, 1868-09-25
sBG'alIa agalIa gtatesalatl.
OFFICIAL.
Avs or TIE UNITED STATES.

Passed al the Second Session Of the Eortieth Con
gress.
PUBLIc-No. Al.
An Acr to admit the States Of North Carolina,
South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama,
and Florida, to representation in Congress.
Whereas the people of North Carolina, South
Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and
Florida have iu pursuance of the provisions of
an act entitled =" An act for the more efficient
government Of the rebel States" passed March
second, eighteen hundred and sixty seven, and
the acts supplementary thereto, framed constitu'
tons of State government which are republican,
and have adopted said constitutions by large
maiorities of the votes cast at the elections held
for the ratification or fejection of the same:
Therefore,
Be IL enacted Jy tie Senate and House Of Repre-,
seatafiues of Tie United States Of America in Con-
qress assembled, That each of the States of North
Carolina South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia,
Alabama, and Florida, shall be entitled and ads
mitted to representation in Congress as State
of the Union when the legislature of such State
shall have duly ratified the amendment to the
Constitution OF the United States proposed 6y
the thirty ninth Congress, and known as article
fourteen, upon the following fundamental con-
ditOns Thatthe constitutions of neither of said
States shall ever be so amended or changed
to deprive any citizen or class OF citizens OF the
United States of the right to vote IN said State,
who entitled 10 vote DJ tue
thereof herein recognized, except as a punish
neut for such crimes as are now felonies at com
mon law, whereof they shall have been duly
convicted under laws equally applicable to all
the inhabitants of said State PrOUided That any
alteration of said constitution may be made with
regard to the time and place Of residence OF
voters and the State Of Georgia shall only be
entitled and admitted to representation upon this
further fundamental condition that the first
81 ,irI anil a gpVp of
the fifth article Of the constitution of said State,
except the prJvIso to the first subdivision, shall
be null and void, and tina; the general assembly
of said State by solemn public act shall declare
the assent Of tie State to the foregoing funda-
mental condition.
SEC. ?. IRfJe IL further enacted, That, if the
dav nAeI for the first meeting of the legislature
of either OF said States by the constitution or
ordinance thereof shall have passed or have so
nearly arrived before the passage of this act that
there shall not be time tor the legislature to ass
srube at the period fixed, such legislature shall
convene at the end Of twenty days from the time
this act takes effect, unless the governor elect
shall sooner convene the same.
SEC. 3, And be il frriLer enacted That the
Grst section of this shall take effect as to each
State, except Georgia, when such State shall, by
its legislature, duly ratiy article fourteen of The
amendments to the Constitution Of the United
States, proposed by the thirty ninth Congress,
and as to the State of Georgia when it shall in
addition give the assent OF said State to the fun
dameutal condition hereinbeiore imposed upon
the same and thereupou the officers Of each
State duly elected and qualified under the CON
stituton thereof shall be inaugurated without
delay; but no person prohibited from holding
Office under the United States, or under any
State, by section three of the proposed amend
ment to the Constitution OF the United States,
known as article fourteen, shall be deemed ELI
gibIe to any Office in either Of said States unless
relieved from disability as provided in said
amendment and tits hereby made the duty of the
President within ten days after receiving Off
cial information Of the ratification Of said amend.
ment by the legislature Of either of said States
10 issue a proclamation announcing that fact.
SCHUYLER COLFAX
Speaker OF the House Of Representatives,.
B. F. WADE.
President of the Senate pro tempore,
liz THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES,, L, s.,
Sune 25th, 1868.
The President Of the United States, having re-
turned to the House of Representatives, in which
it originated, the bill entitled 4" An act to admit
the States of North Caroliul, South Carolina,
Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida to
representation in Congress" with his objections
thereto, the House OF Representatives proceeded,
in pursuance OF the Consultation, TO reconsider
the same; and
ReSOirt2, That the Sald blll DO pass, Two thlrds
Of the House OF Representatives agreeing to pas:
The same. EDWD. MCPHERSON
Attest: Clerk H..R. U. S.
Is SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES,
June 2jth, 1868.
The Senate having proceeded, in pursuance o
the Cons ,itution, to reconsider the bill entitled
{" An act to admit The States of North Carolina
South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama
and Florida to representation IN Congress" re
turned to the House of Representatives by th
President of the United States, with his objec
tious and sent by the House OF Representative
to the Senate, with the message of the Presiden
returning the bill
ReSolCcd, That the bill do pass, two-tbirds o
the Senate agreeing to pass the same.
Attest; GEO. c. GORHAM,
Secretary OF the Senate.