President of the Confederate States of America
Encyclopedia
The President of the Confederate States of America was the Head of State
and Head of Government
of the Confederate States of America
, which was formed from the states
which declared their secession from the United States
, thus precipitating the American Civil War
. The only person to hold the office was Jefferson Davis
. He was President from February 18, 1861, to May 5, 1865, and his Vice President was Alexander Stephens
. Howell Cobb
, as president of the Provisional Confederate Congress
, was the highest ranking Confederate official before the election of Davis, but he was not titled President of the Confederate States.
, the President's office was almost entirely the same as that of the President of the United States
. The President was to be:
of the President of the Confederate States was established in the Confederate States Constitution
and was mandatory for a President upon beginning a term of office. The wording, almost an exact copy of the United States' version, was prescribed by the Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 10), as follows:
As with almost every President of the United States
, upon taking the oath on February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis
added the words "So help me God" to the end of the oath.
. Though he could not directly propose legislation, he was given the power to nominate members of the Supreme Court
of the Confederate States, ambassadors, cabinet
members, and other executive officials to be approved by the Senate.
He was also Commander-in-Chief
of the Confederate States Army
and held veto
power over legislation
.
The President could be impeached by Congress for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
and Head of Government
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of the Confederate States of America
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
, which was formed from the states
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
which declared their secession from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, thus precipitating the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. The only person to hold the office was Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
. He was President from February 18, 1861, to May 5, 1865, and his Vice President was Alexander Stephens
Alexander Stephens
Alexander Hamilton Stephens was an American politician from Georgia. He was Vice President of the Confederate States of America during the American Civil War. He also served as a U.S...
. Howell Cobb
Howell Cobb
Howell Cobb was an American political figure. A Southern Democrat, Cobb was a five-term member of the United States House of Representatives and Speaker of the House from 1849 to 1851...
, as president of the Provisional Confederate Congress
Provisional Confederate Congress
The Provisional Confederate Congress, for a time the legislative branch of the Confederate States of America, was the body which drafted the Confederate Constitution, elected Jefferson Davis President of the Confederacy, and designed the first Confederate flag...
, was the highest ranking Confederate official before the election of Davis, but he was not titled President of the Confederate States.
Office
According to the Confederate States ConstitutionConfederate States Constitution
The Constitution of the Confederate States of America was the supreme law of the Confederate States of America, as adopted on March 11, 1861 and in effect through the conclusion of the American Civil War. The Confederacy also operated under a Provisional Constitution from February 8, 1861 to March...
, the President's office was almost entirely the same as that of the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. The President was to be:
- chosen by an electoral collegeElectoral collegeAn electoral college is a set of electors who are selected to elect a candidate to a particular office. Often these represent different organizations or entities, with each organization or entity represented by a particular number of electors or with votes weighted in a particular way...
from each state in the Confederacy. Each state had as many electors as they had members in the Confederate Congress (senators + representatives). The only CSA presidential election took place on November 6, 1861, when electors for the electoral college were chosen in each state. Davis, who was already in office by action of the Confederate Congress, was elected president without opposition (receiving all 109 electoral votes). - elected jointly with a Vice PresidentVice President of the Confederate States of AmericaThe Vice President of the Confederate States of America was an office held by Alexander Stephens of Georgia, who served under President Jefferson Davis of Mississippi from February 18, 1861 to May 11, 1865. Having first been elected by the Confederate Congress, both were considered provisional...
ial running mateRunning mateA running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
. The President and Vice President could not be citizens of the same state. Like Davis, his running mate Alexander H. Stephens of Georgia received all 109 electoral votes in the November 1861 election. - either a born citizen of the Confederacy or a born citizen of the United States born prior to December 20, 1860 and to have "been fourteen years a resident within the limits of the Confederate States, as they may exist at the time of his election."
- at least thirty-five years of age
Oath of Office
Like the Oath of office of the President of the United States, the oath or affirmation of officeOath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
of the President of the Confederate States was established in the Confederate States Constitution
Confederate States Constitution
The Constitution of the Confederate States of America was the supreme law of the Confederate States of America, as adopted on March 11, 1861 and in effect through the conclusion of the American Civil War. The Confederacy also operated under a Provisional Constitution from February 8, 1861 to March...
and was mandatory for a President upon beginning a term of office. The wording, almost an exact copy of the United States' version, was prescribed by the Constitution (Article II, Section 1, Clause 10), as follows:
As with almost every President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, upon taking the oath on February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Davis
Jefferson Finis Davis , also known as Jeff Davis, was an American statesman and leader of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, serving as President for its entire history. He was born in Kentucky to Samuel and Jane Davis...
added the words "So help me God" to the end of the oath.
Powers
The President of the Confederacy held most of the same powers as the President of the United StatesPresident of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. Though he could not directly propose legislation, he was given the power to nominate members of the Supreme Court
Supreme court
A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of many legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, instance court, judgment court, high court, or apex court...
of the Confederate States, ambassadors, cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
members, and other executive officials to be approved by the Senate.
He was also Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
of the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
and held veto
Veto
A veto, Latin for "I forbid", is the power of an officer of the state to unilaterally stop an official action, especially enactment of a piece of legislation...
power over legislation
Legislation
Legislation is law which has been promulgated by a legislature or other governing body, or the process of making it...
.
The President could be impeached by Congress for "treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors."
Differences
There were a few key differences between the Confederate President and the United States President:- Unlike the United States, which allowed for indefinite re-election (until the passage of the 22nd AmendmentTwenty-second Amendment to the United States ConstitutionThe Twenty-second Amendment of the United States Constitution sets a term limit for the President of the United States. The Congress passed the amendment on March 21, 1947...
in 1951) of both the President and Vice President after a four-year term, the Confederacy gave these offices six-year terms, but the President could not be re-elected. After the war, this innovation gained considerable popularity in the re-constituted Union, most notably being endorsed by Rutherford B. HayesRutherford B. HayesRutherford Birchard Hayes was the 19th President of the United States . As president, he oversaw the end of Reconstruction and the United States' entry into the Second Industrial Revolution...
in his inaugural address. - The Confederate president had the ability to subject a bill to a line-item vetoLine-item vetoIn United States government, the line-item veto, or partial veto, is the power of an executive authority to nullify or cancel specific provisions of a bill, usually a budget appropriations bill, without vetoing the entire legislative package...
, a power held by most state governors.
See also
- Vice President of the Confederate States of AmericaVice President of the Confederate States of AmericaThe Vice President of the Confederate States of America was an office held by Alexander Stephens of Georgia, who served under President Jefferson Davis of Mississippi from February 18, 1861 to May 11, 1865. Having first been elected by the Confederate Congress, both were considered provisional...
- Congress of the Confederate StatesCongress of the Confederate StatesThe Congress of the Confederate States was the legislative body of the Confederate States of America, existing during the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865...
- Postage stamps and postal history of the Confederate StatesPostage stamps and postal history of the Confederate StatesThe postage stamps and postal system of the Confederate States of America carried the mail of the Confederacy for a brief period in American history. Early in 1861 when South Carolina territory no longer considered itself part of the Union and demanded that the U.S. Army abandon Fort Sumter, plans...