Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-09-20
RUTLAND HERALD.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER IS, 1866.
The Congressional Plan OF Recon.
struCtiOn.

While the Congressional plan of re.
construction is assailed by every cop,
perhead and my policy" journal from
Maine to Texas, few of them care to give
the terms held out by Congress on which
the laJr rebellious States may be re-
stored 70 all privileges and immunities
under the constitution, to their readers,
although the policy of the administra-
tion is loudly heralded by them to the
extent of their limited calculations. In
the former plan they see nothing, or will
see nothing, buttyranny and oppression,
while in the latter they see all that is
good and right. We append the propo-
sition made by Congress to the rebels,
and leave it to our readers to decide for
themselves whether any more liberal
terms should be offered to the traitors
who for four years sought to destroy
the Constitution and government OF the
Union, and left no stone unturned to
found instead government with hu-
man slavery as the corner-stone,-a re-
proach and disgrace to civilized human
ity:
JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMEND
MENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE
UNITED STATES.
BE 1t enacted By tile Senate and House of
Representatives Of the United States of
america IN Congress assembled, (two-thirds
OF both houses concurring,) That the
following article be proposed to the
Legislatures Of the several States as an
amendment 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 X1v-SECTIoN ALI 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 abridge the privileges or immuni-
ties 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 protec-
ton of the laws.
SEC. 2. Representatives shall be appor-
toned among the several States accord
ing to their respective numbers, count.
ing 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,
Representatives in Congress, the execu-
tive and judicial 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 partici-
patton in rebellion or other crime, the
basis Of representation therein shall be
reduced in the proportion which the
number 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 or 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 member Of
any State Legislature, or as an executive
or judicial officer of any State, to sup
port the Constitution of the United
States, shall have engaged in insurrec-
ton or rebellion against the same, or
given aid and comfort to the e4emies
thereof But Congress may, by vote
of two-thirds o. each House, remove
such disability.
Sec. 4. The validity of the public
debt of the United States, authorized by
law, including debts incurred for pay
ment of pensions and hOunties for ser
vices in suppressing insurrection and
rebellion, shall not be questioned, But
neither the United States nor any State
shall assume or pay any debt or obliga-
ton 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, obliga-
tions or claims shall be held illegal and
void.
Sec, s. The Congress shall have power
to enforce, 0y appropriate legislation,
the provisions of this article.