Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1868-05-28

REcoNsTRucTIoN BILL TO ADMIT
FIVE SOUTHERN STATEs.-The following
hill for the admission of the Carolinas,
Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama, to
representation in Congress, was passed
on the 21st inst, by a party vote OF 13S
yeas to 35 nays:
| WHEREAS, The people of North
| Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana,
Georgia and Alabama have, in pursu-
ance of the provisions of on act entitled
San act for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States,' passed March
z, 1867, and the acts supplementary
thereto, framed Constitutions of State
Government which are republican in
form, and have adopted said Constitu-
tions by large majorities of the votes
cast at the elections held for the ratifi-
| cation or rejection of the same; there
FORE,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House
of Representatives in of the United
States of America in Congress assem-
bled, That the States of North Caro-
lima, South Carolina. Louisi ana, Georgia
and Alabama shall be entitled and ad-
mitted to representation in Con ress
as States of the Union when the legis-
latures of said States respectively shall
have duly ratified the amendment to the
Constitution of the United States pro-
posed by the Thirty ninth Congress, and
known as the fourteenth, upon the fol-
lowing, fundamental conditions:
That the Constitutions OF the said
States shall never be amended or
changed so as to discriminate in favor
or against any citizen or class
nj rf kh@
In their right to vote, who are
now entitled TO vote by said Constitu-
tions respectively, except as a punish
nent for such crimes as are now felo-
MES at common law, whereof they shall
have been duly convicted; and no per-
SON shall ever be held to service or labor
as a punishment for crime in said States,
except by public officers charged with
the custody of convicts by the laws
thereof, and that so much of the seven
teenth section OF the fifth article of the
Constitution of the State of Georgia
as gives authority to legislatures or
courts to repudiate debts contract
ed prior to the first day of June, 1865,
and similar provisions in all other of
the Constitutions mentioned in this bill,
shall be null and void as against all men
who were loyal during the whole time
VI Cuo LSDclliOu, duu VINO, curing CDaG
time, supported the Union, they shall
have the same rights in the courts and
elsewhere as if no rebellion had ever
existed.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted,
That if the day fixed for the meeting of
of the legislature of either of the said
States by the Constitution thereof shall
have passed before the passage of this
act, such legislature may be convened
within thirty days after the passage of
this act by the President of the Conven-.
ton which framed the Constitution for
such State.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted,
That the first section of this act shall
take effect when the President of the
United States shall officially proclaim
the due ratification by the legislatures
of said States respectively of article
" of the amendments to the Constitu-
ton of the United States proposed by the
Thirty ninth Congress, and it is hereby.
made the duty of the President, within
ten days after receiving Official infor-
nation of the ratification of said amend
ment by the legislature of either of the
said States to issue proclamation an
nouncing the fact.