Smyrna times., 1866-10-10
PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
THE USIoH REPUBLICAN PLATFORM.

"Resolved, By the Senate and House of Represen-
tatves of the United States of America, two-thrds
Of both Houses concurring, That the following Ar
tice be proposed to the Legislatures of the several
States amendment TO the Constitution of the
United States, which, when ratified by three.fourth
Of said Legislatures, shall be valid part Of the
Constitution, viz:
Art. IA, Sec. /. All persons born or naturalzed
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 laws which shall abrdge the privileges
or inmunties of citizens of the United States; nor
sha 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 protec-
ton of The laws"
THIS section makes citizenship uniform in all the
States, and protects citizens both North aud South
for example, South Carolina must treat Pennsylva-
mans with the respect that she treats her own
citizens.
"Sec. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned
among the several States according to their respect
i've numbers, counting the whole number of persons
in each State, excluding Indians not taxed; but
whenever the right to vote at any election for elec
tors of President Vice President, and for the Uni
ted States representatives in Congress, executive and
judicial officers, or the members of the legislatures
thereof, is denied to any male inhabitant of such
State, being 81 years age, and citizens of the Uni
teu OIdtes or IN any way aOrlugeu except IOr par
tclpatOn in rebellion other crime, the basis of
representation therein shall be reduced iu the pro-
portion which the number of male citizens shall bear
TO the whole number Of male citizens 81 years of age
in such State"
This section fixes the basis of representation in
Congress upon the population of the several States,
with this prOriso, that where State denies the cleo
tive franchise to any of its qualified male citizens of
81 years of age, (Which any State is allowed to do
under this secon) that then its representation in
Congress shall be proporionaby reduced thus regu-
latlng the representation in Congress by the number
Of voters in each State. Under the old Constitution
the South had three.iths of all her slaves added to
her free population to fix her representation in Con-
Rress: now that slavery is abolished she will have
two-fifths more added thereto, and thus come back
under the old Constitution with increased power,
and would thus make the vote of one white in
the South nearly equal to two in the North. This is
the why the rebels are opposing this part
of the amendment.
Sec. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Repre-.
tentative In Congress, elector OF President Vice
President, or hold any office, civil or military, under
the United States, or under any State who, having
previously taken an oath a member of Congress,
officer of the United States, or as a member
Of any State Legislature, an executive or civil
officer of any State, to support the Constitution of
the United States, shall have engaged in insurrec.
tion rebellion against the same, or giving aid OF
by vote Of two-thirds in each House, remove such
disability"
The intention of this section is to give the Offices
10 the Union OF the South, that we shall have
perpetual peace, and so that Jefferson Davis anC
other traitors like him shall again control th
Government, and thus endanger its liberties. |
these leading rebels shall continue to hold the office
In the South, we shall have no peace, but, on Tn
contrary, perpetual strife. They have done enoug
already. They should have no further say. Thei
children will succeed ~ fho -irhts which they wi
lose By their treason TINS enough, IN all cor
science. This section, you will observe, applies
those rebels only who have perjHred themselves
taking the oath to support the Constitution Of u
United States who have heretofore held ottee an
tskss an oath to support the Constitution of the On
ted States; should any hardship arise thereby, Co
gress may grant relief by two. thirds vote.
"Sec. 4. The validity of the public debt OF u
United States authorized by law, including that
cured in payment Of bounties and pensions for sc
Wees in suppressing nsurrection rebellion, shi
not be questioned and neither the United States,
any State, shall assume or pay any debt or obliga
Incurred in aid of insurrection rebellion again
she United States, or any claim for loss or eman
patton Of any slave; bot all such debts obligatlo
and claims shall be held illegal and void"
This section will cut off all future hope on I
part Of the rebels Of securing payment for tn
slaves Of the rebel debt and thus relieve our COL
try from future sectional strife.