Year: 1861

We the people of the Confederate States, each Stat
acting in its sovereign and independent character,
order form permanent federal government, estat
lish Justice, insure domestic tranquility, and secUr
the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our poster
do ordain and establish this Constitution for tn
\ Confederate States of America.


ARTICLE L


SECTION 1.


All legislative powers herein delegated shall be veseC
in Congress of the Confederate States which shaI
consist of a Senate and House of Representatives.
SECTION g.


l. The House of Representatives shall be composet
OF members chosen every second year by the peop,
Of the several states; and the electors in each Stats
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most
numerous branch Of the State legislature but nc
person of foreign BIRTH not citizen of the Confederate
States, shall be allowed to vote for any officer, civil
pofitral, State or Federal


2. No person shall be Representative, who shall
not have attained tile age of twentyf years, and
be citizen of the Confederate states, and who shall
not when elected be inhabitant of that State in
which he shall be chosen. -t-


8. Representatives and Direct Taxes shall be appor-
TONED among the several States, which may be in
cluded within this Conederaey, according to their
ding to the whole number of free persons including
those bound TO service for term of years and ex-
cudng Indians not taxed, three-ffths 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
Of ten years, in such manner they shall, by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not ex-
ceed for every fifty thousand but each State shall
have at least one Representative; and until such
meratiOn shall be made the State of South Carolina
shall be entitled TO choose sixthe State of Georgia
tenthe State of Alabama nine-the State OF Florida
two-the State of Mississippi seven-the State of Lou
siana six, and the State of Texas SIX.


4. When vacancies happen in the representation
from State, the Executive authority thereof shall
issue writs of election to fill such vacancies.


5. 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 solely
the limits of any State may be impeached by vote
of two-thirds of both branches Of the Legislature
thereof.


L. The Senate of the Confederate States shall be com
posed of two Senator's from each State chosen for six
years 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.


consequence of the first election they shall be divided
equally may be into three classes. The 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 so that onethrd
may be chosen every second year and if vacancies
happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the
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


g. 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 nhabtant of the State for which he shall be
chosen.


4 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 tenore the absence of the Vice
President when he shall the office of Presi
dent of the Confederate States.


O. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all i'm
peachments. When sitting for that purpose they shall
be oath 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.


I. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not ex-
tend further than to removal from office, and dsqual
feation to hold and enjoy any office of honor 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.


SECTION 4.


l. The time place and manner of holding elections
for Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed
each State by the iegsi ture thereof subject 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 least once in every
year and such meeting shall be the first Monday in
December, unless they shall, by law, appoint differ
snt day.


SECTION 5.


1. 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 bus-
ness but a smaller number may adjourn from day Co,
day and may be authorized to 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-
ceedngs punish its members for dsorderly behavior,
and with the concurrence Of twothrds of the whole
number, expel member


3. Each House shall keep journal of its proceed
ings, and from time to te publish the excepting
such parts in their judgment require secrecy
and the yeas and nays of the members of either
House. any question: SHALL at the desire of fifth
of those present, by entered ou the journal.


4. Neither House, during the session of Congress,
shall, without the consent of the otner, adjourn
than three days to any other place than that
in which the two Houses shall be sitting.


SECTION 8.


1. The Senators and Representatives shall receive
for their services TO be ascertained 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
Houses and in going to and returning from the same
and for any speech or 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 elected, be appointed to any
civil office under the authority of the Confederate
States which shall have been created or the emoIu-
mens whereof shall have been increased during such
time and no person holding any Office under the Con-
federate States shall be member of either House
during his continuance in office. But Congress may,
by law grant to the principal officer in each of the Ex
ecutive Departments seat upon the floor of either
House, with the privilege of discussing any measures
appertaining to his department.


SECTION Z.


L. All bills for raising shall originate in the
House of Representatives; but the Senate may pro-
pose or 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 but if not he shall return it with his
ectons to the House in which it shall have originated
who shall enter the objections at large their ourn
ais and proceed to reconsider it, IT, after such reconsd
GRAFTON, twothrds of that House shall agree to pass
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 that
House. IL shall become law. But in all such cases.
the votes of both Houses.sha be determined by yeas
and and the persons voting for and against the
bill shall be entered the journal of each House re-
mot ha rafn nod l.xyrf The
President within ten days Sundays excepted) ater it
shall have been Presented 10 him. the shall be
law, in like manner If he had signed it, unless the
Congress- by their adjournment prevent return; in
which case il shall not be law The President may
approve any appropriation and disapprove any other
appropriation ID the same BILL In such case he shall,
In signing the bill, designate the appropriations dsap
proved; and shall return a copy of snch appropria-
tons with has objections, TO the House in which the
bill shall have originated, and the same proceedings
shall then be had as in case of other bills disapproved
by the President.


g. Every order resolution or vote to which the con-
currence of both Houses be necessary Except


question Of adjournment) shall be presented to the
President OF the Confederate States aad before the
same shah take effect, shall be approved by him; or
beng dsapproyed by him, may be re-passed by two
thirds of both Houses according the rules and lm-
tations prescribed in case of a bill.


SECTION r 3d


The Congress shall have power -


To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and
cses for revenue necessary TO the debts, provide
for the common defence, and carry the govern
ment of the Confederate States but bounties shall
be granted from the treasury; shall any duties
taxes importations from foreign nations be laid
promote foster any branch of Industry and ali
ties, imposts and excses shall be uniform throug
the Confederate States:


2 To borrow money on the credit of the Confeder-
ate States:


3. Te regulate commerce with foreign nations, and
among the several States and with the Indian tribes
but neither this, nor any other rcIause Icontain,
ed in the constitution, shall be construed dele
gate the power TO Congress to appropriate money
any internal Improvement intended to facilitate COM
merce, except the 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 narga-
ton facilitated thereby as may be necessary 70 pay
the costs and expenses thereof:


4 10 establish uniform laws Of naturalization, and
unifnrm ha of hank