American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-07-25
The Amendment.

The Amendment.
The following is the Constitutional
Amendment passed by Congress as the
result of their deliberations upon the
restoration policy. Upon it the entire
Republican party are united aud upon
it the issue is iairly joined for the forth
coming election.
We also give in our paper, this week,
the letter of Atty Gen. Speed to Sena-
tor Doolittle, as also, Gov. Curtin's ad-
mirsblc and well.timed letter on the sub
iees of the Amendment. Read it care
fully. 10 these several papers is found
more solid political matter, and Of more
significance, than we have been able to
give for some time past. In fact they
compose the real pleadings, upon the is
sue of which the freemeu of Pennsylva-
mia will pass at the ensuing election
" RssolUed, By the Senate aud House
of Representatives of the United States
of America, in 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
three fourths of the said Legislatures,
shall be valid as part of the Constitu-
tion, namely:
"Artile-,SEcT l. All persons born
or naturalzed in the United States, and
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens of the United States, and of the
State wherein they reside. No State shall
make or enforce any law which shall
abridge the privileges or immunities of
- citizens of the Uuited States. Nor shall
any State deprive any person OF life, lib.
erty, or property without due process of
law, nor deny to any person within its
jurisdiction the equal protection OF the
lawa.
"SEcrIoN 2. Representatives shall be
spportioned among the several States nc
cordlng to their respective numbers,
counting the whole number of persons in
each State, excluding Indians not taxed;
but whenever the right to vote at any
election for electors of President and
Vice President, or for United States Rep
resentatives in Congress, executive and
judicial officers, or the members of the
Legislature 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 abridg-
ed, except for participation in rebellion
or other crime, the basis of representa-
tion therein shall be reduced in the pro,
portion which the number of such male
citizen shall bear to the whole number of
male citizens twenty-one years of age in
that State.
"SEcrIoN g. No person shall be Sen
ator or Representative in Congress, elec-
tor of President and Vice President or
hold any office, civil or military under
the U. s., or under any State, who, ,hav-
ing previously taken an oath as men,
ber of Congress, or as an officer of the
United States, or as member OF any
State Legislature, or as an executive or
judicial officer of any State, to support
the Constitution of the United States,
shall have engaged in insurrection or re-
bellion against the same, or given aid or
comfort to the enemies thereof; but Con
gress may, by vote of two-thirds of
each House remove such disability
"SEcrIoN 4. The validity of he pub
lie debt of the United States authorized
by law, including debts incurred for the
payment of pensions and bounties for
services in suppressng insurrection or
rebellion, shall not be questioned, but
neither the United States nor any State
shall assume or pay any debt or obliga-
tiou incurred in aid of insurrection or
rebellion against the United States, or
any claim for the loss or emancipation of
any slave, but all such debts, obligations,
and claims shall be held illegal and void"