The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-06-13
rIe No.
NJ q ..lstitutiOnaI amendment.

4 VI tAAC b)CudtC W IilC du-
ditiOnal article to the Constitution.
embodying the Congressional plan for
reconstructing the rebel States. The
modification of the amendment to the
Constitution as it passed the House,
originally, will strike every one as
polite and judicious. We congratu-
late the Senate, the Union party, and
tie country on the successful passage
OF this important measure in so unob-
jectionable a form. We can not be-
lieve a corporals guard of Union men
can be found anywhere in the coun-
try who will not approve and sustain
this practical plan for harmonizing
our national difficulties. The follow
ing is the amendment as it passed
both Houses, and now only awaits
the action of the various State Legis-
latures to become part Of the Con-
stitution
| g ResoJued, BY the senate and House of
| Representatives of the United States of
| America, i'll Congress assembled, two
| thirds of both Houses concurring that the
| following article be proposed to the Legis-
| latures of the several States, as an amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
states, which, when ratified by three
| fourths of said Legislatures, shall be valid
| as part of the Constitution. namely:
" ARTICLE -, Section |. All persons
| born or naturaliZed 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
citizens of the United States, nor shall any
state deprive any person of life, liberty or
property without due process of law, nor
deny to any person within its jurisdiction
the equal protection of the laws
" SEC. 2. Representatives shall be appor-
toned among the several States according
TO their respective numbers, counting the
whole number of persons In each State ex-
Guiding Indians not taxed; but whenever
the right to vote at any election for electors
of President and Nice-P President and for
United States Represen tatives in Congress-
Executive and judicial officers, or the MEM
bers of the Legislature thereof, is denied to
any OF the male inhabitants of such State
being twenty-ona years of age, and citizens
of the United States, or in any way abrid0-
ed except for participation in rebellion or
Othef crimes, the basis of representation
therein shall be reduced III the proportion
which the number of each male citizen
shall bear to the whole number Of male
cltlZenS twenty-one years of age in such
State.
. SEC. 3. No person shall be Senator or |
representative IN Congress. E,lpptOr of /
President and 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 a member of any State Iepis-
lature, or as an executive or civil officer of |
any state, to support the Constitution of |
the United States, shall have enpaGed in
inSurrection or rebellion against the same
or given aid or comfort to the enemies
thereof; but Congress may, by vote of
tVO-thlrdS of each HOnGp |
disability.
SEC. 4. The validity of the public debt
OF the United States, authorized by law in
Cured in the payment of bounties and pen
slons Tor services in suppressing the insur-
STATE Shall assume or pay any debt or o6fi-
cation incurred in aid of instruction or
reDeIllon against the United states, or any
but all such debts, obligations and claims |
shall be held Illegal and void"
What the feelings of the President
are towards the amendment seems
not to be definitely known. All are
agreed that he had serious objections
to the article as it first passed the
House Whether the Senate has
been able to remove these objections
by its notifications, is not certain.
That a reconciliation between the two
branches of the Government is not
IS evident from the tone
of the papers representing the antag-
onistic sections of the Union party.
The other day, COL FoRNEY, who,
perhaps, is as capable of expressing
the views and wishes of the Union
Congressman as any,other man in the
country, wrote to his paper, the Phil
adelphia Press, as follows:
l was not mistaken when / said that
the report of the Joint Committee on Re
construction would be great fighting
platform of the National Union party.
g The Senatorial caucus has produced
It's good fruit, and the article adopted by
the House has been benefcially amended.
The changes have marvelously strength
ened our ranks. II has istIfIed dis
content, satisfied conscientious objections,
given the Southern radicals a chance for
hearing before Congress, and allowed bus
mess men to make their representations in
reference to the national debt. II HAS
EVEN oPESED THE DOOR FOR REcoNoIIIA-
TON WITH THE PRESIDENT.
To this the Notional hteli;geace1.,
the Presidents most enthusiastic sup
porter, and as warmly an opponent of
Col. FoRNEY, offers the following
comments:
The action of the Senate caucus is pc
culiarly significant. 1t is a total ADAM
donment of the Acknowledgement of the
white voters of the Southern States. IT is
\ NEARER APPROACH THAN WAS ANTICI-
PATED TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF
PRESIDENT JOHNSON, AND is UNDERSTOOD
TWEEN HIM AND CONGRESS.
In the meantime the Southern States are