Year: 1870




WAsHINGToN, January p The
following is the Virginia bill. as it
passed the Senate:


An act to admit the State Of Vir-
ginia to representation in the Con-
gress of the United States.


WHEREAS. The people of Virginia
have framed and adopted COnstitu-
ton Of State Government which is
Republican; and whereas. the Legis-
lature of Virginia, elected under said
Constitution, have ratified the Four
teenth and Fifteenth Amendments to
the Constitution of the United States;
and


WHEREAS. The performance Of the
several acts in good faith was con-
dition precedent to the representation
of the State in Congress; therefore,


Be it enacted, &c, That the said
State Of Virginia is entitled to repre-
sentation in the Congress Of the
United States; provided, that before
any member Of the Legislature of said
State shall take or resume his seat, or
any officer of said State shall enter
upon the duties OF MS office. he shall
take and subscribe and file In the
Office of the Secretary of State of Vir-
ginia, for permanent preservation, an
oath in the form following:


II -, do solemnly swear, that
I have never taken an oath as q mem
Der of Congress, or as an officer of
the United States, or as member of
any State Legislature, or as an execu
tive or judicial officer of any State,
to support the Constitution of the
United States and afterwards engaged
in insurrection or rebellion against
the same, or given aid or comfort to
the enemies thereof. So help me
God"


Or snch person shall in like man
ner. take, subscribe, and file the fol-
lowing oath:


do solemnly swear, that
. [ have, by an act of Congress Of the
United States, been relieved from the
disabilities imposed on me by the
Fourteenth Amendment to the Con
stitution of the United States. so
help me God


Which oath shall be taken before,
and certified to by any officer lawfully
authorized TO administer oaths; and
any person who shall knowingly swear
falsely in taking either of such 0aths,
shall be deemed guilty of perjury, and
shall be punished therefor by impris-
onment not less than one year and
not more than ten years, and shall be
fined not less than 81 900 and not
more than $4,000, and in all trials
for any violation of this act the GER
tifcates OF taking either of said oaths.
with the proof of signatare of either
party accused, shall be taken and held
as conclusive evidence that such oath,
was lawfully aud regularly admins
tered by competent authority; AMI
provided further, that every such per-
son who shall neglect for a period OF
/ thirty days next after the passage
1 Of this act, to take. subscribe
and file such oath as aforesaid,
i shall be deemed and taken to all IN i.
/ tents and purposes to have vacated
his Office; and provided, further, that
the State of Virginia is admitted to
representation in Congress upon the
/ following fundamental conditions: !:
That the Constitution Of Virginia shall
never be so amended or changed as to
/ deprive any citizen or class OF cltl-
/ zens of the United States of the right
to vote who are entitled to vote by
the Constitution herein recognized,
except as punishment Tor
such crimes as are now felonies at
common law whereof they shall have
been duly convicted, under laws
equally applicable to all the lnhabi-


tants of said State, provided that any
alteration Of said Constitution, pro
scriptive in its effects, may be made
in regard to the time and place of the
residence of the voter, that it shall


never be lawful for the same Stats


to deprive any citizen of the United


States, on account of his race, color


or previous condition of seryitude


of the right to hold Office under The


Constitution aud laws of said State OF


upon any such grounds to require Q.


them any other qualification for ofie'


than such as is required of al! othel
citizens that the Constitution Of Vir-


ginia shall never be so amended o.


changed as to deprive any citizen o.


class of citizens of the United Sta tei
of the school right and privileges Sc
,, cured by the Constitution of sale
State.