Daily Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1860-1862, 1861-09-08
NASHVILLE, TENN. SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1861.
CONSTITUTION
OF THE
Confederate States Of America.

| Confederate States Of America
we the people of the Confederate States each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character,
order to form permanent federal government, esiat
lsh justice, Insure domestic tranquility, and secur
the blessings OF liberty ourselves and poster
ty-invoking the faver and guidance OF Almighty GO
do ordain and establish this Constitution tn
Confederate States Of America
ARTICLE
SECTION l..
All legislative powers herein delegated shall be
in Congress of the Confederate States which shaI
consist Of a Senate and House of Representatives.
SECTION 2.
/. The House of Representatives shall be composed
OF members chosen every second year by the people
several states and the electors in each STAT
shall be citizens of the Confederate States and have
the qualifications requisite for the most
numerous branch of the State Legislature but nc
person of foreign BIRTH citizen Of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil or
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 inhabitaht OF that State in
which he shall be chosen.
g. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be amor
toned among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Confetieracv according TO their re-
spective numbers, which shall be determined, by
ding 10 the whole number OF free persons including
those bound TO service for term of years, and ex-
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
after the first meeting of the Congress of
States and within every subsequent term
of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not ex-
ceed one for every fifty Thousand but each shall
have at least one Representatives and until such emu
meratiOn shall be made the State OF South Carolina
shall be entitled to choose siX-the State of gia
ten-the State of Alabama nine-the State of Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
islana six, and the State of Texas SIX.
4. When vacancies happen in the representation
Sfaf2 Eyact
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies
8. The House of Representatives shall choose their
speaker and other officers; and shall have the sole
power of impeachment; except that any judicial or
her 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.
SECTION g.
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
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 three classes. The seats of
the Senators of the first class shall be vacated the
expiration of the second year of the second class
the expiration Of the fourth and of the third class
the expiration of the sixth year that third
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, otherwise during the re-
thereof may make temporary appointments until the
next meeting of the Legislature, which shall then I'LL
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 an inhabtant 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
8. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President tpOre IN the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office Presi-
dent of the Confederate States.
O. The Senate shall have the sole power try all i'm
peachments When sitting for that purpose, they shall
be oath or 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 of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further Than to removal from Office and dsquali-
caton to hold and enjoy any office of honor profit,
shall, nevertheless, be liable and subject ndict-
ment, trial, Judgment and punishment according TO
law.
SECTION 4.
l. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the legis thereof subject
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 on the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
eni day.
SECTION g.
l. Each House shall be the Judge of the elections
returns and qualifications of its members, and a
majority OF each shall constitute quorum do busi-
ness but a smaller number adjourn from day TO
day and may be authorized to compel the attendance
81 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 disOrderly behavior
and with the concurrence of twothirds of the whole
number, eXpel member.
3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ngs and from time 10 time publish the same excepting
such parts may in their judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, question, shall, at the desire of fifth
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. to other place than that
IN which the two Houses shall be sitting.
SECTION 8.
1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a
for their services to 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 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.
2. No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he elected, be app inted any
States, which shall have been created, or the emolu
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,
law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ex
scutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
,ppertaining TO his department.
SECTION 7.
L. Ali bills for raising revenue shall originate in the
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 to the
President of the Confederate States if he approve he
shall sign it but if not he shall return it with his OBJ
ectons TO the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
als ana proceed to reconsider it, IT. after such reconsid
eration, twothirds of that House shall agree pass
the bill, il shall be seDt together with the objections
10 the other House, by which it shall likewise be
al hvf of that
House, it shall become law. But in all such cases,
The votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas
and nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered 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 shall be
law, in like manner if he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent RETURN in
which case it shall not be law. The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation in the same bill In such case he shall,
signing the BILL designate the appropriations disap
proved; and shall return copy of such appreprla-
tions, with his objections, 10 the House In which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had Of other bills disapproved
by the President.
g. Every order, resolution or vote to which the
Of both Houses may be necessary Except on
question of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President the Confederate States; and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him. or
beng disapproved by him, may be repassed by two
thirds of both Houses according TO the rules and mi
tations prescribed in case of a bill.
SECTION 8
The Congress shall have power
l. To lay and collect taxes, duties imposts, ana ex
cises necessary pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment of the Confederate States, but bountes shall
granted from the treasury nor shall any duties or
taxes mportations from foreign nations be laid to
promote foster any branch of industry; and all du-
ties imposts, and excuses shall be uniform throughout
the Confederate States:
q To borrow money the credit of the Confeder
ate States:
5. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States, and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, any other .clause contain
in the constitution, shall ever be construed TO dele
gate the power 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 the Improvement of harbors and the
removing of distractions in river navigation, in all
which cases such duties shall be laid the naviga
tion facilitated thereby, may be necessary TO pay
the costs and expenses thereof:
T. 10 establish uniform laws of naturalization, and
uniform laws the subject Of bankruptcies, through
the Confederate States, but no law of Congress