The Placer herald., 1866-06-16
Constitutional Amendme nts

w. 10y iA-nd'Iug HiueHueu IL IN several
particulars not heretofore reported. Follow,
ing is the resolution as returned 10 the House
for its concurrence:
Reso(Oed That the following articles be
proposed to the Legislature Of the several
States AS an amendment to the Constitution
oi the United States, which, when ratified by
three fourtLs Of the Legislatures of the afore,
said States shall be valid as part If the
Constitution namely:
Article-Section l. All persons born in
or nauraIlzed in the United States, sui iect to
the Jurisdiction thereof, are citizens Of the
United States and Of the State where they
reside
No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abriJge the privilege or immu.
mites of citizens Of the United States, nor
shall any State deprive any person of life,
liberty or property without due process of
law, nor deny to any person within the juris-
dIctlon equal protection OF laws.
Sec. 2-Representatives shall be propor'
toned among the several States according to
their respective numbers counting the whole
number of persons in each State, excluding
Indians not taxed; but whenever the RIGHT to
vote at an election for Elecluls Of President
and Vice President for Representatives in
Congress, Executive and judicial officers or
members Of Legislatures thereof, is denied
to any of the male inhabitants of such State
being 2 years of age and citizens Of the
United States, or in any way abridged, ex
cept for participation in rebellion or
other crimes, The basis of representa-,
ton therein shall be reduced in the proporl
tion which the number of such male citizens
shall bear to the whole number Of male citn
zens 81 years Of age in such State.
Sec. 3. No person shall bo Senator or
Representative in Congress, or EIector Of
President, or VicePresidenl, or hold any
otiire civil or military, under the United
States, or any State, who having previously
taken an oath as member Of Congress or
officer of the Uuited States or as member
Of The State Legislature, or Executive or Ju
dlcla' officer Ct any State to support the Con-
sttulion Of the United STATES. who shall have
engaged in insurrecion or rebellion against
the same or given aid and comfort TO the en-
emv.
Congress may, by vote Of two thirds of
each House, remove such disability.
Sec. 4. The validity Of the public debt oi
the United States authorized by law, incIud-
ing debts incurred for payment of pensions
and annuites for service IN suppressng the
rebellion, shall not be questioned; but neither
The United States nor any State shal assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid
of insurrection against the United States, or
any claim for loss by the emancipation Of
any slave but all such debts and claims shall
be held illegal and void.
The above amendments, as adopted by the
Senate, passed the House on the 18Th inst,
by a vote Of l20 yeas, against 32 nays.
In closing the debate in the House, 1had,
deus Stevens said the House portion of the
Committee of Fifteen were unanimously
agreed that the Senate amendment should
be concurred in, and while he (Stevens)
found much good in the tint resolution, he
could not but regret the omission of many
better things. lie said: "In my youth, in
my manhood and in my old age have fond
ly dreamed that when any fortunate chance
should have broken up for time the foun,
dations of our institutions and released us
from obligations the most tyrannical ever
imposed in the name of freedom, the in'elI
gent, free and just men of this republic, from
their professions and their conscience, would
have So remodeled all our institutions as to
have freed them from everv vestge Of OPP
preston, inequality of rights, of the recog-
nized degradation of the poor and the supe~
rlor caste Of the rich; in short that no dis.
lnc,ion would be tolerated in this purified
republic but that which arose from meritor'
Gus conduct. This bright dream has van
ished like the baseless fabric of vision. |
find We shall be obliged to be content with
patching up the worst portions of the An
cient fabric aud leaving it. in many of its
parts, to be swept through by the tempests,
fross and storms of despotism. DO you
inquire why, holding these views and pos
sessng some will Of my own, Iaccept so i'm,
perfect a propositions? | answer, because [
live among men and not angeIs-among men
as intelligent, as determined, as independent
as myself, who, not agreeing with me. do
not choose to yield their opinions to mine.
Mutual concession, therefore, is our only re
sort from mutual hostility. Let u.s. he said
in conclusion, ''no longer delay; let us take
what We can now and hope for better things
in future legislation"
The final vote was taken without excite
ment, every Unionist present, including Ray
mond and Hale Of New York and Green
Clay Smith of Kentucky, voling "aye" and
only Democrats mo" The Clerk Of the
House will now forward certified copies of
the amendment to the Governors for ratifi-
cation by the Legislature, it having been de-
cideded, upon the suggestion OF President
Lincoln in the case Of the ann ndment abol'
ishing slavery, that the Executive has noth'
ing to do with such legislation.