The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-05-14

shall be valid as part of the constitution,
namely:
Sec. ]. No state shall ma Ike or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges lmmunities of
citizens of the United States nor shall any state
deprive any person fife liberty property with
out due process of law, nor deny to any person
within its jurisdiction the equal protection Of the
laws.
among the sevefar States wnTtf NIKE De- -nreidaed
within this Union according 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 portion fits male citizens not
less than 81 years OF age or in any way abridged,
except Tor participation In rebellion other
crimes, the basis of representation in such state
snail be reduced In the proportion which the num-
Der of such male citizens shall bear to the whole
number of male citizens not less than q years OF
age.
SEC. 5. Until the 4th day of July, 1870, all per-
sons who voluntarily adhered 10 the late Insurrec-
t,on giving it aid and comfort shall be excluded
from the right to vote for members Of congress,
and for electors for president and president
the United States
Sec. 4. Neither the United States or anv state
shall. assume or pay any debt obligation already
incurred, which may hereafter be incurred in
aid OF insurrection or OF war against the United
States, or any claim for compensation for loss OF
involuntary service or labor.
Sec. b. Congress shall have power to enforce,
by appropriate legislation the provisions of this
article.
This scheme, quite contrary TO public ex-
pectation, passed the ..houss on Thursday
last. by.a vote of 1913 to 81. The radicals
claim that they can pass it through the sen.
ate by two-thirds vote. and that they will
then call together the legislatures of the sev-
eral states and get it adopted
We think il is long road to the adoption
of any such monstrous scheme-in fact no
such scheme can ever be adopted by three
fourths of the several states" Thad. Stew.
ems claims that it will become o. part of the
constitution and the supreme law of the land
when adopted by thres-fourths of the states
now represented in congress. But this reyo-
lutionary doctrine can never prevail. The
5th Article of the constitution of the United
States says that amendments to the conssisu.
tion of the United States may be proposed by
two-thirds of both houses of congress. and
''when ratified by the legislatures of three
fourshs of the several states" shall become a
part of the constitution. The same article.
and In the same paragraph adds land no
state, without it's consent, shall be deprived
of its equal suffrage in the senate"
Thad. Stevens and the radicals exclude
eleven states from the Union, and then claim
that three-fourths Of the remaining twenty
five states can amend the constitution. The
claim 10 SO weak that it wont hold water
We doubt if the body sitting at Washington
is the congress of the United States, i'll the
legal aud constitutional aoceptation of the
term, or if any act of this fractional rump
congress is legal. while loyal representatives
seek admission from other states and are ex-
Guided
Inc scheme has yet to pass the ordeal of
the senate. If it passes that body and goes
before the people We shall have more to saw
in regard to It, Republicans, in speeohes be.
fore congress, have furnished ;rreiu,abls A..
guments why the scheme should navsr no
adopted, and We shall use these ar,,uan..
when the proper time arrives to Law ,b.rr 10.
fore the people.
4--ss a