Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-06
NASHVILLE, TENN. TUESDAY, AUGUST 6, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
States of America.

L
we the people of the Confederate States each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character, in
lish Justice insure domestic tranquility, and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posteri
ty-invoking the fayer and guidance OF Almighty God
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.
| 1. The House of Representatives shall be composed
| of members chosen every second year by the people
of the several saies and the electors each State
shall be citizens Of the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
1 numerous branch of the State Legislature bus no
person of foreign BIRTH citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed 10 vote fer any o1eer, civil or
| political, 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 inhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
s. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy according 10 their re-
spective numbers which shall be determined; by
ding to the whole number of free persons, including
those bound TO service for term Of years, and
cludng Indians not taxed. three-fths of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years after the first meeting OF the Congress the
OF ten years, IN such manner as they SHALL by law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall
ceed for every fifty THOUSAND, but each shall
have least Represent itve and until such
meration shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose six-the State of ga
ten-the State of Alabama Dine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
siana six, and the State of Texas
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election TO fill such vacancies.
5. The House of REPRESENTATIVES shall choose their
QF - md shan have ef,la
power of impeachment; except that any judicial
her federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be mpeached by
of twO-thirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof
SECTION g.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen for
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 of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second year of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth that onethird
may be chosen every second year and II vacancies
happ.n by resignation, or otherwise, during the
of the legislature of State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting OF the Legislature, which shall then nl
such .ncies.
3. 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 inhabitant OF the State for which he Shall be
chosen.
the Senate but shall have vote,
less they shall be equally divided.
also President pro tenOre in the absence of the Vice
President, when he shall the Office Of Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
8. The Senate shall have the sole power try all i'm
peacbmens. When sitting that purpose, they shall
be oath or ailrmatlOn Nhen the President OF the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convicted without the
Concurrence of two-thirds of the members present.
u Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not
tend further Than removal from Office and disaua
icaton hold aud enjoy any Office of honor profit
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable and sub indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.
SECTION 4.
1. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the egsl ture thereof subject 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 shalt least every
year and meeting shall be the first Monday
December unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
1. Each House shall be the judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its MEMBERS and
majority oil eacn shaii constitute quorum 10 DO ous
ness but smaller number may adjourn from DAY 10
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-
ceedngs punish its members disorderly behavior
with the concurrence of thirds of the whole
number, eXpel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time to tiHe publish the same, excepting
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.
T. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
SHALL without the consent of the other, adjourn for
than three days TO other place than that
| in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
| SECTION e.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be ascertained 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 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 IN any other place.
| 2 No Senator or Representative shall, during the
| time for which he elected, be app inted any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
| States, which shall have been created the emou-
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 Tx
ecutive 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 shall originate in the
| House of Representatives but the Senate may pro-
| p0se or concur with amendments other bills.
| 2. Every bill which shall have passed both H uses
shall before it becomes law, be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall return il with his OBJ
jectSns the House in which it shall have originated
who shall the objections at large their journ
ais an proceed reconsider it, IT. after such reconsd
GRAFTON, twothrds of that House shall agree to pass
the bill il shall sent together with the objections
10 the other House. by which it shall likewise be re-
considered, and if approved by twOthirds OF that
House. il shall become law. But in all such cases
the votes both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall entered the journal of each House
spectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted after ii
shall have been presented to him. the shall be
law in like manner If he had signed it, unless the
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its return IN
which il shall not be law. The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove any other
| appropriation in the bill In such case he shall
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations dlsap
proved; and shall re turn copy OF such approprIa
lions with his objections, TO the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
then be had in of other bills disapproved
by the President.
"a Every order resolution or vote TO which the con-
currence both HOUSES may be necessary Except on
question of adournment) shall be presented TO the
PRESIDENT of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect shall be approved by him; oI
being dsapproved by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according 10 the rules and mi
tations prescribed in case OF a BILL
| SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts, and ex
cses necessary 10 pay the debts, provd'
| for the common defence, and carry on the govern
mept of the Confederate States, but bountes sha
be granted from the treasury; nor sAd any uutie vi
taxes importations from foreign nations be laid
promote or foster any branch of industry and all du
ties imposts and excises shall be uniform throughou
| the Confederate States:
?. To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder
| ate States:
| g. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, an'
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
| but neither this, any other Clause contain
ed in the constitution shall ever be construed to dele
gate the power Congress TO appropriate money 10
any internal Improvement intended TO facilitate com
merce except for the purpose Of furnishing lights
beacons and buoys and other aids TO navigation upo
the coasts, and the improvement OF haroors ana Tn
removing OF obs ructions in river navigation, in al
which cases, such duties shall be laid on the navlga
tion facilitated thereby as may be necessary 70 pa
, | the costs and expenses thereof:
; T. O establish uniform laws Of NATURALIZATION, an
porm laws on the subject Of bankruptcies, through