Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-02-07
The Amendment MuddIe.

The House of Representatives having
re-oommitted the whole batch of consti-
| tutional ammendmeats touching suffrage.
to the Select Committee on Reconstruc-
ton, it becomss matter of interest what
they were. Mr.. Stevens original propo-
sition, which ae undertook to rush
through the firss hour, but which, after a
deate of ten Gays, did not move an inch,
was as follows:
ResOlVed, 5y the Senate and House of Rep
rsSsHtatiUss Of tAS United States of America,
N Goagzss; assembled, tOO-tkirds of both
Houses 'cOnclrTing: That the following ar
ticle be proposed to the Legislatures Of
the several States as an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States,
which, when ratified by three-fourths of
said Legislatures, shall be valid as a part
of the Constitution: Representation
and direct taxes shall be appotioned
among the several States which may be
included within this Union, according to
their respective numbers, counting the
whole number of persons in each State,
excluding Indians not taxed, provided
that whenever the elective franchise shall
be denied or abridged in any State on ac-
count of race or color, all persons of such
race or color shall be excluded from the
basis of representation"
For this Mr.. Kelley, of Pennsylvania,
offered the following as a substitute:
Representatives and direct taxes shall
be apportioned among the several States
which may be included within this Un-
ion, according to their respective numbers,
counting the whole number of persons in !
each State, excluding Indians not taxed, |
mr. a1 hot xuhn he aIo
franchise shall be denied or abridged in /
any State on account of race or color, all /
persons therein of such race or color |
shall be excluded from the basis of rep
resentation; and provided, further, that /
this article shall not be constructed to af-
feet the power of Congress to regulate
numerous branch of the Legislatures of
the several States"
Mr.. Baker, of Illinois, moves to amend
Mr.. Kelley's amendment as follows:
Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be
in this Union according to their
numbers, which shall be deter
mined by counting the whole number of
persons in each State. Provided, that
whenever the elective franchise shall be
denied or abridged in any State on &C
COUNT of race or color, all persons ofsuch
ace or color shall be excluded from tie {
basis of representation, and no State [
within this Union shall prescribe or es-
ablish any property qualification which !
nay, or shall in any wise, abridge the I
elective franchise"
Mr.. Lawrence, of Ohio, moved that {
he pending resolution and amendments
,e recommltted to the Committee on Re-
construction, with constructions to report .
n amendment to the constitution {
7hich shall: l. Apportion direct taxes I
mong the States according to the prop l
rty in each; ana which shall, 2. APP I
ortion Representatives among the States |
n the basis of adult male voters who !
nay be citizens of the United States.
Mr.. Eliot, of Massachusetts,, moved to
mend the instructions of Mr.. Lawrence I
5 follows, by striking out all after the t
ord constitution" and inserting in
eu thereof:
Providing that Representatives and :
iTect taxes shall pc apportioned among =
he several States which may be included :
ithin this Union according to theinIes-
ective numbers, counting the whole
umber of persons in each State, exclu- y
ing Indians not taxed, and the elective :;
anchise shall not be denied or abridged II
any State on account of race or color"
Mr.. Schenek, of Ohio, moved to amend a
le amendment of Mr.. Eliot, as follows q
"Strike out all after the word 'represen- ri
tive and insert, shall be spportioned n
nong the several States which may be h
Icluded within this Union, according to o.
le number of male citizens of the Uni w
d States, over twenty-one years of age, n
aVing the qualifications requisite for le
.ate Legislature. The Congress at their b