Chap. 46.—Joint Resolution in relation to the Constitutional Amend-
ment.

Adopted January 9, 1867.

Whereas the governor of the’state has informed this gene-
ral assembly that, on the sixteenth of June last, the secretary
of state of the United States forwarded to him an official
copy of a joint resolution of Congress, proposing an amend-
ment to the constitution of the United States; which jo
resolution is in the following words:

“ Be it resolved by the senate and house of representatives
of the United States of America in congress assembled, (two-
thirds of both houses concurring), That 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 constitution, namely:

Ҥ 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. Ne
state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; not
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.

““§ 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the
several states according to their respettive numbers, count:
ing the whole number of persons in. each state, excluding
Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any elec-
tion for the choice of electors for president and vice-presi-
dent 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 inhabi-
tants of such state, being twenty-one years of age and citi-
zens of the United States, or in any way abridged, except for
participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of repre-
sentation therein shall be reduced in the proportion whiéh the
number of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number
of male citizens, twenty-one years of age in such state.

Ҥ 3. No person shall be a senator or representative. in
congress, or elector of president and vice-president, or hold
any ofiice, civil or military, under the United States, or under
any state, who, having previously taken an oath as a member
of congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a
member of any state legislature, or as an executive or judi-
cial officer of any state, to support the constitution of the
United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebel-
lion against the same, or given aid and comfort to the ene-
mies thereof; but congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of
each house, remove such disability. °

Ҥ 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment. of
pensions and bounties for services in suppressing insurrection
and rebellion, shall not be questioned; but neither the United
States nor any state shall assume or pay any debt or obliga-
tion 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 or claims, shall be
held illegal and void. : |

‘““§ 5. The congress shall have power to enforce, by appro-
priate legislation, the provisions of this article.” |

1. Be it resolved by this general assembly, That they do
10t ratify the said proposed amendment to the constitution
»f the United States. 7 : |

2. That the foregoing preamble and regolution be commu-
licated to the governor of the state, with a request that he
ransmit a copy thereof to the secretary of state of the
Jnited States. :