Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-07-20
NASHVILLE, TENN. SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

tOn1edtTdte StdteS Oh Americas
We the people of the Confederate States each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character in
order to form permanent federal government estab-
lish Justice insure domestic tranquility and secure
the blessings of liberty ourselves and our poster
ty-nyoking the faver and guidance of Almigh God
do ordan and establish this Consultation for the
| Confederate States Of America.
ARTICLE l.
SECTION L.
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.
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
the qualifications requisite for electors 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 an nhabiant of that State in
which he shall be chosen
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confederacy, according their re-
speotiye 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
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, such manner as they shall by law
direct The number of Representatives shall not ex-
ceed one for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representative and until such
meration shall be made the State South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose sx-the State Of Georgia
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi State of Lou
isiana six, and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from any State, the Executive authority thereof shall
issue wrts of election I'LL such vacancies.
S. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power OF impeachment; except that any judicial or
other federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
of two-thirds of both branches OF the Legislature
thereof.
a SECTION 8.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two senators from each State chosen for six
years by the legislature thereof 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
as equally as may be three classes The seats of
the Senators of the first Class shall be 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 third
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, OF otherwise, during the re-
of the legislature of any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then ill
such vacancies.
8. No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the of thirty years and be citizen of the
Confederate States and ho shall when elected
be an inhabitant oil 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.
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro teaore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office OF Pres
dent of the Confederate States.
g. The senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachmens. When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath affirmation. When 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.
Z. Judgment in cases of Impeachment shall not
tend further than TO removal from Office and disQuali
catOn TO hold and enjoy any office of honor or profit
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
shall, nevertheless be liable and SUBJECT TO indct
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according to
SECTION 4.
i. The time, place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the egs ture thereof subject to the
provisions Of this Constitution bat the Congress may,
at any time, by law make 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 on the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
ent day.
SECTION 5.
l. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections,
returns and qualifications of its members, and
majority of each shall constitute quorum 10 do busi
ness but a 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.
g Each House may determine the rules OF
ceedings, punish its members Tor dsOrdery behavior,
and, with the concurrence of two-thrds of the whole
number, eXpe a member.
g. 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, any question, shall at 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
more days any other place than that
in winch the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 8.
l. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a
compensation for their services to be ascertaned by
law and paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
States. They shall, in all cases. except treason, and
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going to and returning from the
and for any speech debate n either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall, during the
time for which ne elected, be appointed any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created, the enOlu
whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any Office under the Con-
during his continuance in Office. But Congress may,
by law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ex
House, with the privilege Of discussing any measures
appertaining to his department.
SECTION Z.
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 not he shall return it with his OBJ
ectOns 10 the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ais and proceed reconsider it, IT, after such reconsid
Grafton, twothirds of that House shall TO
the BILL shall be sent, together with the objections,
the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and if approved by two-thirds Of that
House, il shall become law. But in all such cases,
the votes of both Housessha be determined by yeas
and and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House
spectivey. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days Sundays excepted) after it
shall have been presented to him the same shall be
law in like manner as If he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by adjournment prevent its return;
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 ne Shall,
in signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy OF such appropria-
tions with his objections to the House IN which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be hal as in case OF other bills dsapproved
by the President
of both Houses may be necessary Except
a question of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President Of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
being disapproved by him. may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according 10 the rules and mi
tations prescribed in case Of bill.
--e SECTION s.
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties imposts, and ex
cses for revenue necessary TO pay the eebs provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment OF the Confederate States bounties shall
be granted from the treasury; nor shall any duties
taxes importations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry and all du
ties mposts and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States: is
2. 10 borrow money on the credit Of the Confeder-
ate States:
8. To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, nor any other clause contain
ed in the constitution shall be construed 70 dele
gate the power 10 Congress to appropriate money for
any internal Improvement intended TO facilitate com
| fnr The of
beacons, and broys and other aids to navigation upon
the coasts and the Improvement OF haIbors and the
removing of distractions in river nay1gston IN all
which cases, such duties shall be laid on the naya-
tion facilitated thereby may be necessary 10 pay
| the costs and expenses thereof:
4 10 establish uniform laws of naturalization, and
uniform laws on the subject Of bankruptcies through
out the Confederate States but no law OF Congress
shall discharge any debt contracted before the passage
L Inf he d. 2