The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1866-06-06
The PROPOSED Constitutional Amend
mcnt.

The House without alteration. The Sen
ate after careful deliberation has modi
fed the House amendment materially
and the scheme as it now stands is as fol-
lows;- -
SEC. /. All persons born in the Unit.
cd States and subject 10 the jurisdiction
thereof are citizens of the United State:
and of the States wherein they reside
No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges OF
immunitcs of citizens of the United
States, nor shall any State deprive any
person of life, liberty or property without
due process Of law, n,r deny to any per-
son within its jurisdiction the equal pro-
lection Of the laws.
SEC. 2. Representatives shall be ap.
portoned among the several States which
may be included within this Union, ac-
cording TO their respective numbers,
counting the whole number of persons in
each State, excluding Indians not taxed
but whenever, in any State, the elective
franchise shall be denied TO any persons
of its male inhabitants, being citizens of
the United States and not less than 81
years OF age, or in any way abridged,
except for participation in rebellion and
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 less than 3 years of age in
such State.
SEC. 3. No person shall be a senator
or representative in Congress, or an cleo
tor Of President or Vice. President, or
hold any Office, civil or military, under
the United States or under any State,
who having previously taken an oath as IA
member Of Congress or officer of the
United States, or rs member of any
State Legislature, or an executive or ju-
dicial officer of any State, to support the
Constitution of the United States, shall
have engaged in instruction or rebellion
against the same, or given aid and COM
Tort TO the enemies thereof; but Congress
may, by vote of two thirds Of each
house, remove such disability.
SEC. 4. All obligations of the United
States incurred in supprcssing instruction
or in defence of the Union, or for pay
ment of bounties or pensions incident
thereto, shall remain in,iolate
SEC. D. Neither the United States or
any other State snail assume or pay any
debt or obligation incurred in aid of in
surrcction or rebellion against the United
States, or any claim for compensation for
emancipation of any slave, and such debts
and obligations and claims shall be torcv-
er held illegal and void.
SEC. g. Congress shall have power to
enforce by appropriate legislation the
provisions Of this article.
The Senate plan will find opposition,
but it is designed to remove some very
serious objections TO the scheme agreed
upon by the House The first section
is altered by prcfixng declaration as to
citizens of the United States and of the
several states; and the third section, in
stead Of excluding rebels from Office and
from the elective franchise until 1870,
does not interfere with the right of suf-
fragc, and excludes from office only those
who took part in the rebellion, being in
Office and under oath TO support the Con-
situtiou Of the United States. But this
disability can be removed at any time by
a two-thirds vote of Congress. The fourth
section guarantees the payment of the war
debt and pensions of The United Sta es.
The president has already given his
approval TO the main features of this
plan, though it is well known that his
previous words and actions of approval
and disapproval have but little to do in
determining his future course. There is
however one obvious difference between
the president and the Senate in connec-
ton with tho plan Of reconstruction. 1t
Is expected that Congress will pass bill
making the adoption Of this Amendment
by the southern states, the condition of
admission TO representation in Congress.
He has already expressed his opinion
that Congress has no right 10 impose con-
dtions Of representation. Hence we may
infer that his signature will be Withheld
and the bill must be passed over the veto
in order to become n law. The doubt
which arises whether the proposed scheme
will be successful, should not however
influence the action of patriotic and sen
siblc men unless it be to greater zeal and
earnestncss. 1t is possible that better
plan might be adopted, but not probable
that it will be.
TIE NORFOLK INDICTMENT OF DAVIS
The Virginia people are presenting,
it seems, not only the grand Jury who