The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-22

...~....FEBRUARY ", 1867
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The Constitutional Amendment-The
Reconstruct ton Bill The Situa'
ton" e.
The reader will naturally desire to Know
exactly the position In which the people OF
the southern States are placed by the re.
construction bill which was finally adopted
nv Congress on wednesday. In order
that they may do so, IT Is necessary 10 re,
nroauce both that bill and the proposed
amendment. The amendment is ~ '''-
lows: v
ARTICLE XIV.
SECTION /. All persons born OF .,, nS 70
lied IN the United States a ,.:.na 30 ,ha
the jurisdiction thereof are c'..a s;. ,hav
Tinted States and OF the State "no'on 80
r.s;de' No State shall make or enforce
anw law which shall abridge the privileges
o. ,mmunities 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. 80
SECTION Q. Representatives shall be ap-
por,ioned among the several States accord
ing to their respective numbers, counting
the whole number Of persons IN eacn S'a,e'
excluding Indians not taxed. But when tile
right to vote ut any election for the cno'co
OF electors for President and fice-f Iesi-
dent Of the United States, representatives.
in Congress. executive and judicial oinceis
nfa STATE or the members ofthe Legislature
thsreof ~ denied TO any Of the male IN
hab;tants of such State being tWenty.one
vearS &c age and citizens OF the Uhiteo
S,a,ss mr. in any way abridged, excep. lot
Dar,;cipation in rebellion or otner cii,no'
r. IA lie of representation therein shaii DC
redpced in the proportion when the mum
bc- If such male citizens shall bear 10 the
whole eumber Of male citizens twenty-one
wears of age in such State.
Sscrroy s. No person shall be q Sc
nator or representative In congress- or
nlac,or ne President and Vice-President,
~ hold any office, civil or military, under
The limited States or under any State, who,
having previously taken an oath as mem
Der Of Congress, OF as an ofhcef Oh the
United States, or as MEMBER OF any
State Legislature, or as an executive or
;udicial officer Of any State, TO support the
Cons,iuttion ofthe United States, shall have
engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
the same, or given aid and comfort to the
enemies thereof. But Congress may, by q
vote of two. thirds Of each House, remove
such disability.
SECTION 4. The validity of the public
debt of the United States authorized by
law. including debts incurred for payment
of pensions and bounties for services IN
suppressiug insurrection or rebellion, shali
not be questioned. But neither the United
States nor any State shall assume or pay
any debt or obligation incurred in aid OF
insurrection or rebellion against the UNI
ted States, or any claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave; but all such
debts. obligations, and claims, shall De
held illegal and void.
SECTION S. The Congress shall have
power to enforce by appropriate legislation
the provisions of this article.
The first section is the substance of the
existing civil rights act. The second sec
ton has no meaning or effect now that the
new bill has made votersof the negroes.
The fourth section is unimportant-a Bun
combe affair. The fifth section would be
important and highly Objectionable if Con-
gress had any regard for constitutional
provisions, seeing thata gives to that body
power to do any act which it may affect to
deem necessary to secure the enforcement
of the other sections; but as Congress
already assumes numerous powers which
are not granted to it by the Constitution,
and passes laws which are direct and fla
grant violations Of the Constitution as ex-
pounded by the highest judicial tribunal
in the country, the fifth section cannot
possibly add to its powers. The third Sec
ton is the one which has aroused so much
opposition in the southern States, and is
the one which the reconstruction bill refers
to as designating those who may hereafter
be elected to office in this State ochether the
amendment be ratified by us or not.
As we read the third section, any man
NAV be elected to the Legislature. But
there is. no other position of honor to which
the prescribed classes are eligible. The
prescribed classes Of Richmond land every
where else we use Richmond for illustra-
tion) are all men who at any time previous
to the war, no matter how long before, did,
as officers of any sort, or members of any
legislative body, take an oath to support
the Constitution Of the United States, and
who afterwards engaged in rebellion, or gave
"aid and comfort to the enemies" Of the
United States. The taking of the oath to
support the Constitution Of the Confederate
States, and the holding of Office under the
Confederate States no matter how high
the Office, create no disability to vote or
hold Office under this section. Neither is
any man disqualified for Office by reason of
having taken an oath to support the Con-
stitution of the United States and after
wards engaging in rebellion, &C., provided
he did Eot take said oath as an officer, sc.
Lawyers are not disqualified as such, al
though before the war every one had
totake that oath, but only such Of them
are disqualified as had held Office. These
explanations are made in answer to ques-
tons propouDded to US. 1t is supposed
there are about one hundred and fifty
men in Richmond disqualified by the
third section for holding office, and BY the
reconstruction billf voting for members
of a convention to form a new conStitu-