Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-11-07
CONSTITUTION
oF,THE -.
Confederate States Of America.

2
Confederate States Of America.
we the people of the Confederate States each State
acting in its sovereign and independent character in
order form permanent federal government estab-
sh JUSTICE insure domestic tranquility, and secure
ty-nyoking the faver and guidance of Almighty God
do ordain and establish this Constitution for the
Confederate States Of America.
AniIei-- .l.a, 'sass -. &C. .sEaE
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be vested
in Congress of the Confederate States, which shall
consist Of Senate and House OF representative
SECTION 2.
l. The House OF Representative -salI 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 to for any officer, civil
political, State or Federal. 49,
not have attained the age of twenty-five years. and
be- actizen 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-
toned among the several States, which may be in
cuded within this Confederacy according to their
spective numbers, which shall be determined, by ad
ding the whole number of free persons including
those bound to service for term of years, and ex
Guiding Indians not taxed three-f 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 term
of ten years, in such manner as they shall, by law,
direct. The number of Representatives shall not
coed for every fifty thousand, but each State shall
have at least one Representative and until such emu
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose six-the State of Georgia
ten-the State of Alabama nne-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi sever-the State of Lou
isiana six, and the State of Texas six. 12fa
A. When vacancies happen in the representation
State 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 sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial or
oher federal officers resident and acting solely within
the limits Of any State, may be impeached by vote
Of twothrds Of both branches Of the Legislature
thereof. Ers f-a3 - ~ a-s 9sslsrss Hf. s
M s SECTION 8. F,as
l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be COM
posed of two Senator's from each State chosen for
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 las8 .gss - - 81
2 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 Senators Of the first class shall be vacated at the
expiration of the second year Of the second class at
the expiration of the fourth and of the third class
at the expiration of the sixth year that onethird
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by Resignation, or otherwise, during the re-
cess of the legislature of any State the executive
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill
! =. L.. L
8. No person shall be Senator who shall not have
attained the age of thirty years. and be citizen of the
confederate states anu VINO small noi "heh eieGIeu,
be an inhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
chosen. - 4. - E4..s-,s s-.,y-...- S -
be President of the Senate but shall have vote
less they shall be equally divided. 40
8. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro tenore IN the absence OF the Vice
dent of the Confederate States. as ~
The Senate shah have the sole power 10 try al i'm
tt,ofr cfnafi
be on oath or affirmation. When the President of the
Confederate States tried the Chief Justice shall
side and no person shall be convicted without the
Concurrence of two-thirds of the members present
Z. Judgment in cases Of Impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than to removal from Office aud dsquali-
acaton 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 indict
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according to
law. --,-.i 5ssef,rst r,5rY 80 t- -.igCfse {ssgzs-
l. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the legislature thereof subject to the
provisions of this Constitution but 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 the first Monday in
December, unless they shall by law, appoint differ
ent day. z ~ ile.-
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 smaller number may adjourn from day to
day. and may be authorized to compel the attendance
of absent members, in such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide.
q Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings punish its members for dsordery behavior
and with the concurrence Of of the whole
number, expel member seq SIS .
g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time 10 tme publish the same, excepting
such parts az may in their Judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House. questions SHALL at the desire of oneth
Of those present, by entered on the journal. - ,a
4 Neither House. during the session of Congress.
SHALL without the consent Of the other, adjourn for
than three days any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting. us
L., e4.f ei SECTION 6. Il q fs1als - =
r l. The Senator'S and Representatives shall receive
compensation for their services to be ascertaned by
law paid out of the treasury of the Confederate
breach of the peace privileged from arrest during
their attendance at the session of their respective
Houses, and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech debate 10 either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place. So
q No Senator or Representative shah, during the
civil ofice under the authority Of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created or the emolu
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and person holding any Office under the Con
| federate States shall be member of either House
during his continuance in office. But Congress may
ecutiye Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any measures
| appertaining to his department -, ,ss..
IL lis SECTION 7.
j. All bills Tor raising revenue snai originate III ts
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro
pose or concur with amendments as on other bills.
2. Every bill which shall have passed both Houses
shall, before it becomes law, be presented 70 tns
President of the Confederate States he approve, h
shall sign it if not he shall return IT with his OBJ
iectons to the House in which il shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large on their ourn
proceed to reconsider it. r. after such rec0nsd
GRAFTON two thirds of that House shall agree to pas
the BILL it shall be sent together with the objections
/ to the other House, by which it shall likewise be re
considered, and if approved by two-thirds Of tina
House. it shall become law But in all such cases
the votes Of both Housesshai be determined by yea
and nays and the persons voting for and against In
bin shall be entered the journal of each House re
spectIyey If any bill shall not be returned by tn
President within ten days undays excepted) after
shall have been presented to him. the same shall be
law, in like manner as IL he had signed IT, unless Tn
Congress- by their adjournment, prevent It's return;
which case il hall not be q law The President ma
approve any ar tFopriaton and disapprove any othe
appropriation p the bill: In such case he shall
in signing the designate the appropriations disaI
| proved; and shah return copy OF such aPpropfia
lions, with his objections, 10 the House IN which u
bill shall haVe originated, and the same proceeding
shall then behad in case Of other bills disapprove
by the President. 4 D sEEfr vs. ID ..se : -
g. Every order, resolution vote to which the COL
currence OF both Houses may be necessary except
question Of adjournmenf} shall be presented to "a
President of the Confederate States and before tn
being disapprcved by him, may be re passed by two
thirds Of both Houses according TO the rules and lin
| tations prescribed in case Of abill. 80 ssEt
1fE SECTION siS.sl e. zttset 8
The Congress shall have power = ~
To iay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and e,
c:ses revenue necessary TO pay the debts, provid
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment Of the Confederate States but no bounties sa
be granted from the treasury nor shall any duties
u or, laid