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its members, and
majority each shall constitute quorum TO do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day TO
day and may be authorized TO 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 its pro-
ceedings, punish its members for disordery behavior,
and, with the concurrence of thirds of the whole
number, expel member.
g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs, and from time to time publish the excepting
such parts as may IN their Judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, any question, shall, at the desire of fifth
of those present, by entered on the Journal.
a. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall without the consent of the other, adjourn for
than three days. TO other place than that
III which the two Houses Shall be sitting.
SECTION 6.
he Senator's and REPRESENTATIVES hall racaive
for their services, be ascertaned by
law and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
States They shall, in all cases, except treason, and
breach of the peace be privileged from arrest during
their attendance 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 or Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected be app inteG 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 no person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be a member of either House
during his continuance in Office But Congress may,
ecutiye Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege Of discussing any measures
appertaining TO his department.
SECTION 7.
1. All bills for raising revenue 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 1t becomes law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall it with his OBJ
ectons TO the House in which il shall have originated
who shall enter the objections large on their ourn
ais ana proceed TO reconsider it. If after such reconsd
GRAFTON, twOthirs of that House shall agree pass
the BILL shall be SENT together with the objections
TO the other House. by which it shall likewise be re-
considered and If approyed by tgo-tbirds of that
House. it shall become a law. But in all such cases
the votes of both Housessha be determined by yeas
and and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House re-
spectIyely. II any bill shall not be returned by the
President within days (Sundays excepted) after
shall have been presented TO him. the shall be
law, in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress by their adjournment prevent its return;
which case il shall not be law The President may
approve any appropriation and dsapprove any other
appropriation in the same blI In such case he SHALL
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy Of such appropria-
tions, with his oslectons TO the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had il of other bills disapproved
by the President.
8. Every order resolution or vote to which the con-
curence of both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President of the Confederate States and before the
shall take effect shall be approved by him;
being disapproved by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according 70 the rules and m-
tations prescribed in case of bill.
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
L To lay and collect taxes, duties mposts and ex-
cises for revenue necessary to pay the debts provide
ent of the Confederate States but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties OF
taxes on importations from foreign nations De lad 70
promote foster any branch Of industry and all du-
ties mposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
2 To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
g. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, any other Lciause teontain-
ed in the constitution, shall ever be construed 70 dele
gate the power 70 Congress to appropriate money ef
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate COM
merce; except for the purpose of furnishing hghts,
beacons and buoys, and other aids 70 upon
the coasts and the Improvement of harbors and the
removing Of distractions in river navigation, IN All
which cases such duties shall be laid on the nayga-
ton facilitated thereby may be necessary 10 pay
the cests and expenses thereof:
L. 10 establish uniform laws of Naturalization, ana
uniform the subject Of Bankruptcies Inroush-
the Confederate States, but no law OF congress
shall discharge any debt contracted before tne