Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-10-25
CONSTITUTION
y VIE
Confederate States Of America

We. the people Of the Confederate States, each
STATE acting in its sovereign and independent char
acier IN order TO form permanent federal govern
rnent establish justice, insre domestic tranquility
and secure the Bessngs Of liberty TO ourselves and
our posterty-invokiRg the iavor and guidance Of
Almighty God--do ordain and establish this Consti
tuition for the Confederate States Of America.
ARTICLE !
SECTION l.
All legislative lg,wers herein delegated shall be
vested in 4 Congress Of The Confederate States,
which shall consist Of Senate and Heuse Of Re
presentetives.
sEYrToS 2
/. The blouse Of Representatives shall he compos-
ed of members chosen every second year by the
ppope Of the several States and the electors in each
State shall be citizens of the Confederate Statesand
have the qualifications requisite for electors of the
most numerous branch oil the State Legislature; but
no person of foreign birth, not citizen of the Con-
federate States shall be allowed to vote far any Of
Gcer, civil OF political, State or Fcdersk
O. person shall be a Representative, who shall
not have attained the age of twenty five years. and
he citizen of the Confederate States and who shall
not. when elected, hc IN inhabtant of the State in
which he shall be chosen.
8. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be ap-
portioned among the several States which may he
included within the Confcdefacy according to their
respective numbers which shah be determined by
those bound 10 service for term Of years, and ex
clpding Indians not taxed three-ffths 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 Humber of Representatives shall
not exceed one for every fifty thousand but each
State shall have at least one Representative; and
until such enumeration shall be made the State of
South Carolina shall be entitled 10 six-the State Of
Georgia ten-the State Of Alabama nine--the State
of Florida two-the State Of Mississippi seven-the
State of Louisiana six and the State o. Texas six
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any Safe, 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
other federal officers resident and acting solely with
in the limits of any State may be impeached by a
vote of twothirds of both branches of the Legisa.
ture thereof.
SECTION 8.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
composed of two Senators from each State, chosen
for six years by the legislature thereof at the regu
lar session next Immediately preceding the COM
mencement of the term of service, and each Sena-
tor shall have one vote.
2. Immediately after they shall be assembled in
consequence of the first election, they shall be di
vded as equally as may he into three classes. The
seats of the Senators of the first class shall be
Gated at the expiration of the second year of the
second class at the expiration OF the fourth year and
Of the third class at the expiration of the sixth
year; so that one-thrd may be chosen every second
year; and if vacancies happen by resignation, or
ether wise during the recess of the legislature of
any State, the Executive thereof may make tempo
rary appointments until the next meeting of the Lee
Qislnture which shall then ill such vacancies.
-. ha.n hos shall Of axya
attained the age of thirty years, and be citizen of
| the Confederate States aud who shall not, when
elected be an inhabtant Of the State for which he
shall be chosen.
| 4. The Vice President of the Confederate States
shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no
vote unless they be equally divided.
o. The Senate shall choose their other officers ;
and also President pro te@pore in the absence Of
the Vice President, or when he shall exercise the
Office of President of the Confederate States.
@. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all
Iimpeachments When sitting for that purpose, they
shall be on oath or affirmation. When the Presi-
dent of the Confederate States is tried, the Chief
Justice shall preside; and no person shall be con-
vcted without the concurrence of two-thrds of the
number present.
I. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
extend further than to removal from office, and dis
qualification TO hold and enjoy any office of honor,
trust or profit under the Confederate States; but
the party convicted shall, nevertheless, be liable
and subject to indictment, trial, judgment and pun
ishment according TO law.
SECTION 4.
/ The time places and manner of holding cleo
tons for Senators and Representatives shall be pre-
scribcd in each State by the legislature thereof sub
icct to the provisions of the Constitution; but the
Congress may, at any time, by law, make or alter
such regulations except to the times and places
of choosing Senators
2 The Congress shall assemble at least once in ev-
cry year; and such meeting shall be on the first
Monday in December, unless they shall, by law APP
point different day.
T. SECTION 5.
l. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications OF. It's own members, and
a majority of each shall constitute a quorum to do
business; but a 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
proceedings punish its members for disorderly con-
duct and, with the concurrence of two-thrds of the
whole number, eXpel a member.
g. Each House shall keep journal of its pro-
ceedings, and from time to time publish the same,
excepting such parts as may in their Judgment re-
quire secrcsy, and the yeas and nays Of th6 men,
bcrs of either House, any question, shall, at the
desire of one-ffth Of those present. be entered on
A. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
lshal without the consent of the other, adjourn for
more than three days nor TO any other place than
that in which the two Houses shall he sitting.
SECTION g.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
n COMPENSATION for their services to he ascertained
by law, and paid out of the treasury of tue Con-
Tolerate States They SHALL in cases, except trea-
son, and breach of the peace, be privileged from
arrest during their attendance at the session OF
their respective Houses and in going to and return
ing from the sdme and for any speech on debate in
either House they shall not be questioned in any
otheY place.
b., ,, no senator or representative shall, during
the timc for which he was elected be appointed to
any civil office under the authority Of the Couiede
ratc Suites, which shall have been created, or the
omolumepts whereof shall have been increased
during suci ,iue and no person holding any office
under tbs Confederate States shall he member Of
either HoHss during his continuance in Office But