The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1866-06-23
CDnstitntionaI Amandmant.


The following is the Constitutional Amend
ment as adopted by the Senate
Reso1cea By tie Senate and House Of
Representatives. Of tie United States IA
Congress assembled, two-thirds Of both
Houses concurring, that The following
article be proposed to the Legislatures Of
the several States as an amendment to the
Constitution Of the United States, which
when ratified by thrce-fOurLhs Of said Leg
islatures, shall be valid as part Of the Con
stitutiOn, namely
Sec. l. All persons born or naturalized
within the United States, and subject to
the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens thereof,
and Of the States wherein they reside, and
no State shall make or enforce any laws
which shall abTidgc the privileges or immu-
mites Of the citizens Of the United States,
nor shall any State deprive any person Of
life, liberty, OF property, without due pro
cess Of law, nor deny 10 any person, within
its jurisdiction, the equal protection Of its
laws.
Sec 2. Representatives shall be appor-
toned among the several States according
to their respective numbers, counting the
whole number Of persons, excepting the
Indians not taxed But whenever the right
to vote at election for electors of President
and President Of the United States
Representatives in Congress, executive and
judicial officers, and the members of the
legislatures thereof is denied to any Of the
male inhabitants Of such State, being twenty
one years of age, and citizens Of the United
States or in any way abridged except for
participation in the rebellion or other crime
the basis of representation in these States
shall be reduced, in the proportion which
the number Of such male citizens shall bear
to the whole number Of male citizens twenty
one years Of age in such State.
Sec. 3. No person shall be a Senator or
! Representative in Congress, or elector Of
/ President and Vice President, or hold any Of
fee civil or military, under the United States,
or under any State, who, having previously
! taken an oath as a member of Congress,
/ or as an officer Of the United States, or as
a member Of any States legislature, or as
an executive or judicial officer of any
State to support the Constitution Of the
! United States, shall have been engaged in
| instruction or rebellion against the same or
/ have given aid and comfort to the enemies
/ thereof But Congress may, by vote of
| two-thirds Of each house, remove such a
| disability.
Sec / The validity Of the public debt of
the United States, authorized by law, in
! eluding the debts incurred for the payment
| of pensions and bounties for services in
! suppressing the rebellion, shall not be ques-
| toned But neither the United States nor
any State thereof, shall assume or pay any
/ debt OF obligation incurred in aid of the re
! belliOn against the United States, or any
claim for the loss or emancipation Of any
slave, but all such debts, claims, and obliga-
tons shall be held Illegal and void
The most important feature of the pro
posed amendment is embraced in the second
| section, which relates to representation.
1t is a sort Of reward and punishment m eas-
ure 1t rewards the States if they will adj
NIT the negroes to the right Of suffrage, by
/ increased representation to the extent OF
! the negro population, not heretofore rep.
resented and Furnishes them for refusing
by cutting down their representation to
that extent
Of course the Southern States cannot be
bought with such bribc The change
which the admission Of the negroes to the
right of suffrage would work in their social
and political system would be intolerable
and they will never give their assent TO g
proposition so monstrous and so full of I'M
mixed evil. They viii therefore lose the
representation which this amendment hold.
out to them as a brito e. tthheir consent
It is important, therefore, to ascertain VIVA
viii be the extent of the loss of representa-
ton through the operation Of the amendmen
if itshould, by the ratification of three fourth.
Of the States, become a part of the Constitu
ton.
In elucidation of this subject the New
York Journal Of Commerce has prepared
two tables which explain the whole subiec
at a glance. The first shows the white anC
black population the number Of votes II
1860, and the number Of colored males owe
q years Of age: