Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-10-18
Our Platform.

We have published the following pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution OF
the United States before, but rs election
day is near at hand we thought it would
be well to remind the people that the fol-
lowing constitutes the platform of the
Union Republican Party; or, in other
words, are the guarantees demanded prior
to the restoration of the Southern States.
Let the soldiers read them carefully, and
gee if they contain anything which would
in the least destroy the manhood of a rebel.
Can the Union men of the North-those
braTe men who have sustained the govern
ment during the last five years, allow the
admission of the rebel representatives into
Congress with fewer guarantees for their
future good conduct and behavior than
these? The answer is plain-they cannot
They have not forgotten the lessons of the
past, lessons written in blood on many g
Southern battlefield. The soldiers are
not going to so easily surrender what they
have fought so hard to maintain, and sac
rifced so much to preserve. Read the pro-
posed Amendment, and make your own
decision; if it is candid and honest it will
be right
RssolUea by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America, two thirds of both Houses con-
curing, that the following article be pro-
posed to 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:
SECTION L. All persons born or natural
ICED 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 en-
force any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizeEs 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 ap-
portioned among the several States accord
ing to their respective numbers, counting
the whole number of persons in each State,
excluding Indians not taxed. But when
the right to vote at any election for the
choice Of electors for President and Vice
President of the United States, Represen-
tatives in Congress, the executive and ju
dicial officers of State, 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 abridged
except for participation in rebellion or 9TH
er crime, the basis Of representation shall
be reduced in 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.
SEC. 3. No person shall be Senator or
Representative in Congress, or elector 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 Legis-
lature, or as an executive of judicial officer
of any State, to support the Constitution
of the United States, shall have engaged
in instruction or rebellion against the
same, or has at any time given aid and
comfort to the enemies thereof But Con-
gress may, by vote Of two-thirds of each
House, remove such disability.
SEC. 4. The validity of the public debt
of the United States, authorized by the
law. including debts incurred for payment
of pensions and bounties for services in
suppressing instruction and 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 or
emancipation Of any slave; but all such
debts, obligations or claims shall be held
illegal and void.
SEC. 5. Congress shall have power to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article.