The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-06-15
The Amendment Of the Constitution
Proposed to the States. !.

The telegram In our paper Of yesterday
informed the reader that the amcndmcn,
to the Constitution oflthe United States,
proposed by the Radicals, had passed the
House Of Representatives. just as It was
received from the Senate. II will now 60
to the State Legislatures for ratification
That our people may understand its merits
We reproduce the amendment. 1t Is as
follows:
.ARr,CLE-. SECTION /. All persons
born or naturalizcd in the United States, ana
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are
citizens Of the United States and OF tne
States wherein they reside. NO e,atu
shall make or enforce any law "n'c'i s'" "r
abridgc the privileges or lmmunn immunity 80.
citizens of the United States. nor si, s, an.
State deprive any person OF me- lovi9'
or nronertv without due process OF law,
- aony IN amy person within its Jurisdic-
,;on the canal protection of the laws.
mSr,rIoy 2. Representatives shall be APP
nort;oped among the several Statesaccord-
inc TO their respective numbers, counting
the whole number of persons in each State,
excluding Indians not taxed: but when
ever in any State the right to vote at any
election for electors Of President and Vice
President Of tho United States, representa-
tivcs in Congress, executive or judicial
officers, or the members of the Legisla-
lures thereof, is denied to any of the male
inhabitants OF such State, being twenty
one years of age and citizens of the United
States, OF in any way abridged, except for
participating in rebellion or other crime,
the basis Of representation therein shall be
reduced in the proportion which the num-
Der of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens twenty one
years of age in such State.
"SECTIoN 3. No person shall be a senator
or representative in Congress, or elector OF
President or Vice-President, or hold any
office, 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 member of any State Legs
laturc, or as an executive or judicial oiii-
Ger Of any State, to support the ConStitu-
ton of the United States, shall have en-
gagged in instruction or rebellion against
the same, or given aid or comfort 10 the
enemies thereof; but Congress may, by a
vote of two-thirds Of each House, remove
such disability.
"SEcTI0N 4. The validity of the public
debt of the United States authorized by
law, including debts incurred for the pay
ment of pensions and bounties for service
in suppressing insurrection or rebellion,
shall not be questioned; but neither the
United States nor any State shall assume
or pay any debt or obligation incurred in
aid of instruction or rebellion against the
United States, or any claim for the loss OF
emancipation of any slave ; but all such
debts, obligations, and claims shall be held
illegal and void"
The first section is an attempt to incor-
porate the Civil Rights act into the Con-
stitution, and is confession that that act is
unconstitutional. Substitute the word
negroes for "persons wherever the
latter occurs, and the intention Of this sec
ton will be evident.
The second section is also intended for
the benefit of the negroes. 1t means that
if any State shall deny the right Of suffrage
to negroes as such, that State shall not
count them in its basis of representation.
But State may require an educational or
u property qualification of whites and
SgStSs;r,e, and if, in consequence, the
ascks afipssl be reduced to Only 9
lumber If black vOtefsSeN<< ~