Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-26
NASHVILLE TENN. THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 26 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of america.

We the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting In Its sovereign and independent character
order u form permanent federal government estat
lish Justice insure domestic Tranquility and secur
the blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and our poster
ty-invoking the iaver and guidance OF Aim ghty Go
do ordsiu and establish this Constitution ioT IL
Confederate States OF America
ARTICLE L
sEcTIoSl.
All legislative powers herein delegated shah be seste
in Congress Uf the Confederate States, which shAl
CONSIST Of Senate sud House Of Representatives.
SECTION g
l. The House of Representatives shall be eomposet
OF members chosen every second year by the peops
Of the several states; and the electors Ia each Stats
shall be citizens Of The Confederate States and
the qualifications reluisile for electors of the
numerous branch Of the STATE legislature buI nc
person of foreign BIRTH the Confederate
States shall be allowed IoT any officer civil OF
pOiit a, State or Federal
2 No person shall be a Representative who shall
hot have attained The age o tweDtyn i've years and
b citizen OF the Confederate ~tates, and VINO shall
not when elected be au lnhabhant Of that State in
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be aDpor-
tuned among tue sever q, States which NAV be In
Guided within this Confedurse, according 10 thrir
spective numbers, which shall be deIefm4ned BY ad
ding 10 the whole number oi iree persons including
those bound TO service for a term Of years and ex
Guiding Indians not taxed, three niLhs Of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years alter the first meeting the Congress OF the
Confederate States and within every subsequent trm
"i ten years, i'll such manner they shall. by law
direct. The number OF Representatives shall not ex
ceed one for every fifty thousan but e,ct shall
have at least one Represent alive; and until such
meration shall be made tue State VI South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose six-the State Of gia
ten--the State OF Alabama DDe-the State Oi Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-Jhe Lou
i>Iana six, aud the State of Texas SIX.
l. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, tue Executive authority thereof shah
writs of election to I'LL such vacancies.
5. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
her federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits OF any state, may be impeached by vote
Oi twO-thirds Of both branches of The Legislature
thereof.
SECTION g.
l. The Senste of the Confederate States shall be
posed Of two Senator's from each State chosen for
by the legislature thereof the regular
next Immediately preceding the commencement or
the term of service and each Senator shall have one
vote.
Z Immediately after they shall be assembled, in
consequence of the rst election they shall be divided
equally may be into three classes The seats Oi
of the class shall be vacated the
expiration of the second year of the second class at
the expiration Of the fourth and OF the third
al the expiration of the sixth year that Onethrd
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 Leg stature, which shall then nil
such vacancies.
s. No person shall be a senator who shall not have
attained the age Of thirty years. citizen of the
Confederate States and who shall not when elected,
be an inhabant oi the State for which he shall be
chosen.
The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
Presi the Senate but shall have vote uu
less they shall be equally divided.
o. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President tepOre in the absence of the Vice
President, when he shall exercise the Office Of resi
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 u oath affirmation. When the President of the
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
ia IN ElIl nUNRr ugf gfaltN
concurrence of wo-thirds OF the members present
!. Judgment in cases Of Impeachment shall not ex
tend further Than TO removal from Office and disquAt
hcaton to hold and enjoy any oce OF honor pront
the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subeGt indict
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according 10
law.
SECTION T.
l. The time, place and manner OF hold ng elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the legsi ture thereof, subject
provisions Of this Constitution but the Congress may
Al any time by law make or alter such regulations,
except TO the times and places of choosing Senator'S
The Congress shail assemble al least In every
year and ouch neetiug shall be the first Monday IN
December, uuess they shall, by law appoint differ
snt day.
SECTION s.
l. Each House shall bs the Judge OF the elections
majority OF each shall constitute quorum to do bust
hess but a smaller number may adjourn from day to
lay and may be authorized To compel the attendance
1f absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide.
2. Each House may determine the rules Of its pro-
,eedngs punish ts members for disorderly behavior
with the concurrence Of Two thirds OF The whole
number, eSpel a member.
8. Each House shall keep Journal of its pr -ceed-
ngs and from time 10 time publish The same excepting
such paris may In their Judgment require secrecy,
aud the yeas aud nays of the members Of either
House. on any question, shall al the desire Of one nth
1f those present. by entered on the journal
4. 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 8.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
for their services TO be ascertaned by
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 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
lime for which he elected, be app iuted to any
civil office under the AUTHORITY of the Confederate
states which shall have been created, or the enolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any office under the Con-
ederate States shall be nIember of either House
during his continuance in office. But Congress may,
by law grant To the principal officer In each OF the Er
ecutIve departments seat upon The noor OF either
House, with the privilege Of discussing any
appertainng to his department.
SECTION I.
l. All bills for raising shall originate n the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro
pose or concur with amendments as on other bills
2 Every bill which shall have passed both III uses,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States If he approve he
shall sign it but not he shall with his OBJ
iections 70 the House in whch shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ais and proceed TO reconsider it, IT. after such reconsid
Grafton, twothirds of that House shall agree pass
the bill shall be sent together with the objections,
10 the other House, by which il shall likewise be
and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House, IL shall become law But in all such cases,
the votes Of both Houses shall be determined by
nj aUAf III.
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
specIvely. II any bill shall be returned by the
shall have beea presented TO him. the same shall be
law in like manner he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent lis return IN
which case IL shall not be q law. The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove any other
appropr the bill. In such case be shall,
signing the bill designate the appropr atous disap
proved; and shall return copy of such approprIa-
tons with his objections, 20 the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had in case OF other bills dispproved
by the President.
g. Every order resolution or vote to which the
OF both Houses be necessary Except on
question of adjournment) shall be presented 10 the
President OF Confederate states; and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or
beng disapproved by him. may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules aud m
tations prescribed in case OF a bill
SECTION
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and colest taxes duties, imposts, and e.
cises for necessary 20 the debts, provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
nept of the Confederate States but no bountes shall
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties or
taxes ON imporatops from foreign nations be laid IN
promote foster any branch of industry and all da
ties mports and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
q To borrow money on tina credit Of the Conieder-
ate 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 the constitution shall be construed 10 dele
gate the power Congress appropriate money for
any internal Improvement intended 10 facilitate com
merce except for the purpose Of furnishing lights,
beacons and buoys and other aids % navigation upon
the coasts and the Improvement OF harbors and the
removing of obsructlons in river navigation, In ali
which cases such duties shall be laid the nayiga-
tion facilitated thereby may be necessary 10 pay
the costs and expenses thereof:
e. O establish uniform laws OF naturalization, and
uniform the subject Of bankruptcies through
el,a pfa.tar Ss.f31 huf EOQsrceS