Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-10-10
NASHVILLE TENN. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of America.


We the people of the Confederate States eacn seaIe
acting in its sovereign and Independents cnaracter
order to form Perinanen. ,n6ni;tv and secure
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterl
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States Of America
ARTICIEI.
SECTION 1.
An legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in a Congress of the Confederate States, ~nicn sn'h
consist of Senate and House oil Representative
SECTION 2.
!, Tho uonse of Representatives shall be composed
of members chosen every second year oy the peoPe p
of the several states; and the electors N e4oli S
shall he citizens of the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for electors oi the oss
numerous branch of the State Legislature put 40
person of foreign birth citizen of the Confederate
states shall allowed TO vote for any ocer es OF
political, State or Federal - ,,or
g No person shall be RepresentatlVe, VINO sLaii
not have attained the age of twenty-five years, and
bx citizen of the Confederate States, and VINO sna
not when elected, be an lnnaoitant Vi l1' o'-so ~
which he shall be chosen.
Panresentatyes and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the several States Whien II may -; 4 -
cuded within this Contederaey according 70 tner
spective numbers, which shall be determined, py n
ding TO the whole number OF Tree Persons ino,9 9
those bound 10 service Tor term OF years; anu
Guiding Indians taxed, three nfths OF an sVes
The actual enumeration shall be made within th.se Zee
wears after the first meeting OF the Congress oil the
Confederate States and within every subsequent Term
of ten years. such manner as they shall, py Jaw,
direct The number of Representatives shall not ex
coed one for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at Representatives and until such emu
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall he entitled to choose six-the State of Georgia
teu-the State of Alabama nne-the State OF Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the state Oh LOU
] isiana six and the State of Texas six.
4 When vacancies happen in the Representation oI1
from any State the Executive authority Thereon Snail
| issue writs of election TO fill such vacancies.
s. The House of Representatives shall choose tnelr
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
Pber federal ofcers resident acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
| of twothrds Of both branches OF the Legislature
| thereof.
The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
poed of two Senator'S each State chosen for six
years nv the legislature thereof the regular session
| next Immediately preceding the commencement OF
the term of service and each Senator shall nave one
| Q Immediately after they shall be assembled, in
consequence of the first election, they shall be divided
as equally as may be into three classes The seats OF
the senator's of the first shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second OF the second CLASS al
the expiration of the fourth year and o ihe tniro
at expiration of the sixth year SO that
may be chosen every second year and II vacancies
happen by resignation, or otherwise during lne re-
of the legislature OF any State, the e1ecooxe
| thereof may make temporary appointments until tne @
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then Ill
a No person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained age of thirty years and be citizen oil tne
Confederat States and who shall not, when elected,
be an inhabitant the State for which he shaI DC
| chosen -,
be President of the Senate but shall have no VOTE IN
less they shall be equally divided
s. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tepOre in the absence OF the vice
President when he shall exercise the Office OF Presl-
dent of the Confederate States
g. The Senate shall have the sole power TO try all i'm
peaehments When sitting for that purpose, they shall
be on oath or affirmation When the President OF the
Confederate States tried, the Chief Justice sna pre-
side and no person shall be convicted wlthout tne
| concurrence of two-thirds of the members present
| l. Judgment in cases of impeachment shali not ex
tend further than removal from Office, and dsquai
caton to hold and enjoy any office of honor or pront
under the Confederate States but the party
| SHALL nevertheless, be liable and subject to md1ct
| ment trial Judgment and punishment according u
| law.
| L The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribe
in each State by the Iegisl thereof subject to tn
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
at any time by law, make alter such regulations
except to and places of choosing Senators
2 The Congress shau assemble at least once IN ever
year; and such meeting shall be on the hrst Monday
December unless they shall, by law, appoint dier
| ent day
L Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its own members, ana
majority of each shall constitute quorum to DO bus
| ness but smaller number may adjourn from day
day. may be authorized to compel the attendanc
of absent members, in such manner and under sue
I penalties each House may provide
] q Each House may determine the rules OF lts Pre-
ceedngs punish its members for dsorderly behavior
and with the concurrence of two-thirds OF the wno
: number, expel a member.
, | g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time time publish the same, ,exceptn
such parts as may in their judgment require secrecy
i ! and the yeas and nays of the members of eithe
House. on any question: SHALL at the desire of one ft
of those present, by entered on the journal
4. Neither House, during the session OF Congress
SHALL without the consent of the other, adjourn f'
than three days. nor to any other place than tn
in which the two Houses shall be sitting
SECTION 6.
U,,o cor.,o-s and REPRESENTATIVES, shall receive
COMPENSATION for their services, to be ascertalned
law and paid out of the treasury of the Confedera
breach of the peace be privileged from arrest duril
their attendance at the session of their respect
and for any speech or debate 10 either House, th
shall not be questioned IN any other place
2. No Senator or Representative shal during
time for which he elected, be appointed to al
civil office under the authority OF the Coniedera
. States which shall have been created or the emo
ments whereof shall have been increased during su
time and no person holding any office under the CS
| tolerate States shall be member of either Hor
daring his continuance in office. But Congress ma
nv erant to the principal officer in each of the
| ecutive Departments a seat upon the noor Oh eiti
House. with the privilege of discussing any measu
xn appertaining to his department
ay SECTION 7.
l. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in
House of Representatives; but the Senate may p
pose or concur with amendments as on other bills.
TO 2 Every bill which shall have passed both Hous
SHALL before it becomes law, be presented TO
IN President of the Confederate States he approve
hal III
iectiops to the House which it shall have original
who shall enter the objections at large on tner Jou
e proceed TO reconsider IL H. aiter sucn
Hn Grafton two thirds of that House shall agree TO
ers the bill il shall be sent together with the obJectc
Sc to the other House. by which it shall likewise pc
for considered and if approved by two-thirds OF
and House il shall become law But in all such ca
cen the votes of Houses be determined oy
ed and nays and the persons VOTING ,or % acb ouse
the lspectlyey If any bill shall not be returned py
president within ten days (sundays excepted aitt
| shall have been presented to him, the same shall
| law in like manner if he had signed it, unless
Congress by their adjournment, prevent its return
| which case il hall not be a law. Tne PRESIDENT
ed annrove any a ,iropriation and disapprove any
appropriation 10 the same bill. In such case he s
8, in signing the bis designate the appropriations q
a. proved: and shall return copy OF such aPpro
lions with h Is objections, to the House In Which
bill shall haSe originated, and the same proceed
shall then behad as in case of other bills disapPr
3. Every order resolution vote, to which the
currence Of both HOUSES may be necessary (excel
8 ~ = question of adiournment) shall be presented t.
President OF the Confederate States; and betor
: same shall take effect, shall be approved by niI
being disapproved by him, may be re-passed by
thirds of both Houses according to the rules and
z tations prescribed in case of a bill
- SECTION s
The Congress shall have power
" l. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, an
:: cises for revenue necessary TO pay the deots pr
. for the common defence, and carry on the go
. ment of the Confederate States, but no bountles
y be granted from the treasury; nor shall any dut
taxes importations FROM foreign nations oe
- promote foster any branch OF industry; ana
ties, mposts, and excises shall be uniform tnrou
= the Confederate States -
- ate States: - ..;o,,s
g. To regulate commerce with ioreig4 s. nas,o',s =
x among the several States, and with the iholah -
= but neither this nor any other clause "
ed in the constitution, shall ever be
gate the power to Congress 70 alpaop ~ si,;taie
merce: except for the purpose OF fornisnlng aso
' beacons and buoys, and other aios 70 nas ,ss'o ~
| the Coasts and the Improvement oil narpors al
removing of distractions in river nasleaIioh .,le
which cases such duties shall be laid on @ .ne .
tz tion facilitated thereby, as may De he'eSsAs
the cests and expenses thereon; .,,.,,o,