Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-15
NASHVILLE, TENN SUNDAY. SEPTEMBER Is, 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of kEierica.

We, the people of the Confederate States each STAT
acting in its sovereign aHd independent character IL
rider tn form permanent federal government, esiab
ish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and
the blessings or liberty TO ourselves and our posterl
cy-invoking the fivar guidance OF Almighty
do erIain and establish this Constitution Tor tnt
| Confederate states Of America
ARTICLE l.
sEcnoS1.
An legislative powers herein delegated shall he vested
il a Congress Gf the Conle,ierate States which shall
| consist OF a Senate and House Of representatives,.
| sEcuON 2.
| l. The Hous OF Representatives shall be composed
| o. members chosen every second year by the people
# tue several eS; AMI the electors in each state
shall be ctiz rs Of Couteierate states aud have
the qua1ca qrisite for electors the most
| numerous an h Of the State Legislature; buI no
nesOR Of foreign birth ctizeu Of the Coed rate
II tes shall be allowed az officer civi! or
| pc III al. state or Fe 'eral
2 No pers shall be a Representatives who shall
Dot have at aimed the OF twenty five years. and
nc cit z n el the eooederate >tass and who si4A
not, hen el cted, be inlabitaIt Of that state IN
which he shall be cll. sen.
3 Representatives ami Direct Taxes shall be appor
| toned among the ver 4 states, which may be i'll
cluded wlihin TINS Ionderacy, according 10 their
spcciive numbers which shall be dettrm ned by al
ting to the whole number free persons, including
those bouni 10 service ior term OF years, and
cludng InIlans not taxed, three hfths of ali slaves
The actual enumeration shall be within three
aft the first meeting OF the Congress o. the
Confederate States, and within every subsequent IN
/ OF Ten years, in such manner they shall by law
direct. The number or Representatives shall LOT ex
ceed one for every ffty housan but each State shall
have at least Represent tive until such emu
meration shall be made the State o. South Carolina
shall be entitled TO chcOse six-the State of ga
ten-the State OF Alabama nne-the State OF Florida
twothe State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isi8na six, and the ST tie OF Texas SIX.
:. When vacancies happen in tie representation
from state, the Executive authority thereof shal
| issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.
5. The House Of Re resentatvt shall choose their
speaker and other Uifcers and shall have the sole
power OF impeachment; except that any judicsl or
her federal officers ldent and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeaChed by vote
of two-thirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senator'S from each State, chosen for six
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
the senator's OF the first class shall be vacated al 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 that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the
cess Of the legislature Of any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting OF the Legislature, WuIch shall then I'LL
such vac incies.
3. 80 person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the age Of thirty years and be citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall mo-, when elected,
be an inhabtan' Oh the State for which ne shall be
chosen.
The Vice Pres ient of the Confederate states shall
be Prgs ent of the Senate, bat shall have no vote,
less they shall be equally divided.
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro sAip0re the abs OF the Vice
President or when he shall exercise the otce III rei
dent of the Confederate States
s. The Senate sha have he sole power to try all i'm
peachments Whensiting loT 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 shan be convicted without ths
concurrence Of two thirds Of the members present.
I. Judgment in cases OF Impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than 70 removal from oce, aud dsquai
cation to hold and enjoy any Office Of honor prodt
under the Confederate State but the party convicted
shall nevertheless, be riable ana sub ect ndiCt-
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according 10
Law.
SECTION 4
/. The time, place and manner Of holding elections
for Senator's and Represent tives shall be prescribed
IN each STATE by tie gi5! tGra ns-eO subject 70 tue
provisions OF this Constitution but tie Congress may
at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations
except to the times and places Of choosing Senator's
2 The Congress shall assemble at least once IN every
year and such meeting shall be the hrst Monday IN
ent day.
1. Each House shall be the judge Of the elections
returns and qualifications Of its M nbers and
majority OF each shall constitute quorum TO do bust
ness Dut smaller nulnOer may a1oaFn from cay 10
day. and may be auiho lied t. compel tie attendance
of absent members, il such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide.
2 Each House may determine the rules Of its pro-
ceedngs, punish its members disorderly behavior
and with the Concurrence Of two thirds the whole
number, eXpei member.
3. Zach ,use shall keep Journal of its pr coed
ings and from time 10 tine publish the same excepting
such parts as may IN their Judgment require secrecy
ana lHe yeas ana nays Oh the members OF eIth
House, on any question, sba at the desire Of 9TH
OF those present, by entered the journal.
4 Neither IL use, 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 shall be sitting
SECTION g.
L. The Senators and Rep esentatives shall receive
for their services t. be asCeTtaned by
law ami paid out Of the treasury OF the Confederate
States Ihey SHALL in ali ci-cs, 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 same
and for any speech debate IN either House, they
shall not be quest ned n any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall. during the
time for which he ele ted, be app intcd u any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
states winch shall have been created or the enooIp
ments whereof shall have been increa during such
time and 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
ecutive DEPARTMENTS Seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege OF discussing any
appertaining TO his department.
SECTION Z.
/. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House of representatives, but the Senate m Iy pro-
pJse or concur with amendments other bills.
2. livery bill which shalt have passed both Ii uses
shall before il becomes law be presented to the
President of the Confederate States ii he approve he
shall sign il but If not lie shall return II with his ob
jectons 10 The House in which it shal have ignated
who shall enter the objections large on their iourn
ais proceed TO reconsider it, If after such reconsid
erati'D, twothirds of that House shall agree pass
the bill, II 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 u law. But in all such Gas s.
the votes OF both Houses shall be determined by yeas
aud nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the journal OF each House
spectIvey. If any bili shall be returned by the
President within ten days (>uudays exeepted alter it
shall have been presented 10 him. the same shall be
law, in like if he hsd 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 appropriations dIsap
proved; and shall return copy OF such appropria-
tons, with MS objections 20 the House IN Whlcn the
bill shall have originated, ana the proceedings
shall theE be had as in case of other bills dsaPEroved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote. which the
curreDce both Houses may be necessary Except
a question of adjournment) shall be presented TO the
President the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him. or
being disapproyed by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according 10 the rules and hl-
tations prescribed in case of bill
SECTION
| The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts, and ex
| Tor the common defence, and carry the govern
ent Of the Confederate States, bat bountes shall
be- granted from the treasury; shall any duties or
taxes on mportatiOns from foreign nations be laid 20
promote auy branch OF industry; and all du-
ties mposts and excses shall be uniform throughout
| the Confederate States:
q To borrow money the credit Of the Confeder-
1 States:
s. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, any other clause contain
ed in the constitution shall be construed 10 dele
gate the power to Congress to appropriate money for
any internal improvement intended to facilitate com
nerce except for the purpose of furnishing lights,
beacons and buoys and other aids TO navigation upon
the and the Improvement OF harbors and the
removing of obs ructions in river navigation, in all
which cases, such duties shall be laid the naviga
tion facilitated thereby, as may be necessary 20 pay
| the costs and expenses thereof: 81
A establish uniform laws of natural cation, and