Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 15.djvu/738

 706 APPENDIX. No. 11. WILLIAM H. SEWARD, SECRETARY OF STATE OF THE UNITED STATES, July 20, 1868. TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS MAY comm, Gnmmrmcs VVIIEREAS the Congress of the United States, on or about the sixteenth of P"‘”‘mbl°‘ June, in the year one thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, passed a resolution which is in the words and figures following. to wit : -— " JOINT RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES. " Be it resolver] by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States Vol XW- P- of America in Congress assembled, (two thirds of both Houses concurring), That 858‘ the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which when ratified by three fourths of said legislatures, shall be valid as part of the Constitutionr namely:- “ARTICLE XIV. " SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws. " SECTION 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any eleelion for the choice of electors for President and Vice-l’i·esident of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of the legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State. " Siwrmrr 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Viee—Presialent, or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as n member of Congress, or as an olhcer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial olliuer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may. by a vote of two thirds of each House, remove such disability. " SECTION 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by lztw, including debts incurred for 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 obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void. " SECTION 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. “ SCIIUYLER COLFAX, “ Spea/cer of the Home of Representatives. " LA FAYETTE S. FOSTER, " President of the Senate pro tempore. “ Attest: ·‘ Clerk of the House of Representatives. “J. W. Former, “ Secretary of the Senate."
 * · Eowo. McPnmzso>r,