The Montana post., 1868-02-29
roUarKENrH AMENDMENT.

The action of the Ohio and New Jer-
sey Legislatures in passing resolutions
resembling the ratification of the 14th
article ofthe amendment to the Consti-
tuition of the United States cases with
out precedent or express statutory in
structions covering the point in issue,
is likely to develop into question that
will enter largely into the discussions of
the coming campaign. In view of the
position taken by number of Demo
cratic organs and politicians in favor of
repudiation of the national debt, and the
declaration in the amendment +" that its
validity shall not be questioned" and
the fact that every Democratic member
of Congress voted against il. they are
necessitated by due regard for consist
ency of action, to take, as they have
done the earliest opportunity 10 place
themselves on the record against that
ayCwal, and to prevent il becoming a
portion of the Federal Constitution.
The following is copy of the Resolu-
tion amended and passed at the summer
session of Congress in 1867, proposingit
as the 14th article of amendment to the
Constitution, in accordance with the 4th
article of the Constitution. The vote
stood, in the Senate, ayes, 80, nays, II ;;
in the House. yeas, 13S, nays, &c. It
was submitted TO the Governors of the
several States, June 20, 1867: .E-.
Bdt enacted 6y tie Senate and House of
Representatives Of the United States Of
Amcricd an Congress assembled (two-
thirds of both houses concurringl That
the following article be proposed to the
Legislatures of the several States as an
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, which, when ratified by
three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall
be valid as part of the Constitution,
namely: .-..r
ARTICLE XIV.-SECTIoN 1. All per.
sons born or naturalized in the United
States and subject to the jurisdiction
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 deprive any
person of life, liberty OF property, with
person within it's jurisdiction the equal
protection of the laws. 1s1ui I--f--
SEC. 9. Representatives shall be ap-
portioned among the several States ac-
cording to their respective numbers,
counting the whole number of persons
in each State, excluding Indians not
taxed. But when the right to vote at
any election for the choice of Electors
for President and Vice President of the
United States, Representatives in Con-
gress, the executive and judicial officers
of a State, or the members of the Legis-I
lature thereof IS denied to any of the
male inhabitants of such State, being
twenty-one years of age and citizens OF
the United States, or in any way abridg-
ed, except for participation in rebellion
or other crime, the basis of representa-
ton therein shall be reduced in proper
ton which the number of such male
citizens shall bear to the whole number
of male citizens twenty-one years of age
in such State. rrrlI. .-sIrl11fs =
SEC. 3. No person shall be Senator
or representative in Congress, or eleetor
of President and Vice President, or hold
any Office, civil or military, under the
United States or under any State, who,
having previously taken an oath, as a
member of Congress. or as an officer of
the United States or as a member of any
State Legislature, or as an executive or
judicial officer of any State, TO support
the Constitution Of the United States,
shall have engaged in instruction or
rebellion against the same, or given aid
and comfort to the enemies thereof, But
Congress may, by vote of two-thirds OF
each House, remove such disability.
SIC. A. The validity of the public
debt of the United States authorized by
law, including debts incurred for pay
ment of pensions and bounties for SER
vices in suppressing insurrection and
rebellion. shall not be questioned But
neither the United States nor any State
shall assume or pay any debt or obliga-
ton incurred in aid of iusurrection or
rebellion against the United States, or