Chap. 2.—An ACT to ratify the Joint Resolution of Congress, passed
June 16, 1866, proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United

States of America. |
Approved October 8, 1869.

Whereas, it is provided by the constitution of the United |
States of America, that Congress may, whenever two-thirds
of both houses deem it necessary, propose amendments to the
same, to be ratified by the legislatures of three-fourths of the
several states, or by conventions therein, as the one or the
other mode may be proposed by congress ;

And, whereas, by the congress of the United States, on the
sixteenth day of June, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-
six, the following joint resolution was adopted:

“ Be it resolved y 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:

“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 election for the
choice of electors for president and vice-president 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, orin any way abridged, except for participation in re-
bellion 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.

“Section 3. No person shall be a senator or representative in
‘congress, or elector of president and vice-president, or hold
any oftice, 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 mem-
ber of any state legislature, or as an executive or judicial
officer of any state, to support the constitution of the United
States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
the same, or given aid and comfort to the enemies thereof;
but congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each house,
remove such disability.

“Srcrion 4. The validity of the public debt of the United -
States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for pay-
ment 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 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, or claims, shall
be held illegal and void.

“Section 0. The congress shall have power to enforce, by
appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.”

Therefore, be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia,
That the atoresaid amendment to the constitution of the Uni-
ted States of America be and the same is hereby ratified.