Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1821-05-22
IMPERIAL PRESENT
THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE r. 81,

THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE L. STATES.
As much notice has been taken of DR..
Mitchiil's Ring as it deserves. Who cares
whether the Doctor wears such bauble !?
NO man is more pleased with rattle or
tickled with straw" With all his abilities
and attainments, with all the means he pos
sesses land he is gifted with no ordinary
means) of Distinguishing himself orhonoring
his country, his distempered vanity makes
hlm even ridiculous. But another question has
grown out of the matter, which deserves a
moments consideration can the Doctor
wear the ring ? In other words, is the 18th
amendment an article or not of the Federal
Constitution !?
1t was stated in our last paper, that this
amendment had been certainly adopted
not iii the way in which it has been quoted
by various newspapers, but in the following
words, as we find them in the Edition of the
laws of the United States published in 1915,
under an act of Congress, and under the
Immediate eye of the Secretary of State ::
" III any citizen of the United States shall
accept, claim receive, or retain, any title of
nobility, or honor or shall, iCithom the con-
sent q Congress, accept and retain any pre-
sent, pension, Office or emollment, of any
kind whatever, from any Emperor, King,
Prince, or Foreign Power, such person shall
cease to be citizen of the United States,
and shall be incapable of holding any Office
OF trust or profit under them, or either of
them"
Jt is strange that the words "without con-
sent OF Congress" should have been omitted
by the papers, which have re-publshed the
article q sui more strange, there is too much
reason to believe the article itself is no part
pf thn ppngtIftItinu 4 ,, =. Al
71th p. of the last authoritative Edition of
the Const. and Laws of the u. S. under the
head of amendments 10 The Constitution"-
the Editor expresses no doubt upon it the
only note he attaches to the Amendments is
that the 18th article iCds proposed at the Cd
session of the 18th Congress.-From this
page, it wac transplanted into the last Re
vised Code of Virginia, from which Codeit
was copied into the last Enquirer-and vet
after all, this Editor of the laws, Sc. of the
United States in the 9th p. of his Explain
atory Observations" makes The following
remarks
" There has been some difficulty in asccrtsining
whether the amendment proposed, which Is stated
rs the thirteenth, (see page IT, post has or has not
been adopted by sufficient number of the state Ic-
gislatGres TO authorize its insertion as part of tho
constitution The Secretary Of State very readily
lent every suitable aid TO produce full information on
the question but the evidence to be found in the
office of that department is still defective. IL has
been considered best, however, to publish the
proposed amendment in lis proper place. as
if had been adopted, with this explanation,
to prevent misconccption. The chief motives
that led 70 this course were, j. The PROPOSE
ton had been adopted by twelve siatcs, 10 wit -
New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Vernon, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware M,ryand. North
Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, and Ohio.
and it was doubtful whether II hadnot hocn adopted
BY more 2. There IS no time limitoi by TIC cor
stitution for the adoption Of Amendment PROMISED
by Congress: And, 3. in ON Instance that OF thc
eleventh amendment 20 the constitution Of tic 4
Congrcss apFoJr, bs resolutions o. Inc 81 Of March