Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-14
NASHVILLE, TENN. SATURDAY. SEPTEMBER IA, 1861
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States of america.

we the people of the Confederate States each stat
acting in It's sovereign and independent character
order u form permanent federal government estab
lish justice, insure domestic tranquility and secur
the blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and posteri
ty-invoking the f'yer and guidance of Almighty tO
do ordsin and establish this Constitution for th
l Confederate States of America
ARTICLE l.
| SECTION 1.
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress Of the Confederate States which sinai
| consist of Senate and House OF representatives
| SECTION 2.
L. The House OF Representatives shan be composed
OF members chosen every second year by the people
Of the several etates and the electors in each State
shall be citizens of the Confederats States have
the qualifications requisite for electors OF the
numerous branch Of the State legislature but no
person Of foreign birth nt citizen of the Confederate
States shall be allowed vote Tor any officer civil or
1 politi al, state or Federal.
2. No person shall be a Representative who shall
De a eifzef OF the Cciiederate States and who shall
not, wien elected be inhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen.
g Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the sever'i states, which may be in
Guided within this Conieeaey, according their re-
spectye numbers, which shall be determ ned by ad-
ding TO the whole number OF free persons Including
those bound to for term of wears and ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed three-ffths of al slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years after the hrst meeting Congress OF the
confederate states, and within every subsequent
W.
direct The number of Representatives shall not ex
ceed one for every fty THOUSAND each State shall
nave at least one Representative; and emu
ueraton snail De made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose six-the State of teo ga
ten-the State OF Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State OF Mississippi seVen-the of Lou
isiana six, and the State Of Texas SIX
4 When vacancies happen in the representation
tfOIn State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs OF election 10 fill such vacancies
s. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
that aUV sfi.ial
her federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits of any State, may be impeached by vote
thereof.
SECTION 3.
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of 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
vote.
2 Immediately after they shall be assembled in
consequence of the mrs. election they shall be divided
equally may be into three glasses 1he seaIs of
the senators of the first class shall be vacated al the
expiration of the second year of the class at
the expiration OF the fourth and of the third class
at e expiration of The sixth year so that onethlrd
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise, during the
cess OF the legislature of any State, the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which snail then fill
such cances.
8. NO person shall be a Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years, and the
Confederate States AMI who shall nO,, when elected
'iA VI 1o A'Site ioi mtliCA Alc sA4al DC
chosen.
4 The Vice President of the Confederate States shall
be President of the Senate, bat shall have vote un
less they shall be equally divided.
5. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro teMpore 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 try all i'm
peschments When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath or affirmation When the President of the
Confederate States is tried the Chief Justice shall
side and no person shall be convicted without tbe
pff fXEp-g snff fIat
!. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further Than 10 removal from Office and dsquali
under the Confederate States but tee party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable sub eel to indict-
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according 10
law.
sEo1oS L.
1. The time, place and Of holding elections
for Senator'S and Representatives. shall prescribed
provisions of this Constitution but the Congress may
At any time, by law, make alter such regulations
The Congress skH sssen bic a least oace Ia every
eaaf aud such ling shall be a. Tie ers. Mond2F q
ssef, elaiess they shall oy szw, appoint asaes
sEoroS o
/ Zach 8suse shall be the Judge Of the elections
returns and qualifications of its MEMBERS and
majority OF each shall constitute quorum
ness but smaller nHmber may adjourn from day TO
day, and may be authorized to compel attendance
Of absent members, in 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 dsordery behavior
and, with the concurrence of twothrds of the whole
number, eXpel a member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngS and from time TO tIse publish the same excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either |
House. on any question, SHALL the desire of h
Of those present, by entered on the journal.
T. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall, without the consent of the other, adjourn for
more than three days, other place than that
10 which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 6.
L. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
for their services be ascertained by
aw 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 arrest during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses and in going 10 and returning from the same
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.
2. No Senator Representative shall, during the |
time for which he was elected, be app inted to any
civil Office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created the emoIu
nents whereof shall have been increased during such
lime and no person holding any Office under the Con-
ederate States shall be member of either House /
Turing his continuance in office. But Congress may,
BY law grant TO the principal officer each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
,ppertaining 10 his department
SECTION 7.
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 the
President OF the Confederate States he approve he
shall sign not he shall return il with his OBJ
ectons to the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections large their journ
ais and proceed to reconsider it, IT, after such reconsd
grafton, two-thirds of that House shall agree pass
The bill, il shall be sent, together with the objections
10 the other House, by which shall likewise be re-
considered, and II approved by two-thirds OF that |
House. it shall become law. But in all such cases,
the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House
SpfctIYeIy. III Dill shall returned by the
President within ten days (oundays excepted) after
shall have been presented TO him. the same shall be
law, in like If he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return
which case il shall not be law The President may
approve any appropriation and dsapFr0Vs any other
appropriation the bill In such he shall,
signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy of such aPpropria-
uons with his objections TO the House IN which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shah then be had in case of other bills dsspproved
by the President
g. Every order resolution vote, to which the con-
of both Houses may be necessary Except on
question of adiournment) shall be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect shall be approved by him. or
being dsapproyed by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according 10 the rules and ni
tations prescribed in case of bill.
SECTION
The Congress shall have power |
l. lay and collect taxes duties, impOsts, and ex-
cses necessary pay the debts, provide
for the common defence, and carry the govern
of the Confederate States, but no bountes shall
be granted from the treasury,
taxes on impor from foreign nations be laid 90
promote foster any branch OF industry; and all dn-
ties inlposs, and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
q To borrow money on tina credit Of the Confeder- /
ate States:
g. 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 to dele
gate the power Congress appropriate money for
any internal improvement intended to facilitate COM
merce excep; for the purpose of furnishing lights,
beacons and buoys and other aids TO navigation upon
the coasts and the improvement OF harbors ana the
removing Of distractions in river navigation, in sill
which cases such duties shall be laid the nayiga-