Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-04
NASHVILLE, TENN. WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER A. 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of America.

Confederate States Of america,
we the people of the Confederate States each State
setting its sovereign and independent character
order to form permanent federal government, estab
sh Justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings Of liberty to ourselves and our poser
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of America.
ARTICLE L
SECTION 1.
All Legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States which shall
consist of Senate and House of Representatives
SECTION 2.
!. The House of Representatives shall be composed
OF members chosen every second year by the people
of the states and the electors in each State
shall be citizens of the Confederate States have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the
numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person of foreign birth not citizen of the Confederate
Staes shall be allowed to vote for any officer civil or
polltical, State or 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 nhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen
8. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the sever al States, which may be in
Guided within this Confederacy according their
spectiye 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.
GLIDING Indians not taxed, threeifths 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 they shall. by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not ex
ced one Tor every hty thousand but each shall
have at least one Representatives and until such emu
nieration shall be made the State of South Carolina
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
twothe State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
siana six, and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
nom any state the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies
8. 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 impeached by vote
OF two-thirds Of both branches of the Legislature
thereof s-.i.-
l. The of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen
years 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
equally may be into three classes. The seats of
the senators first class shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second year of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth year of the third class
al the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the re-
of the legislature of State, the executive
Thereon may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then ill
such vacancies.
8. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the of thirty years and be citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall not, when elected,
be an inhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
chosen.
T. The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate but shall have VOTE un
less they shall be equally divided.
8. 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 Presi
dent of the Confederate States.
g. The Senate shall have the sole power try all i'm
peachmens When sitting for that purpose, they shall
be ON oath or affirmation When the President of the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
I. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than TO removal from office and disqua
hcation to hold and enjoy any Office of honor profit
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and subject TO ndict
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law. .s...
1. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Represen taves shall be prescribed
in each State by the legs thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress
At any time, by law, make alter such regulations
except the times places choosing Senator'S
2 The Congress shall assemble at least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ant day. ..-.-
l. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
'eturns and qualifications of its own members, and /
majority of each shall constitute quorum do bust
less but smaller number may adjourn from day TO /
lay and may be authorized to compel the attendance
If absent members, in such manner and under such /
penalties as each House may provide.
2. Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
eedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior
md with the concurrence of two-thirds of the whole
lumber, expel member.
8. Each House shall keep Journal of its proceed
ngs, and from time TO tiHe publish the excepting
uch parts as may in their judgment require secrecy,
md the yeas and nays of the members of either /
House, on any question, shall the desire of fifth
# those present, by entered on the journal.
l. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
hail. without the consent of the other, adjourn for
than three days nor to other place than that
II which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 8.
L The Senator'S and Representatives shall receives |
compensation for their services be ascerained by
aw, and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
states They SHALL in all cases. except treason, and
preach of the peace be privileged from during
heir attendance at the session of their respective
Iouses and in going to and returning from the same
md for any speech debate in either House, they
hall not be questioned IN any other place.
g No Senator Representative shall, during the |
vil office under the authority of the Confederate
states, which shall have been created the emolu-
whereof shall have been increased during such
ime and no person holding any office under the Con-
ederate States shall be member of either House
Turing his continuance in Office. But Congress may,
" law grant to the principal officer 10 each of the EX
cutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege Of discussing any measures
ppertaning to his department.
!.
l. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
,ose or concur with amendments other bills
2 Every bill which shall have passed both Houses
hall, before it becomes law, be presented the
resident of the Confederate States if he approve
hall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
ections TO the House in which it shall have originated
Who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ls and proceed TO reconsider it, If after such reeonsid
ration, two thirds of that House shall agree to pass
he BILL it shall be SENT together with the objections,
o the other House, by which il shall likewise be
House. IL shall become law But in all such cases,
he votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
md nays, and the persons voting for and against the
ill shall be entered the journal of each House
pectiyely. If any bill shall not be returned by the
resident within ten days Sundays excepted) after
hall have been presented to him the same shall be
aw, in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its 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 he shall,
signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
,reved; and shall return a copy of such appropria-
ions, with his objections, to the House in which the
,ill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
han then be had in of other bills disapproved
,y the President. a
8. Every order resolution VOTE to which the con-
urrence of both Houses be necessary Except on
question of adjournment) shall presented the
President of the Confederate States and before the
,ane shall take effect, shall be approved by MIN; or
BENG disapproyed by him, may be re-passed by two
hIrds of both Houses according TO the rules and mi
ations prescribed in case of a bill.
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties impOsts, and ex
Uses, revenue ucCcesdfy
or the common defence, and carry on the govern
of the Confederate States, but bounties shall
De granted from the treasury; shall any duties or
axes ON mportations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry and all du
es imposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
he Confederate States:
2. To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder
tie States:
g. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
put neither this, any other clause 'contain-
ID in the constitution shall be construed to dele
yate the power Congress to appropriate money for
my internal improvement intended 70 facilitate com