Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1870-01-27
Special Dispatch to the Baltimore Sun J
ADMISSION OF VIRGINIA.

L
WASHINGTON. January 24-The guess
ton of the admission of Virginia is at last
settled. The House this afternoon, by a
party vote of136 to 81, concurred in the
amendments made by the Senate to the
House bill. This was in accordance with
the recommendations of the reconstruction
committee, Who decided at a meeting this
morning that while it was not as accept
able to the committee as the bill reported
originally by them, it was probably the
best plan to take one on which they be- /
lisyed the two houses would unite.
The debate in the House lasted an hour
and was very acrimonious between Messrs
Butler, FarnsYorth and Bingham, while
the home thrusts made at the proslavery
record of Butler by Gen. Farnsworth
elected shouts of laughter, mingled with
applause on the floor and in the galleries.
The debate on this measure has been more
prolonged than on any other of the many
reconstruction bills before Congress. 1t
has filled nearly two hundred columns of
the Congressional Globe.
As some mistakes have been made 10
copying the bill as it ca ne from the Senate
the following is corrected copy as it has
passed both houses, and as it will be laid
before the President tomorrow for his
approval: 80
An act to admit the State of Virginia to
representation in the Congress of the
United States.
Whereas the people of Virginia have
framed and adopted constitution Of State
government which is republican and
whereas the Legislature of Virginia,
elected under said constitution, have rat
fled the fourteenth sud fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution of the United
States = and whereas the. performance of
these several acts in good faith was COPS
dition precedent to the representation of
the State in Congress. -Therefore
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives. Of The United States of
America an Congress assembled. That
the said State of Virginia is entitled to
representation in the Congress ofthe Uni.
ted States; provided that before any menu
Der of the Legislature of said State shall
take or assume his seat. or any officer of
said State shall enter upon the duties Of
his office, he shall take and subscribe, and
file in the Office of the Secretary of State
of Virginia, for permanent preservation,
an oath in the form following; II -,
do solemnly swear that | have never taken
an cath as member of Congress, or as an
officer of the Uuited States, or member
of any State Legislature, or as an execu-
tive or judicial officer of any State, to sup
port tie constitution of the United States,
and afterwards engaged in instruction
or rebellion against the same, or given aid
or comfort to the enemies thereof. SO help
me God;" or such person shall in like
manner take, subscribe, and file the fcl-
lowing oath: II = =, solemnly swear
that L have, by act of Congress of the Uni
ted States, beea relieved from the disabil-
ties imposed upon me by the fourteenth
amendment of the constitution of the Uni
ted States, so help me God" which oath
shall be taken before and certified by any
officer lawfully authorized to administer
oaths. And any person who shall know
ingly swear falsely in taking either of such
oaths shall be deemed guilty of perjury.
and shall be punished therefor by i'm
prisonment not less than one year and not
more than ten years, and shall be fined DOT
less than 1000 and net more than SlO,-
GEO. Aud in all trials for any violation
of this act the certificate Of the taking of
either Of said oaths, with proof OF Tue
signature of the party accused. shall be
taken and held as conclusive evidenc tina
such oath was regularly and lawfully ad-
ministered by competent authority. And
provided further that every person who
shall neglect, for the period of thirty days
next after the passage of this act, to take,
subscribe and file such oaths aforesaid,
shall be deemed and taken, to all intents
and purposes, to have vacated his Office
And provided further, that the State Of
Virginia is admitted to representation 10
Congress as one of tie States of the Union
upon the following fundamental condition:
That the constitution of Virginia shall
never be SO amended or changed as to de-
prive any citlzea, or class of citizens, of
the United States Of the right to vote who
are entitled to vote by the constitution
herein recognized, except as a punishment
for such crimes as are now felonies at
common law whereof they shall huve been
duly convicted under law equally appIi-
cable to all the inhabitants of said State
Provided, that any alteration Of said con
stitution, prospective in its effects, may
be made in regard to the time and place
of residence of voters that it shall never,
be lawful for said State to deprive any
citizen. of the United Suites, on account Of
his race, color, or previous condition of
servitude: of the right to hold Office under
che constitution and laws of said State, or
upon any such ground to require of him
any other qualifications for office than
such as are required OF all other citizens -
That the constitution of Virginia shall
never be go amended or changed as to
deprive any citizen, or class of citizens Of
the United States of the school rights and
privileges secured by the constitution of
said State