The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-05-05
|. RECoNsThUcrToN.
Report of the Joint COMMITTEES ON
Reconstruction.

Reconstruction.
The labors Of the reconstruction committee Of
Congress are at last at an end. protracted
meeting Of the committee was held on Saturday
morning last, and it was finally decided by a
large majority-twelve ou, Of the fifteen members
present voting in the affirrnative--to report the
following bills
A Joint resolution proposing an amendment TO the
Constitution Of the United States.
Be 1t resolved by the Senate and House of
Representatives Of the United States of Ai1erica
in Congress assembled two-thirds of both houses
concurring That the following article be pro-
posed to the Legislatures of the several States as
an amendment to the constitution, which, when
ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures,
shall be valid as part ofthe constitution, namely
Article.-Section No State shall make or en-
force any law which shall abridge the privileges
or immunities of 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. O. Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be included
within this Union according 10 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 rebel
lion or other crime the basis of representa-
ton in such State shall be reduced in the proper
ton which the number of such male citizens shall
bear to the whole number of male citizens not
less than twenty one years of age.
Sec. 3. Until the 4th day of July 1870, all per-
sons who voluntarily adhered to the late insur-
rection, giving it aid and comfort shall he ex-
cluded from the right to vote for members OF
Congress and for electors for President and Vice
President of the United States.
Sec. 4. Neither the United States nor any State
shall assume or pay any debt or obligation already
incurred, or which may hereafter be incurred, in
aid Of insurrection or war against the United
States, or any claim for compensation for los:
of voluntary service or labor.
Sec. 5. The Congress shall have power TO en-
force, by appropriate legislation, the provisions
| of this article
A bill to provide for the restoration Of the States
lately in insurrecion to their fill political rights
Whereas it is cxpedient that the States lately
in instruction should at the earliest day con-
sistent with the future peace and safety of the
Union be restored to full participation in all po
| litical rights.
And whereas the Congress did, by joint reso-
luton, purpose for ratification to the legislatures
of the several States, as an amendment to the
Constitution of the United States, an article in
the following words, to wit 1.-THE constitution.
al articles recited above is her inserted.
| Now, therefore, be it enacted, ETC., That when
ever the above recited amendment shall have be-
come part of the constitution, and any State
lately in instruction shall have ratified the same
and shall have modified its constitution and laws
in conformity Herewith, the Senetors and Rep
resentstives from such State, if found duly elect
| ted and qualified, may, after having taken the
required oathS of Office, be admitted into Con-
| gress as such.
And be it further enacted, That when any
| State, lately in insurrecton shall have ratified
the foregoing proposed amendment to the Con-
| stitution, any part of the direct tax under the
| act of August 5th 1861, which may remain due
and unpaid in such State, may be assumed and
| paid by such State, and the payment thereof
upon proper assurances from such State TO be Civ
en- to the Secretary of the Treasury ofthe United
States, may be postponed for a period not ex-
ceeding ten years from and after the passage oil
| this act. Is Az
Il bill declaring certain persons ineligible 10 o6sc
under the Government Of the United States.
Be it enacted &C., That no person shall b.
| eligible to any Office under the Government O
| the United States who is included in any of tn
| following classes, namely es
First. The President and Vice President Of th
Confederate States of America, so called, and thu
| heads of departments thereof
Second. Those who in other countries acted a
agents of the Confederate States of America, g
| called.
Third. Heads of Departments Of the Unite(
States, officers of the army and navy of the Uni
| ted States, and all persons educated at the mill
| tary or naval academy of the United States
| judges of the courts Of the United States, an(
members of either House of the Thirty Con
! gress Of the United States who gave aid or com
| fort TO the late rebellion.
Fourth. Those who acted as officers of the
| Confederate States Of America, 50 called, abov
the grade of colonel in the army or master in th
navy and any one who, as governor of cithe
Of the SO called Confederate States, gave aid o
| comfort TO the late rebellion.
Fifth. Those who have treated officers or sol
diers or sailors of the army or navy of the Uni
ted States, captured during the late war, other
| wise than as prisoners of war. i.f
The committee removed the injunction of sc
crecy so far as the above propositions are con
cerned and permitted copies to be furnished Il
the press. It's understood that thu vote upol
them was IL against 8. Asitis known that Sen
ator Johnson and Representatives Order an,
Rogers only voted in the negative the affirmative
must be Senator'S Fessenden Crime Harris, How
ard and Williams and Representatives Stevens
Washburne, (Ill., Morrill,, Bingham, Conkling
Boutwell, and Blaine.
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