Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-06-18

The Restoration of the Southern States.
The following is the "ominous" bill
re.admitting the States of North and
South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia,
Alabama and3Florida, as finally past
last Friday, and sent to the President:
WHEREAS, the people of North. Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia,
Alabama and Florida have, in pursuance
of the provisions Of an act entitled IAN
act for the more efficient government of
the rebel States" passed March 2, 1867,
and the acts supplementary thereto, franz
ed constitutions of State government,
which are Republican, and have adopt
of the votes cast at the elections held for
the ratification orrepealing of the same.
Therefore, be IL enacted, That each of
the States of North Carolina, South Car
olina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and
Florida shall be entitled and admitted
to represen tation 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 by the thirty
ninth Congress, and known as Article
IA, upon the following fundamental con-
ditions:
EOECIlON lub thC SODoblbubiOh VI
neither of said States shall ever be SO
amended or changed as to deprive any
citizen or class of citizens of the United
States of the right to vote in said State
who are entitled to vote by the Consti-
tuition thereof herein recognized, except
as in punishment of such crimes as are
now felonies at common law, whereof
they shall have been duly convicted un-
der laws equally applicable to all the
inhabitants of said State; Provided, that
any alteration of said Constitutions
prospective in its effect, may be made
with regard to the time and place of res
idence of voters; and the State of Geor-
gia shall only be entitled and admitted
to representation upon this further fun
damental condition: That the first and
third subdivisions of Section II of the
9th Article of the Constitution of said
State, except the proviso to the first
subdivision, shall be null and void, and
that the General Assembly of said State,
by solemn public act, shall declare the
assent of the State to the foregoing fun
damental condition.
SEC. 2. That If the day fixed for the
first meeting of the Legislature of either
of said States by the Constitution or
ordinance thereof shall have passed, or
SO nearly arrived, before the passage of
UDlS dCJ JiidU lucIc oiluli llOb Dc tlllc loi
the Legislature to assemble at the peri
od fixed, such Legislature shall convene
at the end of twenty days from the time
this act takes. effect. unless the Governor
of the State sooner convene the same.
SEC. 3. That the first section of this
act shall take effect rs to each State, eX-
cept Georgia, when each State SHALL. by
its Legislature, duly ratify Article IA
of the amendment of the Constitution
of the United States, proposed by the
Thirty-ninth Congress- and as to the
State of Georgia, when it shall in adj
dition, give the assent Of said State to
the fundamental condition herein before
imposed upon the same, and thereupon
the officers of each State duly elected
and qualified under the Constitution
thereof sbnll be inagurated without de.
lay; but no person prohibited from hold
| ing Office under the United States, OF
under any State, by section 3 of the pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution OF
the United States, known as Article II,
shall be deemed eligible to any Office in
either of said States, unless relieved from
disability as provided in said amend
ment; and 1t is hereby made the duty oi
| the President, within ten days after re.
ceiving official information OF the ratifl
cation of said amendment by the Legis
| lature of either of said States, to issue {
proclamation announcing that fact.