The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-02-17

rebellion against the same, or given
aid or comfort to the enemies thereof
But Congress may, by vote of two
i thirds of each House, remove such
disability. @ - $"
SEC 4 The validity of the public
4 debt of the United States, authorized
by law, including debts incurred feI
payment of pensions and bounties for
services in suppressing insurrection
or rebellion, shall not be questioned.
! But neither the United States nor any
State shall assume or pay any debt or
BobligatioH incurred in aid of insur-
reetIen 3rrebellion against the United
States, 81. any claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave; but all
such debts, obligations, and claims
shall be held illegal and void.
~ Sec. b. The Congress shall have
power to enforce, by appropriate leg
islation, the provisions of this article.
zeasas SCHUYLER CoLFAx.
Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives. ts
LAFAYETTE s. FOSTER.
President of the Senate pro tenn
Z" Attest:
EDWIN MCPHERSON, Clerk of
| the House of Representatives.
j. W. FORNEY, SecretoFy of the
Senate"
And whereas by the second section
of the act of Congress, approved the
twentieth of April, one thousand
eight hundred and eighteen, entitled
An act to provide for the publica-
ton of the laws of the United States,
and for other purposes" it is made
the duty of the Secretary of State
forthwith to cause any amendment to
the Constitution of the United States,
which has been adopted according to
the provisions of the said Constitu-
ton, to be published in the news
papers authorized to promulgate the
laws. with his certificate specifying
the States by which the same may
have been adopted, and that the same
has become valid, to all intents and
purposes, as part of the COnstitu-
ton of the United States;
And whereas neither the act lust
quoted from, nor any other law, ex-
pressly or by conclusive Implication,
authorizes the Secretary of State to
determine and decide doubtful ques-
tons as to the authenticity of the or
ganizatiOn of State legislatures, or as
to the power of any State legislature
to recall previous act or resolution
OF ratification of any amendment pro-
posed to the Constitution;
And whereas It appears from official
documents on file in this Department
that the anne ndment to the Gonstitu-
ton of the United States, proposed
as aforesaid, has been ratified by the
legislatures of the States of Connec-
ticut, New Hampshire, Tennessee,
New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont, New
York, Ohio, Illinois, West Virginia,
Kan sas, Maine, Nevada, Missouri, In
diana, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Wis
cousin, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Mas
sachusetts, Nebraska, and Iowa;
And whereas sit further appears
from documents on file in this De-
partment that the amendment to the
Constitution of the United States.
proposed as aforesaid, has also been
ratified by newly constituted and
newly established bodies avowing
themselves to be and acting as the |
legislatures, respectively of the States
of Arkansas, Florida, North Caro-
lima, Louisiana, South Carolina and
Alabama
g Aud whereas, it further appears
from official documents on file In this
Department that the legislatures of
two of the States first above enumer-
ated, to-wit, Ohio and New Jersey.
have since passed resolutions respect
lively Withdrawing the consent of each
of said States TO the aforesaid amend
ment; and whereas, it is deemed 4
matter of doubt and uncertainty
whether such resolutions are not IT.
regular. invalid, aud therefore inef- |
fectual for Withdrawing the consent of
the said two States, or of either of
them, to the aforesaid amendment;
And whereas the whole number of
States in the United States is thirty
seven, to-wit: New Hampshire, Mas
sachusetts. Rhode Island, Connecti-
cut, New York, New Jersey, Penn
sylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Vir-
glnla, North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, Vermont, Kentucky,
Tennessee, Ohio, Louisiana, Indiana,
Mississippi, Illinois, Alabama, Maine,
Missouri. Arkansas, Michigan, Flor
ida. Texas, Iowa. Wisconsin, Minueso-
ia, California, Oregon. Kansas, West
Virginia, Nevada and Nebraska.
And whereas the twenty-three
States first hereinbefore named,
whose legislatures have ratified the
said proposed amendment, and the
six States next thereafter named, as
having ratified the said proposed
amendment by newly constituted and
established legislative bodies, to-
gether constitute three-fOurths of the
whole number OF States of the United
States
Now, therefore, be it known that |,
WILLIAM I'll. SEWARD, Secretary of
State of the United States. by virtue
and In pursuance of the second sec
ton of the act of Congress, approved
the twentieth of April, eighteen hun
dred and eighteen, hereinbefore cited,
do hereby certify that If the resolu-
tions of the legislatures of Ohio and
New Jersey ratiiying the aforesaid
amendment are to be deemed as re-
naming of full force and effect, not
withstanding the subsequent resolu-
tons of the legislatures of those
States, which purpOrt to withdraw the
consent of said States from such rati-
fication, then the aforesaid amend
ment has been ratified In the manner
hereInbefore mentioned, and so has
become valid, to alt intents and pur-
poses. as a part Of the Constitution of
the United States.
In testimony whereof, have here
unto set my hand, and caused the
seal of the Department Of State to be
affixed.
Done at the city of Washington,
this twentieth day of July, in the
year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and sixty eight, and of the
Independence of the United States of
America the ninety third.