American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1866-05-09
RECONSTRUCTION.
Participants in Rebellion 'Disfran-
ohised Until 1870.
LEADING REBELS NOT TO HOLD
OFFICE.
WAsn1NGToN. April %, 1866.

be submitted TO congress ana the country
for the reconstruction of the Southern
States to the Union The committee
were in session four hours, and had an
exciting time. Each separate PROPOSE
ton that was made was voted on, and de-
clared agreed to by majority VOTE
The question of requiring negro suffrage
of the South within the next ten years
was lost, Thad. Stevens even opposing it.
That having been disposed of, the issue
of basis of representation next ELECTED
prolonged discussion, and it was finally
determined that constitutional amend.
ment should be proposed, declaring that
all males above the age of 21, who were
not allowed to vote by the States, should
not be counted in the basis of representa-
tion. 1t will be noticed that the prac.
teal effect Of this amendment will be to
leave the number of Southern represen.
tatives just about where it is now, mas
much as all the colored people of the
South, except the males over twenty one,
will be counted in the representative pop
ulation.
Mr.. Bingham, of Ohio, then insisted
that the present Civil Rights bill wasuu-
constitutional, and that an amendm ent to
the Constitution, guaranteeing civil rights
to persons in all of yhe States womld be
agreed to. The Committee adopted the
proposition.
1t was then resolved that all who pal
ticipated in the rebellion should be dis.
franchised from voting for Federal off
GERS, and that the rebel debt should be
repudiatcd. These several propositions
were then embodied in constitutional
amendment, which will be duly reported
to the House on Monday There was.
considerable satisfaction expressed in the
Committee that they had come to a con
clnsion.
The following is understood to be the
constitutional amendment proposed;
ARTIcLE-SECTIoN |. No State shall
make or enforce any law which shall
a5ridge the privileges or immunities of
citizens of the United 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 ju.
risdiction the equal protection of the
laws.
SECTION 2. Representatives shall be
appointed among the several States which
may be included within this Union. ac-
cording 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
of its male citizens not less than twenty.
one years of age, or in any way abridged,
except for participation in rebellion or
other crime, the basis of representation
in such State shall be reduced in the pro-
portion which the number of such male
citizens shall bear to the whole number
of male citizens, not less than 81 years
of age.
SECTION 3.-Until the 4th day of Ju-
ly, 1870, all persons who voluntarily ad-
hered to the late insurrection, giving it
aid and comfort shall be excluded from
the right to vote for members of Congress
and for electors for President and Vice
President of the United States.
SECTION 4 Neither the United States
nor any States shall assume to pay any.
debt or obligation already incurred, in
aid OF insurrection or war against the
United States or any claims for compen-
sation for loss of involuntary service or
labor
SECTION 5.-The Congress shall have
power to enforce BY, appropriate legisla-
ton, the provisions of this article.
\ bill to provide for the restoration of
the States lately in rebellion to their full
political rights, by admitting delegations
to Congress, and second bill debarring
leading rebels from holding Office, is also
including the following claus
es.
First. The President aud Vice Pres
ident of the Confederate States, social
ed, and heads of Departments thereof
Second. Those who i'd other countries
acted as agents of the Confederate States.
Third. Heads of Departments of the
United States, officers of the army and
navy of the United States, and all per-
sons educated in the military or naval
academy of the United States, Judges
of the United States, aud members of
either house of the seth Congress of