The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-07-21
Washington, d. G., July is, 1868.

Joint Resolution proposing amendments 10
the Constitution Of the United States.
Whereas the fifth article of the Constitu-
ton of the United States provides for
amendments thereto in the manner follow
ing-viz.,
/. Congress, whenever two-thirds of both
Houses shall deem it necessary, shall pro-
pose amendments to the Constitution, or on
the application of the Legislatures Of two
thirds of the several States shall call a
convention for proposing amendments
which, in either case, shall be valid to all
intents and purposes rs part of this Constl-
tuition when ratified by the Legislatures OF
thrce-fourths of the several States, or by
conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the
one or the other mode of ratification may
be proposed by Congress: Provided, that no
amendment which may be made prior to
the year one thousand eight hundred and
eight shall in any manner affect the first
and fourth clauses in the ninth section of
the first article: and that no State without
its consent shall be deprived Of its equal
suffrage in the Senate; therefore
BE it resolued by the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States Of
.Alnerica IN Congress assembled (two-thirds
of both Houses concurring), That the fol
lowing amendments to the Constitution OF
the United States be proposed to the Legis-
latures of the United States, which, when
ratified by the Legislatures of three tourths
of the States, shall be valid to all lntents
and purposes as part of the Constitution :
That hereafter the President and Vice
President of the United States shall be
chosen for the term Of six years by the peo-
pie Of the respective States in the manner
following: Each State shall be divided by
the Legislature thereof in districts equal IN
number to the whole number Of senators
and representatives to which such State
may be entitled in the Congress OF the
United States the said districts to be COM
posed of contiguous territory, and to con-
tain as nearly as may be an equal num-
Der of persons entitled to be represented
under the Constitution, and to be laid OFT,
for the first time, Immediately after the
ratification of this amendment that on the
first Thursday in August, in the year elgh-
teen hundred -, and on the same day
every sixth year thereafter the citizens OF
each State who possess the qualifications
requisite iOT tleClOl VI liIN LloSt 5iuhhSt wa
branch of State Legislatures shall meet
within their respective districts, and vote
for a President and Fice-President of the
United States and the person receiving
the greatest number Of votes for President
and the one receiving the greatest number
Of votes for Yice-President in each district
shall be held to have received one vote !;
which fact shall be Immediately certified
by the Governor Of the State to each OF the
senators in Congress from such State, anu
70 the President of the Senate ana the
Sneaker of the House of Representatives.
The Congress of the United States shall be
in session on the second Monday in Octo-
her in the year eighteen hundred -,
and on the same day every sixth year
and the President OF the
Senate, in the presence OF the Senate
and the House Of Representatives, shall
omen all the certificates, and the votes shall
then be counted. The person having the
greatest number of votes for President
Shall be President, if such number be equal
to a majority of the whole number OF votes
giyen; but if no person have such majority,
then second election shall be held on the
first Thursday in the month of December
then next ensuing between the persons
having the two highest numbers for the
Office of President which second election
shall be conducted, the result certified, ana
the votes counted in the same manner US In
the first and the person having the great
eat number of votes for President Shall be
President. But if two or more persons
shall have received the greatest and an
equal number of votes at the second elee-