The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-05-08
REPORT of THE RECONSTRUCTION
COMMITTEE.

The Special Committee of Congress, which
has had the subject of reconstructing the South
,ern States under consideration for some time
past, last week made the following report and
propositions-a scheme that no Respectable
Southern man ought to endorse
A Joint Resolution proposing an Amendment
to- the Constitufion of the United States.
Be it resolved, BY the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of Ameri
ca in Congress assembled, two-thirds of both
Houses concurrng, That the following Article
be proposed to the Legislatures Of the several
States as an amendment to the Constitution OF
the United States, which, when ratified by
three -fourtbs of said Legislatures sha be valid
as part of the Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE =, Section l. No State shall make
or enforce any law which shall abridge the priv
ileges or immunities Of citizens of the United
States, nor shall any State deprive any person
of life, liberty or property, without due process
of law, nor deny TO any person within Its Jurls-
.dction the equal protection of the laws
Sec 2. Representatives, shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be inclu-
.ded within this Union, according to their re-
. spective numbers, counting the whole number
of persons in each State, excluding Indians not
taxed. But whenever in any State the elective
franchise shall be deLied to any portion of its
male citizens not less than twenty one years of
age, or in any way abridged, except for partici-
patton in the rebellion, other crime, the basis
of representation in such State shall be reduced
in the proportion which the number of such male
citizens shall bear to the whole number OF male
citizens not lees than twenty -one years of age.
Sec 3. Until the 4th day of July, 1870, all
. persons who voluntarily adhered to the late 10
surrection, giving it aid and comfort, shall be
excluded from the right to vote for members of
Congress, and for electors FOR President AMI
Vice President of the United States.
Sec. 4. Neither the United States nor any
State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation
already in Cured, or which may hereafter be in-
Cured, in aid of the Instruction or war against
the United States, or any claim for compensa-
ton for loss of involuntary service or labor.
Sec. 5. That Congress shall have power to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provis-
ions of this article.
4 Bill to prouide for the restorotion ofHe
States lately in rebellion to their full Potiti-
cal Rights.
Whereas, 1t Is expedient that the States
lately in insurIectiou should at the earliest day
consistent with the future peace and safety of
the Union be restored to full participation in all
political rights; and whereas the Congress did,
10y joint resolution, propose for ratification to
the Legislatures of the several States, as an
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, article in the following words, 10 wit
(the constitutional article here inserte6,) DOW
therefore,
Be it enacted, &c, That whenever the above
recitcd amendment shall have become part of
the Constitution, and any State lately 10 insur-
rection shall have ratified the same, and shall
have modified its constitution and laws in con-
formity Herewith, the Senators and Represen-
,taiiyes from such State, if found duly elected
and qualified, may, after having taken the re-
-Quired oaths of Office be admitted into Congress
Second And be it further enacted, That
when any State lately 10 instruction shall have
ratified the foregoing proposed amendment to
the Constitution, any part of the direct tax, un-
der the act of August 5, 1861, which may re-
main due and unpaid in such State, may be as
suned and paid by such State, apd the payment
thereof, upon proper assurances from such State,
to be given to the Secretary Treasury of the
United States, may be postponed for period
not exceeding ten years from and after the pas
sage Of this act
II Blu declaring certain persons Ineligible to
office nadcr the Government of the United
States.
Be it enacted, &c, That no person shall be
eligible to any Office under the government of
the United States who is included in any of the
following cases, namely
First. The President and Vice Presid dent of
the Confederate States of America, so-caed,
and the heads of departments thereof
Second. Those who in other countries acted
as agents Of the Confederate States of Am erica,
so-called.
Third. Heads of Departments of the United
States, officers Of the Army and Navy of the
United States, and all persons educated in the
Military or Naval Academies Of TIE United
States, Judges of the Courts of the United
States, and members of either House of the
Thirty Sixth Congress of the United States, " no
gave aid comfort to the late rebellion
Fourth Those who acted as officers of the
Confederate States of America, so called, above
the grade of colonel 10 the army or master in
the navy, or any one who, as Governor of eth
er of the so-called Confederate States, gave aid
and comfort to the late rebellion
Fifth. Those who have treated officers or sol.
dlers or sailors of the Army or Navy of the
+, United States, captured during the late war,
I Otherwise than lawfully as prisoners of war
TROUBLE IN KENTUcKY-Louisville XIV,
April 2o-This afternoon Judge Ballard, of
the United States District Court, issued an Or
der for the arrest of Sen. j. G. Davis, for in
terfering with the course Of public justice in
disobeying the writ of hadeos corpus in the case
of Hamilton. Marshal Merriwether was resist
ed by Davis while attempting to enforce his Or
der. Attachments were also made against Msi-
Gems, George III. Thomas and r. W. johnson.
and Gen. w: ID. Whippie, A. A. G., and Pro-
vost- Marshal OF Tennessee, Ieturnable at the
next regular term.