Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-06-30
Constitutional Amendment.

Jhe following is correct copy of the,pro-
posed amendment to the Federal Constitution,
ms adopted by both Houses of Congress- Coy.
CURTIN, Of Pennsylvania, proposes to call tho
Legislatures of the several States together i'm
mcdiatcly, and act upon the amendment at
once
The following is the amendment which con.
sists Of one Article Of five sections:
ARTICLE. All persons born, nat
uralizcd in the United States and subject To
the jurisdiction thereof, nrc citizens of the
United States and IF the States wherein they
reside. M State shall make or enforce any
law which shall ahridge tho privilege or i'm
munitir+ of citizens Of tho United States. nor
shall any State deprive any person of life, lib
erty or property without due process of law,
or to deny to any person within its iurisdio-
t'on the equal prntrction Of tho laws.
Sec 2.-Rcprcsentativcs shall be appor-
toned among the several States according TO
their respective nua'hers, counting the Whole
number Of persons in each State, excluding
Indians not taxed; but whenever the right to
. vote at any election for elect ,rs of President
or Vice President, and United States repre-
S"ntatlvrS III Congress, executive or indcial
! officers, or the mcmbcrs of the Legislatures
ants of such State being twcni y.one Years of
age and citizens of tie United States. or in
any way abrid-ng. except for participating in
rebellion or other crime. the basis IF rcprtscn.
taton therein shall be reduced in the propor-
ton which the number of Snch male citizens
shall bear to the whole number uf ,nalc citi-
zcns twenty one years Of age in such State.
! Sec. 3. No person shall be II Senator or
Representatives in Congress, or clcctor Of Pres
! idrnt or Vice President, or hold any Office,
civil or military under tho United States or
under amy State, who having previously Tux on
an oath as member of Congress or rs nD officer
ut the United States, or as y member Of any
State Legislature, or as an executive or jndi-
cial officer Of any State to support the Con-
stitutinn OF the United States Shall have en-
gagged III insurrcction or rebellion agninst the
same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies
! thereof! bat Congress may by a vutc of two
thirds OF. each House remove such disability.
| Sec. IT, The validity Of the public debt Of
the United States authorized by law, nch,-
ding dctts incnrrod for the payment of pen
slons and bonmtirs for service in supprcssin.
| insurrcction or rebellion shall not he uucs-
toned bnt neither the United States nor
any State shall assume or pay any debt or OBJ
hgatlon incurred in aid Of insurrcction nr re-
bcliIon against tho United States; or any claim
for the loss or emancipation Of any slave. hut
held illegal and void
| See. S. That Congress shall have mower to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provis.
ions OF this article.
| On tho 22d, tho President of the United
States sent the following message to Congress :
| r" the Sr"ah, und IMmsr of Rrpyescnin
hrrs: L. submit to Congress report of the
Secretary of State, to whom w;ls referred The
| concurrent resolution of the 18th instunt, re-
spcctlng submission to the Legislatures Of
the States of an additional article to The Con
stitiitit'n of the United States. 1t viii seem
from this report that the Secretary of STATE
had, Oh Tho 10th inst, transmitted TO tho
| Governors Of the scvcr'l States certified cop
les ot the joint resolution passed on the 18th
INST proposing an amendment to the Consti
tuition. Even in ordinary times any question
OF amending the Constitution must be Justly
regarded as of paramount in,partancc This
| Importance is mt the present time enhanced.
! by the fact that the JOINT fesuluton was not
submitted by the House for the approval of
nc President; AM! .hat of the thrty-six
States which constitnte the Union, eleven arc
excluded from representation in either House
OF Congress although, with the single cxccp.
ton Of Texas, they have been entirely restored
to all their functions as States, in conformity
with the organic law of the land, and have
appeared Mt the National Capitol by Senators,
and have been refused admission to tho vacant
seats, Nor have the sovereign people of the
nation been afforded an opportunity of express
ing their views upon the important questions
which the amendment involves Grave doubts.
therefore, may naturally and Justly arise as to
whether the action Of Congress is in harmony
with the people. and whether, in such an Is.
sue they should not be called upon by Coz
gross to decide respecting the ratification of
the present amendment giving the question.
AS TO the Constitutional validity of the
proceedings OF Congress upon the joint rcso.
luton proposing the Amendment, or as to tho
Ii 10 ~ L. i