The Portland daily press., 1866-03-10
P iflti II Hlaitlf " = 'tst ~ 't'a
Mr.. Wilson's Plan of Reconstructio


The following joint resolution was offered
in the United States Senate last Monday, by
Mr.. Wilson of Massachusetts, and was referr.
ed to the Committee ON Reconstruction:
Resolced, BY the Senate and House of Rep
resentatives OF the United States of America
in Congress assembled, That either of the
States OF Virginia, North Carolina, South Car
DINA, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana,
Mississippi, Arkansas, or Texas, shall be emit
| tied to representation in Congress, and to re-
sumo complete practical relations with the
United States, whenever the said State, by its
Legislature, shall formally adopt the following
| irrepealable fundamental conditions, namely !:
That all laws, statutes, ordinances, rules and
regulations, heretofore in force, or held valid
in the said States, whereby or wherein any in
equality OF civil rights or immunities among
the inhabitants of The said States is recogniz-
ed, authorized, or established, or maintained
by reason OF, or founded upon any distinc-
lions or differences of color, race or descent.
or upon previous condition or status of sla-
very or Involuntary severitude. be declared alb
sofutely null and void, and that it shall be for
ever unlawful to institute, make, urdain or es-
tablish, in the said State, any law, statute, act
ordinance, rule or regulation, or to enforce or
to attempt to enforce the same; that thel e.
shall be no discrimination whatever in civil
rights or immunities among the inhabitants of
the said State on account of color, race or de-
scent, or previous condition OF slavery or in
voluntary servitude; but all the inhabitants.
| without regard to color, race or de. cent. or
any previous condition OF slavery or inyolur-
tary servitude, shall have the same right to
make and enforce contracts, to sue, be parties.
and give evidence in all courts and causes, to
inherit, purchase, lease, sell and convey real
a,,1 ,nl r,roy, vfu En- hox ~, an
and equal benefit of ali laws and proceedings
for the protection of persons and property,
and shall be subject to the same punishments
and penalties, and none other. 40. III ~ -
That the right of voting for electors of Pres
ident and Vice-President of the United States.
for Representatives TO Congress, and for the
members of the State Legislature, shall be
granted by the said State to the following
classes of persons of African descent, viz. -
ALI males Of the age of q years and upward
who have been duly enrolled and mustered in
to service in the army and navy of the United
States, who pay tax on real or personal prop
erty, and all males of a like age who are able
to read the Constitution Of the United States,
and possesses the qualifications required by
the Constitution of the said State not incon
sistent herewith, .f'A
That no payment shall ever be demanded
Dy sad State of the United States, nor be
made n by the said State, or the United States,
Ior, OF on account Of the emancipation of any
save, or slaves, or for, or on account OF, any
ueD: contracted or incurred in aid OF the re-
penlon against the United States. u q
SEC. And be it further
Resoloed, That the provisions of this Joint
resolution shall take effect as soon as either of
the said States, for and by its Legislature,
shall, by solemn Act, declare the assent Of
the said State to the Fundamental Conditions
herein prescribed, which conditions shall he ;n
said Act declared forever irrepealable under
any circumstances whatever.