The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-07-29
The Constitutional Amendments Proposed

The Constitutional Amendments Proposed
THE PRESIDENT.
Joint resolution proposing amendments to the Constr
tuition of the United States:
Whereas the fftieth article of the Constitution OF
the limited States provides for amendments thereto In
the manner following, viz:
Congress- whenever two-thlrds OF both Houses shali
deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to TINS
Constitution, the application OF the legislatures
of twothrds of the several States shall call conven
ton for proposing amendments which, in other cases.
shall be valid to all ntens and purposes parts OF
this Constitution when ratified by the Legislatures OF
hreefourhs of the several States by the conVen-
tons of three fourths thereof as the the other
mode of ratification may be proposed by Congress.
Provided no amendment which may be made prior to
the year 1903, G shall any manner affect the lstand
4h clauses in the 9th section Of the lst article, and no
such State without its consent shall be deprived of its
equal suffrage in the Senate. Therefore,
Resolved By the Senate and the House Of Representa-
ties ofthe United States of america IN Congress as
sen,Jled, teo thirds of both Houses concmramg That
the following amendments to the Constitution of the
United States be proposed to the Legislatures of the
several States which, when ratified by the Legislatures
of threefourths shall be valid to all intens and pur-
poses 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 people of the respective States in the
following: Each State shall be divided by the
Legislature thereof into 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 composed of
contiguous territory, and to contain, may
be- an equal number Of persons entitled be repre-
sented under the Constitution and to be laid off for
the first time Immediately after the ratification of this
amendment.
That on the first Thursday in August, IS, and on
the same day every year thereafter the citizens
tbo 1fEnntIn rp
of electors of the most numerous branch OF the state
legislature shall meet within their respective cstrcts
and vote for President and Vice President OF me
United States and the person receiving the greatest
numbez of votes for President and the receiving
the greatest number of votes for Vice President in
each district shall be holden to have received one VOTE
which fact shall be certified to by the Governor of the
State to each Of the Senators in Congress from such
State and to the President of the Senate, and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives. The Con-
gress of the United States shall be in session the
second Monday in October, in the year IS, and on
the same day every sixth year thereafter and the
President of the Senate in the presence of the Senate
and House of Representatives, shall open all the
tcates and the votes shall then be counted, and the
person having the greatest number of votes for Pres
dent shall be President, if such number be majority
of the whole number Of votes given. If no person
have such majority, then second election shall DE
held on the first Thursday in the month of December
then the next ensuing, between the two persons hav
ing the highest number for the office of President;
which second election shall be conducted and the
suit certified and the votes counted in the same man.
ner in the first and the person having the greatest
number of votes for President shall be President but
if two persons shall have received the great
est or equal number of votes at the second cleo
ton, then the person who shall receive the greatest
number OF votes in the greatest number of States the
two highest members in the first election, is
prescribed in the Constitution Provided that after
the ratification of this amendment the Constitution
the President and Vice President shall hold their Offices
respectively for term of six years. ard that no Pres
dent Vice President shall be eligible for reelection
to second term.
Sec. 2. And be 1t tuthe,. resozped That article 2,
section l. paragraph 6, of the Constitution of the
United States shall be amended so as to read as fol-
lows:
In case of the removal of the President from Office
or OF his DEATH resignation, inability to discharge
the powers and duties of the said office the same shall
devoye the Vice President In case of the death,
removal resignation inability both of the Presi-
dent and Vice President, the powers and duties of
said Office shall devoye the Secretary of State for
the time being and after this officer in of va
cancy in that or the other departments, and in the
der in which they named the Secretary of the
Treasury, on the Secretary Of War; the Secretary
of the Navy, the Secretary of the Interior en- the
Postmaster General and the Attorney General
And such officer whom the powers and duties of the
President shall devove in accordance with the orego
provisions SNAIL t]en act as PRESIDENT TIL the
ability shall be removed President shall be elected
as is or may be provided by the I'd section.
And be 1t further resolped, That art l. Sec 5, be
amended so to read as follows:
The Senate shall be composed of two Senators from
each State chosen by the persons qualified to for
members of the Legislature Thereof for six years and
each Senator shall have one vote
Sec. T. And be 1t further resozped, That art 2, Sec
1, be amended to read as follows:
Art. 3, Sec. 4. The Judicial power of the United
States shall be vested in supreme court, and in
such inferior courts the Congress from time to time
may ordain and establish. The judges of both supreme
and interior courts shall hold their Office lasting the
term OF twelve years. and shall at stated times receive
tor their services compensation which shall not be |
diminished during their continuance in office
And il shall be the duty Of the President of the
United States within twelve months after the ratica
ton of this amendment by three tourths of all the
States, as provided by the Constitution of the United
States, to divide the whole number of Judges as near
may be practicable, in three classes the seats of
the judges of the first class shall be vacated the end
Of the fourth year from such classification of the sec
ond class at the expiration Of the eighth year, of the
third class at the expiration of the twelfth year. so that
onehird may be chosen every four years thereafter
A WONDERFUL INvENT1oN.-We copy as follows
rom the New York Sun of the 18th =: