Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-19
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.


OF THE
Confederate States Of America,
We the people of the Confederate States each Statt
acting in its sovereign and independent character
order tn form permanent federal government, estab
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and pOster
ty-invoking the faver and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States of America
ARuCEI
sECuos1 l..
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States, which shall
consist of Senate and House of Representatives
2.
L The House of Representatives shall be composed
Of members chosen every second year by the people
of the several staes and the electors in each State
shall be citizens of the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for electors OF the most
numerous branch of the State Legislature but no
person Of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed any officer civil or
political, State or Federal.
q No person shall be a Representative who shall
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.
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
sonsd among sae sever. saAes when may De IN
spective 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
Guiding Indians not taxed, threefths of all slaves.
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
after the first meeting of the Congress of the
Confederate States and within every subsequent
of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not
ceed for every fifty thousand, but each State shall
have at least Representatives and until such
meration shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose six-the State of Geo ga
ten-the State of Alabama nne-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
isiana six, and the State OF Texas SIX.
1. When vacancies happen in the represen tetion
from any State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to NIL 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 De lmpeaehed by vote
Of two-thirds Of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
SECTION 3.
The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of Senator's from each State chosen for six
by the legislature thereof al the regular session
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
he term of service and each Senator shall have one
2 Immedistely after they shall be assembled, in
consequence of The first election, they shall be divided
equaIly may be into three classes The seats of
me Senator's the first class shall be vacated the
piration of the second of the second lass
the expratonof fourth year of third
At the expiration of the sixth year that third
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
napp by resignation, or otherwise, during the re-
rher of may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting OF the Legislature, which shall then I'LL
such vac ancies.
8. 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 inhabtant OF the State for which he shall be
chosen.
President of the Senate but shall have vote,
less they shall be equally divided.
s. The Senate shalt choose their other officers and
also President pro teore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the oce uf Presi
dent of the Confederate States
g. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments. When sitting Tor 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 shall be convicted without the
concurrence of two-thirds of the members present
T. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex
tend further ihan to removal from olce and dIsqua
eation TO hold and enjoy any office of honor profit
under the Confederate States but tue party convicted
shall, nevertheless, be liable and sub indict
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according IL
law.
SECTION 4.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the lsl ture thereof subject 10 the
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
any time, by law make or alter such regulations
except the times and places of choosing Senators
year ana such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December unless they shall by law, AFroia' differ
ent day.
SECTION 8.
l. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its own members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum to do busi
ness but a smaller number may adjourn from day Il
day and may be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, in such manner and under sucl
penalties each House may provide
q Each House may determine the rules of its pro
ceedngs punish its members for dsOrderly behav
and with the concurrence of twothirds OF the who
number, expel member.
8. Each House shall keep Journal of its proceed
ings and from time to tac publish the excepting
such parts as may in their Judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of eithsl
House. on any question SHALL the desire of one -ftl
of those present, by entered on the journal.
4. Neither House, during the session of Congress
shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn 70
than three days 10 any other place than tina
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 8.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be ascertaned b.
law paid out of the treasury of the Confederat
States. They shall in all cases, except treason, ant
breach of the peace be privileged from arrest durn
Houses, and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech debate 10 either House, the
shall not be questioned IN any other place
2. No Senator Representative shall, during tn
time for which he was elected, be app inted to an
civil Office under the authority of the Confederat
States which shall have been created, the emolU
ments whereof shall have been increased during sue
time and person holding any Office under the Con
| federate States shall be member of either Hous
by law grant TO the principal officer in each of the E
ecutive DEPARTMENTS seat upon the floor OF eithe
House, with the privilege discussing
| appertaining 10 bis department
4 SECTION ].
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in tn
House of Representatives,; but the Senate may pro
| pJse concur with amendments as on other bills
q Every bill which shall have passed both H use:
SHALL before it becomes a law, be presented 10 tn
President of the Confederate States he approve,
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OF
jections the House which it shall have originated
Who shall enter objections large their jour-
ais proceed 10 reconsider it, IT, after such reconsit
Grafton, two thirds of that House shall agree to pas
the bill il shall be together with the objection.
10 the other House. by which it shall likewise be n
| considere,, and if approved by two-thirds Of ths
House. it shall become law But IN all such casei
the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yea
and NAYS and the persons voting for and against th
bill shall be entered on the Journal of each House ri
spectvely. II any bill shall not be returned by th
President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after
SHAH have been presented 10 him. the same shall be
law, in like if he had signed it, unless th
Congress, by their adjournment prevent its returns
which case il shall not be law. The President ma
approve any appropriation and disapprove any othe
appropT aton the same bill. In such case he shat
in signing the bill, designate the appropriations disaI
proved and shall r. turn copy Of such approprii
tons, with his objections 10 the House in which th
bill shall have originated, the proceeding
sDa then be had as in case of other bills disapprove
by the President
3 Every order resolution or vote to which the col
currence OF both Houses may be necessary Except
question of adjournment) shall be presented TO IL
President of the Confederate States; and before I'll
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
| beng disapproved by him, may be passed by tw
thirds of both Houses according the rules and linn
| tatons prescribed in case OF a bill
| SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties, mposts, and e.
cises for necessary TO pay the debts proviC
for the common defence, and carry on the COVER
ment of the Confederate States but bounties sha
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties
taxes on importations from foreign nations be laid
promote foster any branch of industry; and all d
ties, imposts, and excuses shall be uniform throughol
the Confederate States:
2. To borrow money on the credit Of the Confede
ate States:
To regulate commerce with foreign nations, al
among the several States and with the Indian tribe
but neither this, nor any other clause contai
ed In the constitution, shall ever be construed del
gate the power to Congress to appropriate money
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate COZ
merce; except for the purpose OF furnishing light
beacons and buoys and other aids 70 navigation up