Year: 1861

acting in its sovereign and independent character


order to form permanent federal government, esta


lish justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secu
the blessings OF liberty TO ourselves and poster
| ty-invoking the favor and guidance of Almighty GC
do Ordain and establish this Constitution for Il
| Confederate states of America


ARTICLE L


| sECuoN1 /.


All legislative powers herein delegated shall be veste
| in 4 Congress of the Confederate States, which sha
| coasist of Senate and House of Representatives
SECTION 2.


| L The House of Representatives shall be compose
of members chosen every second year by the peopl
of the several states; and the electors in each Stat
shall be citizens of the Confederate States, and hav
the qualifications requisite for electors OF the
numerous branch of the State Legislature ; but d.
person of foreign birth citizen of the Confederat
States, shall be allowed 10 vote Tor any officer civil
political, State or Federal


| 2. No person shall be Representative, who shal
not have attained the age of twenty-five years.
bs citizen of the Confederate States and who shal
not when elected, be inhabitant OF that State
which ne shall be chosen


B. Representatives ld Direct Taxes shall be appor
toned among the several States, which may be III
cluded within this Conetcrsey, according their
spective 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
cludng Indians not taxed threefths of all slaves
The actual enumeration shall be made within three
years alter the hrSt meeting OF the Congress Of the
Confederate States and within every subsequent term
of ten years, in such manner they shall by law,
direct The number Of Representatives shall





have at least Representa- and until such
meration shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled choose sx-the State tieo ga
ten-the State of Alabama ninethe State OF Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seyenthe State of Lou
isana six, and the State Of Texas SIX.


1. When vacancies happen in the represent tatlon
from State the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election tC fill 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
the limits Of any State, may be impeached by vote
of twothrds Of both branches of the Legislature
thereof.


SECTION 3.


l. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senators from each State chosen for
years by the legislature thereof the regular session
next Immediately preceding the commencement of
vote.


q Immediately after they shall be assembled in
consequence of the first election, they shall be divided
equally may be into three classes The seats of
the Senators of the first class shall be the
expiration of the second year of the second class
the expiration of the fourth year of the third class
the expiration the sixth year so that
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 shall then ill
such vacancies.


3. No person shall be a 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 nhabitant OF the State for which he shall be
chosen.


4 The Vice President Of the Confederate States shall
be President of heSenate but shall have VOTE
less they shall be equally divided.


o. The Senate shall choose their other officers and
also President pro epore in the absence of the Vice
President when he shall exercise the Office Presi
dent of the Confederate States.


g. 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 no person shall be convicted without the
concurrence of twothirds of the members present.


Z. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not
tend further than to removal from Office and dsQuali
fcation TO hold and enjoy any office of honor profit,
under the Confederate States but the party convicted
SHALL nevertheless, be liable and subject indict-
ment, trial, judgment and punishment according to
law.


SECTION 4.


l. The time place and manner OF holding elections
for Senator's and Representatives shall be prescribed
in each State by the legs ture thereof subject the
provisions of this Constitution but tine Congress may
at any time, by law make alter such regulations,
except to the times and places of choosing Senator'S
2. The Congress shall assemble ut least every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shaA by iaw, appoint diler
sHt day.


1. Eacn House shall be tne ,,,ao u tae elections
returns and qualifications of its Own members, and
majority OF each shall constitute quorum 20 do bust
ness but smaller number may adjourn from day TO
day and may be authorized 70 compel the attendance
of absent MEMBERS in such manner and under such
penalties as each House may provide.


2, Each House may determine the rules of its pro-
ceedings, punish it, members for dsordery behavior
and, with the concurrence of twothirds OF the whole
number, eXpel a member.


g. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time to time publish the same, excepting
such parts as may IN their judgment require secrecy,
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House, any question, shall, the desire of fifth
of those present, by entered on the journal.


j. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall without the consent Of the other, adjourn for
more than three days. nor to other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.


SECTION 6.


L. The Senators anu Representatives shall receive
for their services be aScertaned by
law 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 TO and returning from the
and for any speech debate in either House, they
shall not be questioned IN any other place.


2 No Senator or Representative shall, during the
time for which he was elected, be app tinted to any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States, which shall have been created, the emou-
ments whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any office under the Con-
federate States shall be A member Of either House
during his continuance in office. But Congress may,
by law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutlve departments seat upon the floor OF either
House, with the privilege of discussing any
appertaining TO his department


SECTION 7.


l. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House OF Representatives.; but the Senate may pro-
pose concur with amendments 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 not he shall return it with his OBJ
jections the House in which it shall have originated,
who shall enter the objections at large their journ
ais, proceed to reconsider it. If after such recOnsd
eratiOn othirds of that House shall agree pass
the BILL it shall be sent together with the objections
to the other House, by which it shall likewise be
considered, and If 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 nays and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered on the journal of each House
Gpectlvely 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 If no had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent its return in
which case it hall not be law. The President may
approve any ropriaton and disapprove any other
appropriation the same bill In such case he shall,
proved; and slfall return a copy of such appropra-
tions with his objections the House which the
DILL shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had as in case of other bills dsapproved
by the President.


g. Every order resolution or vote to which the con-
currence OF both Houses may be necessary Except on
question of adjournmen) shall be presented TO the
President of the Confederate States and before the
same shall take effect, shall be approved by him;
being dsapproved by him, may be re passed by two
thirds of both Houses according to the rules and mi
tations prescribed in case Of a bill.


SECTION


The Congress shall have power


/. To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposs and ex
cses for necessary pay the debts provide
for the common defence, and carry on the govern
ment of the Confederate States, but bounties shall
II
taxes mportations 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:


2 To borrow money on tho 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 in the constitution shall be construed TO dele
gate the power Congress- to appropriate money Tor
any internal Improvement intended 10 facilitate com
merce; except for the purpose OF furnishing ngnls,
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 navlga
tion facilitated thereby, may be necessary To pay
the costs and expenses thereof:


4 O establish uniform laws of naturalization, and
uniform laws the subject of bankruptcies, through
out the Confederate States but no law Of Congress
shall discharge any debt contracted before the passage
of the same:


To coin money, regulate the value thereof and Of
foreign coin, and fix the standard OF weights and
measures:


g. To provide for the punishment Of counterfeiting