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The President of the Confederate States was the Head of State of the short-lived republic of the Confederate States of America which seceded from the United States. The only man to hold the office was Jefferson Davis. He was President from February 18, 1861 to May 10, 1865.
1 Office
According to the Confederate States Constitution, the President's office was almost entirely the same as that of the President of the United States.
The President was to be:
- chosen by an electoral college from each state in the Confederacy. Each state had as many electors as they had members in Congress (senators + represenatives).
- elected jointly with a Vice Presidential running mate (but the President and VP could not be citizens of the same state)
- either a born citizen of the Confederacy or a born citizen of the US born prior to December 20, 1860 and resident in the Confederacy for over 14 years.
- at least 35 years old
2 Powers
The President of the Confederacy held most of the same powers as the US President. Though he could not directly propose legislation, he was given the power to nominate members of the Supreme Court, ambassadors, cabinetAlternate meanings in cabinet (disambiguation A Cabinet is a body of high-ranking members of government, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers . In some countries, particularly those members, and other executive officals to be approved by the Senate.
He was also Commander-in-ChiefCommander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced "sink") is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces in a state. Political title While well-known Commanders-in-Chief often have been of the Confederate Army and held vetoThe word veto comes from Latin and literally means I forbid''. It is used to denote that a certain party has the right to unilaterally stop a certain piece of legislation. A veto thus gives unlimited power to stop changes, but not to adopt them. The veto power over legislation he does not like.
The President could be impeached by Congress for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
3 Differences
There were a few key differences between the proposed Confederate President and the United States one:
- Unlike the US, which allowed for indefinite re-election of both the President and VP after a four-year term, the Confederacy limited both offices to only one, six-year term. After the war, this innovation gained considerable popularity in the re-constituted Union, most notably being endorsed by Rutherford B. HayesRutherford B. Hayes Order 19th President Term of Office March 4, 1877 March 4, 1881 Followed Ulysses S. Grant Succeeded by James Garfield Date of Birth October 4, 1822 Place of Birth Delaware, Ohio Date of Death January 17, 1893 Place of Death Fremont, Oh in his inaugural address.
- The Confederacy did not indicate who succeeds to the office of President following the removal or death of both the President and Vice President. The constitution states that Congress will appoint an officer to act as President in such cases. In the US, the Presidency is passed to the Speaker of the House of RepresentativesThe Speaker of the House of Representatives is the presiding officer of the United States House of Representatives. The office is provided for in the United States Constitution in the second section of the first article, which states: :"The House of Repre then a long list of other offices.
- Instead of a " State of the UnionState of the Union would refer to : The State of the Union Address an annual event where the President of the United States reports on the status of the country. State of the Union (movie) a 1948 movie by Frank Capra." speech the President of the Confederacy was to give a "State of the Confederacy" speech to a joint session of Congress once a year.
