The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1903-08-12
FOURTEENTH AMENDMENT.
Justice MilleIr's Exposure of The
Method of It's Adoption.

Frederick's Hall, Va, July 18th, 1893.
Editor Of The Times Dispatch
Sir.-While SO much is being said
and done by people who have no es-
pecial love. for Virginia or the South,
In order that the Constitution OF our
State may be torn down and that the
fair name of the Old Dominion thus
besmirched and held up to the ridi-
cule of the world. would it not be
well to consider the manner and
means through and by which several
amendments TO sfe Federal Constitu-
ton were adopted. especially those
which were the ouscomelof the Civil
war and the reconstruction period
which Immediately followed it?
According TO Mr.. Justice Miller,
late associate justice of the Supreme
Court of the United States, the
thirteenth amendment was proposed to
the States by Congress by joint reso-
luton February LIST, 1865, before the
close Of the war and was promuigat-
ed by the Secretary OF State, pursuant
to law, as part of the Constitution,
December 18th, having received the
assent Of the Legislatures of twenty
seven States, being three-fourths of
the States In all This
amendment relates entirely to slavery
and Involuntary serYitude, which II
aboiisnes. p
The Fourteenth Amendment was
submitted by Congress to the States
June 18th, 1885, after the majority IN
that body and President johnson had
separated on the question of recon
struction. Mr.. Seward, the Secretary
Of State. issued two promulgations OF
this amendment The first, dated July
10th. 1868. Is recited that no law ex-
pressIy or by conclusive Implication
authorizes the Secretary of State to
determine doubtful questions as to the
authenticity of the organization OF
State LegisIa lures, or as to the power
of any State Legislature to recall a
previous act or resolution of ratlhca-
tom of any amendment proposed to
the Constitution. It further reclted
that the assent of Arkansas, Florida,
North Carolina, Louisiana, South
Carolina and Alabama had been given
by newly constituted and newly es-
tablished bodies, avoWing themselves
TO be and acting as the Legislatures
respectively OF those States, and that
the assent of Ohio and New Jersey,
once given, had been withdrawn by
subsequent resolution OF their Legls-
Iatures, and that it was deemed mat
ter OF doubt and uncertainty whether
such resolutions are not Irregular, IN
valid, and therefore Intellectual for
withdrawing the consent Of the said
t9o States.
The document closed by saying that
If the resolutions of the Legislatures
OF Ohio and New Jersey, ratifying the
aforesaid amendment, are to be DEEM
ed as remaining of full force and
effect, then the aforesaid amendment
has been ratified.
"This document, issued on the Goth
Of June, 1868, was not accompanied
by the order of publication required
by the act of April 20, 1913. On the
next dav, June q, 1858, Congress, by
;oint resolution, resolved: Whereas,
the Legislature of the States of New
Jersey. Ohio, Arkansas, Florida,
North Carolina, Alabama, South Caro-
lima and LouisiaDa-namlng twenty
nine States, including the Southern
States, supposed doubtful, and the
Northern States, New jersey and
Ohio. which withdrew their
ratifications (before the result
was known Or obtained, the votes
If all were counted in, making
mn the two-thirds' majority required
by the Constitution), have satisfied
the Fourteenth amendment; there
fore,