Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-07-18


yoAd the reach OF usurpstion, and remove from
toe LeEslataye and Judicial Departments
every temptation to combine tor the absorp-
lion OF all the powers OF Governneat II
has occurred 70 ma, that IN the event Of suoh
q vacancy. the duties Of President would de.
volve most appropriately upon some one of the
heads Of the several executive departments;
and under this conviction, present for your
ton on this subject, with the recommen alton
that it be submitted 70 the people for their ac-
tiOn. -tI -
Experience seems TO have established the ne.
cessity of an amendment OF that clause of the
CONSTITUTION which provides tor the election of
Senator'S 70 OopGress by the Legislatures Of the
with the genius Of our form Of government il
the Senators were chosen directiy by tue peo.
pie OF the several States. The objections to the
paipabe that deem I. w uunecesssrV to do s more Ss
than submit the proposition for such an amend.
ment, with the Recommendation that it be
opened to the people for their Judgment.
tenure Of of1ce By the jndiciary Of fhs Unitsd
States during good beha vior, or for life, is in :
compatible with the spirit OF Republican gov
tanned by the evidence OF popular Judgment
upon this snh6ect in the different States of the
Union. q 30 .. ID
L therefore deem it nv duty to recommend
an amendmenttO to the Constitution, by which the
terms of the judicial officers would % limited
to period Of years, and herewith present IN,
In the hope that Congress will submit 1t tC the
people Tor their decision.
The foregoing views have long been enter.
ia.ned by me. In lS45, in the House OF Repre-
sentatives, and afterw atds, In 1S6D. In the Sen.
H. iy the rame propositions as those to " hich
the attention Of Congress is herein invited.
Time, observation and experience have con.
hrmed these convictions; and as matter OF
pubic duty, and with a deep sense Of my con-
stitutional obligation Uto recommend to the
consideration of Congress such nneasures''as [
may deem necessary and expedient,"I sub-
init the accompanying propositions, and urge
their adoption and submission to the Judg ment
of the people. ANDREW JOHNSON.
WASHINGTON, ID. c., July 1s, 1865.
JOINT REsoLUTIoN proposing amendments to
the Constitution Of the United States.
whereas the fifth article Of the Constitution
Of the United States provides tor amendments
thereto in the manner following, viz:
]. Congress, whenever tW0.thirds of both
Houses shall deem ii necessary, shall propose
amendments to the Constitution, or on the ap.
piicaiion it Of the Legislatures Of two.tnirds
convention for proposing amendments
which, in either case, shall be valid to
all intents and purposes, as part of this Con-
,ls%Sn when ~ ratified by the egslatures OF
ventions in three. .fourths thereof, as the one or
the ether mode Of ratification may be proposed
by Congress; provided that no amendment
which may be made prior to the year one thou
sand eight hundred and eight shall in any,
manner affect the first and fourth clauses IN the
ninth section Of the first article; and that no
State, without its consent shall be deprived
OF Its equal suffrage in the Senate: Therefore
BE Il reSOlred by the Senate and House of Repre-
entatives Of the United States of Ameyica IN Con-
gress assembled, (two.thirds of both Houses con.
the Constitution Of the United States be pro.
posed TO the Legislatures Of the United State
which, when ratified by the Legislatures OF
three-fourths of the States, shall be valid TO all
n f.n rs n Nn~H zf
ton:
That hereafter the President and Vice. .Preei.
dent OF the United States shall be chosen for
the term OF six years by the people of the
ing Each State shall be divided by the
Legislature rs thereof; in districts equal in mum
Der to the whole number Of Senators and Rep
resenrafives 10 which suth State may be entitled
in The Congress of the United States: the said
districts TO be composed of contiguous tern.
tory. and 10 contain, as nearly as may be, M
equal number of persons entitled to be repre.
sented under the Constitution, and to be fa,d
or, for the drst time, Immediately after the
ratification of this amendment; that. on the
FIRST Thursday in August in the year eighteen
hundred -, and on the same day every
sixth year thereafter the citizens of each
State who possess the qualifications requi.
site for electors Of the most numerous
branch Of the State LEGISLATURES shall meet
within their respective districts, and vote for a
President and Vice President Of the United
States; and the person receiving the greatest
number OF votes for President, and the one re.
eeiying the greatest number Of votes for Vice
President in each district shall be held to have
r. ceived one vote; which fact shall 0e immedi.
ately certified by the Governor Of the State, to
STATE, and to the President Of the Senate and the
Speaker Of the House Of Representatives. The
Congress OF the United States shall be in ses.
sion on the second Monday IN October, in the
same day on every sixth year thereafter; and
the President OF the Senate, in the pre5ence Of
the Senate and House Of Representatives, shall
open all The certificates, and the votes shall
then be counted. The person having the great
est number o{ votes for President shall be
President, II such number be equal to 6 ma.
IOrity OF the whole number Of votes given
second election shall be held on the
Arst Thursday in the month OF December then
next ensuing between the persons having
the two highest numbers for the ONCE
Of President; which second election shall be
conducted. the result certified, and the votes
counted, In the same manner as in the first; and
the person having the greatest number OF votes
more persons shall have received the greatest,
and an equal numberof votes, at the second cleo.
non, then the person " no shall have received the
greatest number Of votes in the greatest mum.
Der OF States, shall be President" The person
having the greatest number Of votes for Vice
President, at the first election, shall be Vice
President, il such number be equal to ma.
jorty Of the whole number Of votes gwen; and,
eleVstoa shah take place between the per.
sons having the two highest numbers, on
the same day that the second election
is held for President: and the person
having the highest number iof votes tor Vice
President ehali be Vice President But IL there
should happen TO be an equality OF votes b.
tween the persons voted TOR al the second
election, then the person having the greatest
number OF States shall be Viee President; but.
when q akecond election shall be necessary in
the case Of Vice President, and not necessary
In the case OF President then the Senate shall
choose a Vice President from the persons
having the two highest numbers in the first
election, as in now prescribed IN the Constitu-
ton; provided that, after the ratification Of this
amen dment to the Consultation, the President
and Vice President shall hold their ofRces re.
spectively for the term Of six years, and
that no President or Vice Presidenf shall
be eligible for reelection to secoud term
Sec. 2. And be IL further resOired, That artl.
Gle II, section ., paragraph 6, Of the Oonsti.
tuition OF the United States, shall be amend, d
30 a. to read as follows:
In case Of the removal OF the President from
office, or OF his death, or resignation, or in.
ability 10 discharge the powers and duties of
said once, the same shall devolve on the Vice
President, and in the case OF the removal,
death. resignation or inability both of the
President and Vice President, the powers and
duties of said ONCE shall devolve upou the
Secretary Of State for the time being
and afier this oficer, in case of VI.
esncy in that or 10 other departments,
and In the order in which they are named. ON
the Secretary Of the Tressury, on the Secretary
Secretary OF the Interior, or the Postmast.r
Genernl, and on the Attorney General, and
N Oh ofHner ON whom the powers and dn,,a.