North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-01-03
History of Amendments to the Constitution
From the New Orleans Picayune.

Dama as naVlnS Deen Hnally ratlHeu, the vote
of that State completing the constitutional
number, forms article XIII of amendments.
There has been no general proclamation
or notice of the fact. The Secretary's no.
tice is only incidental and complimentary
to Alabama. We have looked for the his
tory of the adoption of former amendments
of the result. There appears to be no rule
on the subject, and the practice has not been
uniform.
There have been, previous to this, only
three successful efforts to amend the Con-
stitution. There have been many attempts,
but no others got through Congress.
There have been twelve amendments
adopted but of these ten were submitted
together by the first Congress. They were
supplemental to the original Constitution,
submitted in compliance, as was recited in
the preamble, with the desire expressed by
conventions of number of the States in
their adopting of the Constitution as "fur-
thcr declaratory and restrictive clauses "in
order" to prevent "misco or abuse
of its powers They were entitled "Arti-
cles in adoption to and amendatory of the
Constitution of the United States of Amer
ica."
Twelve amendments were submitted, of
which only ten were ratified. Number one
and number two of the original series were
not ratified. Numbers three to twelve, in
elusive, constitute the articles which are
now numbered from one to twelve, inclu
sive.
The two articles which failed of approval
made constitutional rules for the apportion-
ment of their compensation.
BY the first it was provided that the rule
of representation should be one member for
every 10000, until that should create a
House exceeding one hundred Members
The ratio should then be 10000, until the
House reached 200 members Afterwards,
there should never be more than one repre-
sentative to every 10000. .a........
The second provided that no law, varying
the compensation of Representatives and
Senators should oe valid until an election
for Representatives shall have interviewed.
These two amendments.were not ratified
with the ten others. We have at hand no
means of Knowing whether they have failed
by positive rejection, by States enough
voting in the negative to reject them, or
simply by the failure to act on them, 1t
might be a curious subject for inquiry
whether any time runs against the adoption
of an amendment after it is once submitted.
The numbers to X which passed Con-
gress September 25, 1889, did not receive
the requisite three-tourths until December,
1791. Vermont had then been added to
the number of States, making fourteen. Of
those, eleven were necessary to make the
three-tourths. The eleventh was given by
Virginia on the 10Th of December. 49,.
Our researches have not been able to find
how the fact was promulgated. We only
find that the ratification by Virginia is given
as the date of completing of the constitu--
tional number, and the formal ratification
ofthe amendment.
/ The eleventh article was proposed at the
Third Congress, and bears date March 5,
1914. 1t is that article which pro rides that
''the judicial power Of the United States
shall not be construed to extend to any suit
in law or equity commenced or prosecuted
against one of the United States, by citi
izens of any foreign State" an amendment
promptediby the jealous regard with which
the founders of the government watched
over the reserved rights of the States.
The amendment was ratified in 1897 and
announced to Congress by President.
Adams, in message to both Houses, dated
January s, 1898. "
The twelfth article changed the manner
of voting for President. Originally two per-
sons were voted for on each ticket for Pres.
ident the person having the highest mum.
Der of votes to be President and the per.
son having the next highest, Vice President
4 The conflict in 1900 rising out of an equal.
ity of votes between Jefferson and Burr led
to this change. 1t was proposed in De
cember, 1903, and went through the State
Legislatures with such rapidity that the
ratification was completed September "a
1904. The ratification was promulgated
! by simple notice from the Secretary O
State. -''' -''... ---s y or
There has been no amedmennt since, un