Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-21
WILLIAM n, SEWARD.

WILLIAM III. SEWARD,
Secretary Of State of the United States.
To al whom t,se presents nay cssse, greetir1.
Whereas the Congress of the United States,
ON or about the sixteenth of June, in the year
one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
passed a resolution which is In the words and
figures following, to wit:
Joint Resolution Proposing an Anne ndme nj
to the Constitution Of the United states.
Be q resOicei By the Senate dnd Hyuse OF Repre-
sentdtsres Of the United States Of Amersca in Con-
greSS dSseBbled, (turo- thirds Of both Houses con.
carTIRc,) Thar the lowing rticle be proposed
TO the Legislatures of the several States As an
States, which. when ratified by three fourths
of said legislatures, shall BE- valid as part OF
the Constitution, namely:
ARTICLE XIV.
SEC. !. All persons born or naturalized in
the United States, and bject 70 the jurisdic-
ton 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 immunities of citizens
OF the United States. nor shall any State de-
prlye any person OF life liberty. or properly,
without due process of Jaw, nor deny TO any
person within its jurisdiction the equal pro-
lection of the laws
SEC. ,. Representa- tves shall be apportioned
among the several States according TO their re-
speetVe numbers, counting the whole number
OF persons in each State, excluding Indians not
taxed. But when the right to vote at any cleo
non Tor the choice of electors for President aud
Vice President Of the United States, Represen-
tatlves IN Congress, the exec utiye and judicial
Officers of State, or the members of the Legis-
lature thereof, Is denied 10 any Of the male in
habitan's of such State, being twenty one years
OF age, and citizens of the United States, or in
any way abridged, except tor participation in
rebellion or other crime, the basis OF represen-
tation therein shall be reduced IN the proper
tlon which the number of such male citizens
shall bear to the whole number of male citl.
Gems twenty-one years of age in such State
SEC. .. No person shall be a Senator OF Rep
reseniative in Congress, or elector of President
and Vice President, or hold any office, civil or
military, under the United States, or under
any State, W no, having previously taken an
oath as member OF Congress, or As an officer
OF the United States, or as q member of any
State Legislature, or as an executive or Judi
cial officer of any State, TO support the Constr
tuition OF the United States, shall have engaged
In insurrecuon or rebellion against the same,
or given aid or comfort TO the enemies thereof.
But congress may, by vote of two-thirds of
each House, remove such disability.
Sea. The validity of the public debt of the
United States, authorized by law, including
debts incurred for payment of pensions and
oountles for services in suppressing insurrec-
ton or rebellion, shall not be questioned. But
neither the United States nor any State shall
assume or pay any deDt 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, and claims shall be held illegal
and void.
SEC. S. The Congress shall have power to
enforce, by appropriate legislation, the pro-
visions Of this article.
SCHUYLER CoLFAx,
Speaker Of the House of Representa- YES
LAFAYETTE S. FOSTER.
President OF the Senate prO teRpore
Attest EDWARD MCPHERSON,
Clerk OF the House OF Representatives
j. W. FoRSRY,
Secretary of the Senate.
W nv ha
of Congress, approved the twentieth of April,
one thousand eight hundred and eighteen, en-
titled IAN act TO provide for the publication of
the laws of the United States, and for other
purposes" It is made the duty OF the Secretary
OF State forthwith 70 cause any amendment to
the Constitution Of the United States which
has been adopted according to the provisions
of the said Constitution, to be pu blished in TIE
newspapers authorized to promulgate the
laws, with bis certificate specifying the States
by which the same may have been adopted,
and that the same has become valid, to all in
tents and purposes, as part of the Constitu.
ton Of the United States:
And whereas neither the act Just quoted
from, nor any other law, expressly or by con-
elusive implication, authorizes the Secretary
of State TO determine and decide doubtful cues.
tons as to the authenticity OF the organization
OF State Legislatures, or as to the power of anv
State Legislature to recall a previous act or
resolution Of ratification Of any amendment
proposed 10 the Constitution;
And whereas II appears from official docu
ments on file in this Department that the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, proposed as aforesaid, has been ratified
by the Legislatures of the States Of Connecticut
New Hampshire, Tennessee, New Jersey, Ore.
gon, Vermont, New York, Ohio, Illinois, West
Virginia, Kansas, Maine, Nevada, Missouri,
Indiana, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Wisconsin,
Pennsylvania, Michigan, Massachusetts,, Ne
bras ka, and Iowa;
And whereas 1t further appears from docu-
ments on file in this Department that the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States, proposed as aforesaid, has also bean
ratified by newly constituted and newIy-es.
tablished bodies avowing themselves 10 be.
and acting as, the legislatures, respectively.
Of the States Of Arkansas, Florida, North Oar
olina, louisiana, South Carolina, aud Ala.
bama;
And whereas it further appears from official
documents on file in this Department that the
Legislatures OF two ofthe States first above emu
meraHd, to wit: OHIO and New Jersey, have
since passed resolutions respectively withdraw
ing the consent of each of said States to the
a matter OF doubt and uncertainty whether such
resolutions are not irregular, invalid, and
Intellectual for Withdrawing the CON-
sent Of the said two States or Of either of them.
to the aforesaid amendment;
And whereas the whole number of States in
the United States is thirty-seyen, to wit. New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island.
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Penn
Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Vermont.
Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana. Indi.
ana, Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine,
Missouri, Arkansas, Michigan. Florida, Texas.
Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, California, Ore
gon, Kansas, West Virginia, Nevada and Ne.
braska;
And whereas the twenty-three States first
named, whose Legislatures have
Ratified the said proposed amendment, and the
six States next thereafter named, as having
ratified the said proposed amendment by newly
constituted and established legislative bodies.
together constitute three fourths of the whole
number Of States in the United States:
Now, therefore, be It known that I, William
IL. Seward, Secretary of State Of the United
States, by virtue and inpursuance of the second
section OF the act Of Congress, approved the
twentieth Of April. eighteen hundred ana
eighteen, hereinbefore cited, do hereby certify
that II the resolutions of the Legislatures of
Ohio and New Jersey ratifying the aforesaid
amendment are TO be deemed as remaining of
ftan fAroS and aff.n