Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-08-01
THURSDAY, AUGUST |, 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

4
OF THE
Confederate States Of America
We. the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting its sovereign and independent character
order TO form permanent federal government, estah
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and pOster
ty-invoking the faver and guidance of Almighty Co
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
| Confederate States of America
ARTICLE l.
| SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
| in Congress of the Confederate States which shal
| consist of a 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 States and the electors in each State
shall citizens of the Confederate States and have
| the qualifications requisite for electors OF the most
| numerous branch of the State legislature; but no
of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed TO vote for any officer civil
political, 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 inhabiant of that State in
which he shall be chosen
3. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the several States which may be in
cluded within this Confederaey according to their
spectve numbers, which shall be determined, by ad
those bound to service for term of years, and
cuding Indians not taxed three-fths 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
of ten years, in such manner they SHALL by law,
direct The number of Representatives shall not
ceed one 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 Georgia
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State Lou
iS1an Slx anTfh fha Srafa nf Tnva
f. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to I'LL such vacancies
s. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the
power of impeachment except that any judicial
oher federal ofcers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by a
of two-thirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be
posed of two Senators 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 of
the of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration OF the second of the second class
expiration of the fourth and of the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year so that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the
of the legislature of any State, the executive
next meeting OF the legislature which shall then NIL
such vacancies.
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 Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate, but shall have vote
less they shall be equally divided
5. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President enOre in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the office Of Presi
dent of the Confederate States
O. The Senate shall have the sole power 10 try all i'm
peachments When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath affirmation. When the President of the
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall pre-
side and person shall be convi victed without the
concurrence of twO-thirds of the members present.
T. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than TO removal from office, and dsquali
fcaon to hold and enjoy any office of honor profit,
under the but the party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable and subject indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according 10
law.
l. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for and Representatives shall prescribed
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time, by law, make or alter such regulations,
except 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 first Ma day in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
L. Each House shall O1 the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its raembers and a
majority OF each snail constitute quorum
ness but a smaller number may adjourn from day 10
day. and may be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, i'll such manner and under such
penalties each House may provide
2 Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish its members for disorderly behavior
and with the concurrence of thirds of the whole
number, eXpel member.
8. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs, and from time TO time publish the excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy,
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, on any question, shall at the desire of onefth
of 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. nor to other place than that
IN which the Two Houses Shall be sitting.
SECTION 6.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services be Scerained 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 during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going 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 appointed to any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emou-
mens 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 EX
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any measures
appertaining TO his department.
SECTlON &.
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose or concur with amendments other bills.
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses,
shall, before it becomes law, be presented to the
President of the Confederate States he approve, he
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
iectons the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections at large on their journ
ais and proceed to reconsider it. If after such reconsd
eration twothirds of that House shall agree to pass
the bill il shall be SENT together with the objections
the other House, by which 1t shall likewise be re-
considered, and if approved by two-thirds OF that
House. it shall become law. But in all such cases,
the votes of both Housesshal be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for aud against the
bill shall be entered the journal of each House
spectiyely If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within days Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented to him, the came shall be
law in like if he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its reurn in
which case it shall not be law The President may
approve any appropriation and dsapprOve 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-
lions his objections, to the House in which the
bill shall have originated and the same proceedings
shall then be had in case of other bills dsapproged
by the President.
g. Every order, resolution vote, to which the con-
currence of both Houses may be necessary except on
a question of adournment) shall be presented the
President of the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect shall be approved by him. or
being disapproved by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according to the rules and mi
tstions prescribed in case of a bill.
SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes duties, imposts, and ex-
cises necessary to pay the debts, provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment of the Confederate States, but bounes shall
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties or
importatons from foreign nations be laid 10
promote foster branch OF industry; and all du-
ties mposs and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
2 To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:
g. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
States and With the Indian tribes:
but neither this, any other oiSose contain
ed in the constitution shall be construed TO dele
gate the power to Congress to appropriate money for
any internal Improvement intended TO facilitate COM
merce; except for the purpose of furnishing lights,
beacons and buoys and other aids TO navigation upon
the coasts and thei Improvement OF harbors and the