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man, Stewart, Sumner, Tipton, Trumbull, Warner, Willliams, Wilson—31.

Mr. Morton moved to strike from section 1st the words, "authorizing the issue of any such obligation;" which was not agreed to—yeas 14, nays 32, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Brownlow, Casserly, Morton, Norton, Pomeroy, Pratt, Robertson, Ross, Spencer, Sprague, Stockton, Thurman, Vickers—14.

Nays—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Boreman, Carpenter, Cattell, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Fenton, Ferry, Fessenden, Gilbert, Grimes, Hamlin, Howard, Howe, Morrill, Patterson, Ramsey, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Warner, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—32.

March 15-—This bill was then laid aside and the House bill (H. R. 7) taken up; and it passed the Senate—yeas 42, nays 13, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Abbott, Anthony, Boreman, Brownlow, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler, Conkling, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry, Fessenden, Gilbert, Grimes, Harris, Howard, Kellogg, McDonald, Morrill, Nye, Patterson, of N. H., Pool, Pratt, Ramsey, Robertson, Sawyer, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Trumbull, Warner, Willey, Williams, Wilson, Yates—-42.

Nays—Messrs. Bayard, Carpenter, Casserly, Cole, Garrett Davis, Morton, Osborn, Rice, Ross, Spencer, Stockton, Thurman, Vickers—13.

The Eesumption Act of the Forty-Third

Congress.

Forty-Third Congress—Second Session.

In Senate.

1874, Dec. 21—Mr. Sherman, from the Committee on Finance, reported the following bill:

An act to provide for the resumption of specie payments.

Be it enacted, &*c, That the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and required, as rapidly as practicable, to cause to be coined at the mints of the United States, silver coins of the denominations of ten, twenty-five, and fifty cents, of standard value, and to issue them in redemption of an equal number and amount of fractional currency of similar denominations, or, at his discretion, he may issue such silver coins through the mints, the sub-treasuries, public depositaries, and post-offices of the United States; and, upon such issue, he is hereby authorized and required to redeem an equal amount of such fractional currency, until the whole amount of such fractional currency outstanding shall be redeemed.

Sec. 2. That so much of section three thousand five hundred and twenty-four of the Revised Statutes of the United States as provides for a charge of one-fifth of one per centum for converting standard gold bullion into coin is hereby repealed, and hereafter no charge shall be made for that service.

Sec. 3. That section five thousand one hundred and seventy-seven of the Revised Statutes of the United States, limiting the aggregate amount of circulating-notes of national bankingassociations, be, and is hereby, repealed; and each existing banking-association may increase

its circulating-notes in accordance with existing law without respect to said aggregate limit; and new banking-associations may be organized in accordance with existing law without lespect to said aggregate limit; and the provisions of law for the withdrawal and redistribution of national bank currency among the several States and Territories are hereby repealed. And whenevei and so often, as circulating-notes shall be issued to any such banking-association, so increasing its capital or circulating-notes, or so newly organized as aforesaid, it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to redeem the legal-tender United States notes in excess only of three hundred million of dollars, to the amount of eighty per centum of the sum of national-bank notes so issued to any such banking-association as aforesaid, and to continue such redemption as such circulatingnotes are issued until there shall be outstanding the sum of three hundred million dollars of such legal-tender United States notes, and no more. And on and after the first day of January, anno Domini eighteen hundred and seventy-nine, the Secretary of the Treasury shall redeem, in coin, the United States legal-tender notes then outstanding on their presentation for redemption, at the office of the assistant treasurer of the United States in the city of New York, in sums of not less than fifty dollars. And to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to prepare and provide for the redemption in this act authorized or required, he is authorized to use any surplus revenues, from time to time, in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, and to issue, sell, and dispose of, at not less than par, in coin, either of the descriptions of bonds of the United States described in the act of Congress approved July fourteenth, eighteen hundred and seventy, entitled, " An act to authorize the refunding of the national debt," with like qualities, privileges, and exemptions, to the extent necessary to carry this act into full effect, and to use the proceeds thereof for the purposes aforesaid. And all provisions of law inconsistent with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed.

Which was read and passed to a second reading.

Dec. 22:—The bill was taken up—yeas 39, nays 18—and read a second time and considered as in Committee of the Whole.

Mr: Thurman moved to add as a new section:

Sec. 4. That from and after June 30, 1875, one-twentieth part of the customs duties shall be payable in United States legal-tender notes, or in national-bank notes; and after June 30, 1876, one-tenth, and after June 30, 1877, one-fifth part thereof may be so paid.

Mr. Bogy moved to amend the amendment by substituting for it the following: That on and after July 1,187 5, duties on imports may be paid in legal-tender notes or coin, at the option of the importer.

Which was disagreed to.

Mr. Thurman's amendment was then disagreed to—yeas 16, nays 33, not voting 24, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Bogy, Cooper, Davis, Dennis, Goldthwaite, Hager, Hamilton of Maryland, Johnston of Virginia, McCreery, Merrimon, Norwood, Ransom, Saulsbury, Stevenson, Thurman—16.

Nays—Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Boutwell, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Carpenter, Clayton, Cragin, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry of Michigan, Flanagan, Frelinghuysen, HAMILTON of Texas, Hamlin, Harvey, Howe, Ingalls, Logan, Morrill of Maine, Morrill of Vermont, Morton, Patterson, Pease, Pratt, Sargent, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Spencer, Washburn, West, Windom, Wright

Absent—Messrs. Alcorn, Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham, Chandler, Conkling, Conover, Dorsey, Ferry of Connecticut, Gilbert, Gordon, Hitchcock, Jones of Nevada, Kelly, Lewis, Mitchell, Oglesby, Ramsey, Robertson, Sprague, Stewart, Stockton, Tipton, Wadleigh—24.

Mr. Schurz offered the following amendment, to be inserted in section 3, after the words "and no more:"

Provided, That not less than $2,000,000 of legal-tender notes shall be retired monthly by the Secretary of the Treasury, and that the legaltender notes so retired shall be canceled and destroyed.

Which was disagreed to—yeas 6, nays 44, not voting 23, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Bayard, Fenton, Eager, Hamilton' of Maryland, Hamilton of Texas, Schurz—6.

Nays—Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Bogy, Boutwell, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Carpenter, Chandler, Clayton, Cooper, Cragin, Davis, Dennis, Edmunds, Ferry of Michigan, Flanagan, Frelinghuysen, Goldtkwaite, Hamlin, Harvey, Howe, Ingalls, Johnston of Virginia, Logan, Merrimon, Morrill of Maine, Morton, Oglesby, Patterson, Pease, Pratt, Ramsey, Ransom, Sargent, Saulsbury, Scott, Sherman, Spencer, Sprague, Stevenson, Thurman, Tipton, Washburn, West, Wright —44.

Absent—Messrs. Alcorn, Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham, Conkling, Conover, Dorsey, Ferry of Connecticut, Gilbert, Gordon, Hitchcock, Jones of Nevada, Kelly, Lewis, McCreery, Mitchell. Morrill of Vermont, Norwood, Robertson, Stewart, Stockton, Wadleigh, Windom—

23

Mr. Hamilton, of Texas, offered the following amendment: In section 1, after the word "them" insert "at their current value;" and after the words "redemption of" strike out the words "an equal number and amount of;" so as to read:

And to issue them at their current value in redemption of fractional currency of similar denominations.

Which was disagreed to—yeas 3, nays 40, not voting 30, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Cooper, Hamilton of Texas, Tipton—3.

Nays—Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Bogy, Boutwell, Carpenter, Chandler, Clayton, Cragin, Dennis, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry of Michigan, Flanagan, Frelinghuysen, Goldtkwaite, Hager, Hamlin, Harvey, Howe, Ingalls, Johnston of Virginia, Logan, Merrimon, Morrill of Maine, Morton, Oglesby, Patterson, Pease, Pratt, Ramsey, Sargent, Saulsbury, Scott, Sherman, Spencer, Stevenson, Thurman, Washburn, West, Wright —40.

Absent—Messrs. Alcorn, Bayard, Boreman,

Brownlow, Buckingham, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Conkling, Conover, Davis, Dorsey, Ferry of Connecticut, Gilbert, Gordon, Hamilton of Maryland, Hitchcock, Jones of Nevada, Kelly, Lewis, McCreery, Mitchell, Morrill of Vermont, Norwood, Ransom, Robertson, Schurz, Sprague, Stewart, Stockton, Wadleigh, Windom—30.

The bill was then passed—yeas 32, nays 14, not voting 27, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Allison, Anthony, Boutw?ll, Carpenter, Chandler, Clayton, Cragin, Edmunds, Fenton, Ferry of Michigan, Flanagan, Frelinghuysen, Hamlin, Harvey, Howe, Ingalls, Logan, Morrill of Maine, Morton, Oglesby, Patterson, Pease, Pratt, Ramsey, Sargent, Schurz, Scott, Sherman, Spencer, Washburn, West, Wright

—32.

Nays—Messrs. Bogy, Cooper, Davis, Dennis, Goldtkwaite, Hager, Hamilton of Texas, Johnston of Virginia, Merrimon, Ransom, Sprague, Stevenson, Thurman, Tipton—14.

Absent—Messrs. Alcorn, Bayard, Boreman, Brownlow, Buckingham, Cameron of Pennsylvania, Conkling, Conover, Dorsey, Ferry of Connecticut, Gilbert, Gordon, Hamilton of Maryland, Hitchcock, Jones of Nevada, Kelly, Lewis> McCreery, Mitchell, Morrill of Vermont, Norwood, Robertson, Saulsbury, Stewart, Stockton, Wadleigh, Windom—27.

In House.

December 23—Mr. Maynard moved that the bill be made a special order for January 7, 1875, to the exclusion of all other orders, and from day to day till disposed of; which was agreed to by unanimous consent.

1875, January 7—Mr. Maynard called the previous question upon the third reading and passage of the bill, which was seconded—yeas 100, nays 91, and the main question ordered— yeas 124, nays 107, not voting 57, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Albert, Averill, Barber, Barrere, Barry, Bass, Begole, Biery, Bradley, H. C. Burchard, Burleigh, Burrows, R. R. Butler, Cain, Carpenter, Cason, Cessna, Clayton, Clements, S. A. Cobb, Corwin, Cotton, Crooke, Crounse, Curtis, Danford, Donnan, Duell, Farwell, Fort, J. C. Freeman, Frye, Garfield, Gunckel, E. Hale, Harmer, H. H. Harrison, Hathorn, J. B. Hawley, Hays, G. W. Hazelton, J. W. Hazelton, Hodges, Hooper, Houghton, Howe, Hunter, Hynes, Kasson, Killinger, Lamport, Loughridge, Lowe, J. R. Lynch, Martin, Maynard, McCrary, A. S. McDill, J. W. McDill, MacDougall, McNulta, Monroe, Negley, O'Neill, Orr, Orth, Packard, Packer, Page, R. C. Parsons, Pelham, Pendleton, Pike, T. C. Piatt, Poland, Pratt, Purman, W. H. Ray, Richmond, E. H. Roberts, J. W. Robinson, Rusk, Sawyer, H. B. Sayler, Scofield, I. W. Scudder, Sener, Sessions, Shanks, Sheats, L. D. Shoemaker, W. B. Small, Smart, A. H. Smith, H. B. Smith, J. A. Smith, J. Q. Smith, Snyder, Sprague, Stanard, St. John, Strawbridge, Sypher, Taylor, C. R. Thomas, C. Y. Thomas, J. M. Thompson, Thornburgh, Todd, Tremain, Tyner, Waldron* A. S. Wallace, J. D. Ward, M. L. Ward, Wheeler, A. White, Whiteley, Wilber, G. Willard, J. M. S. Williams, W. Williams, W. B. Williams, J. Wilson—124.

Nays—Messrs. Archer, Arthur, Ashe, Atkins, Banning, Beck, H. P.Bell, Berry, Blount,Bow en, Bright, Bromberg, J. Y. Brown, Buffinton, J. H Caldwell, Chittenden, J, B. Clark, jr., F. Clarke, Clymer, Comingo, Cook, Cox, Crittenden, Crossland, Crutchfield, Dawes, DeWitt, Eames, Eldredge, Field, Finck, Giddings, Glover, Gooch, Gunter, Hagans, R. Hamilton, Hancock, B. W. Harris, H R. Harris, J. T. Harris, Hatcher, Havens, J. R. Hawley, Hendee, Hereford, Herndon, E. R. Hoar, G. F. Hoar, Holman, Hoskins, Hunton, Kelley, Kellogg, Knapp, Lamar, Lamison, Lansing, W. Lawrence, Lawson, Leach, Lowndes, Magee, Marshall, McLean, Merriam, Milliken, Mills, Morrison, Myers, Neal, Nesmith, Niblack, Niles, H. W Parker, I. C. Parker, Perry, Pierce, Randall, Read, W. M. Robbins, M. Sayler, Schell, H. J. Scudder, Sherwood, Sloss, W. A. Smith, Southard, Starkweather,

A. H. Stephens, Stone, Storm, Swann, W. Townsend, R. B. Vance, E. Wells, Whitehead, Whitehouse, Whitthorne, C. W. Willard, Willie, E. K Wilson, Wolfe, F. Wood, Woodworth, J. D. Young, P. M. B. Young—107.

Not Voting—Messrs. G. M. Adams, Albright, Barnum, Bland, Buckner, Bundy, B. F. Butler, Cannon, A, Clark, jr., C. L. Cobb, Coburn, Conger, Creamer, Darrall, John J. Davis, Dobbins, Dunnell, Durham, Eden, Foster, R. S. Hale, Hersey, Hubbell, Hurlbut, Hyde, Kendall,

B. Lewis, Lofland, Luttrell, McKee, Mitchell, Moore, Morey, Nunn, O'Brien, W. W. Phelps, W. A. Phillips, J. H. Piatt, jr., C. N Potter, Rainey, Ransier, Rapier, W. R. Roberts, J. C. Robinson, S. Ross, J. G. Schumacker, Sheldon, Sloan, G. L. Smith, Speer, Standiford, Stowell, Strait, Waddell, Walls, C. G. Williams, J. M. Wilson—57.

The question being taken on the passage of the bill, it was decided in the affirmative—yeas 136, nays 98, not voting 54, as follow:

Yeas—Messrs. Albert, Averill, Barber, Barrere, Barry, Bass, Begole, Biery, Bradley, H. C. Burchard, Burleigh, Burrows, R. R. Butler, Cain, Carpenter, Cason, Cessna, Chittenden, Clayton, Clements, S. A. Cobb, Corwin, Cotton, Crooke, Crounse, Curtis, Danford, Dobbins, Donnan, Duell, Eames, Farwell, J. C. Freeman, Frye, Garfield, Gunckel, E. Hale, Harmer, H. H. Harrison, Hathorn, J. B. Hawley, Hays, G. W. Hazelton, J. W. Hazelton, Hendee, Hodges, Hooper, Hoskins, Houghton, Howe, Hunter, Hynes, Kasson, Kellogg, Killinger, Lamport, Lansing, W. Lawrence, Loughridge, Lowe, Lowndes, J. R. Lynch, Martin, Maynard, McCrary, A. S. McDill, J. W. McDill, MacDougall,

McKee, McNulta. Merriam, Monroe, Moore, Myers, Negley, O'Neill, Drr, Orth, Packard, Packer, Page, R. C. Parsons, Pelham, Pendleton, A. F. Pike, T. C. Piatt, Poland, Pratt, Purman, W. H. Ray, Richmond, E. H. Roberts, J. W. Robinson, Rusk, Sawyer, H. B. Sayler, Scofield, I. W. Scudder, Sener, Sessions, Shanks, Sheats, L. D. Shoemaker, W. B. Small, Smart, A. H. Smith, H. B. Smith, J. A. Smith, J. Q. Smith, Sprague, Stanard, Starkweather, St. John, Strawbridge, Taylor, C. R. Thomas, C. Y. Thomas, J. M. Thompson, Thornburgh, Todd, Tremain, Tyner, Waldron, A. S, Wallace, J. D. Ward, M. L. Ward, Wheeler, A. White, Whiteley, Wilber, G. Willard, J. M. S. Williams, W. Williams, W. B. Williams, J. Wilson, J. M. Wilson— 136.

Nays—Messrs. G. M. Adams, Archer, Arthur, Ashe, Atkins, Banning, Beck, H P. Bell, Berry, Blount, Bowen, Bright, Bromberg, J. Y Brown, Buffinton, J. H. Caldwell, J. B. Clark, jr., F. Clarke, Clymer, Comingo, Cook, Cox, Crittenden, Crossland, Crutchfield, Dawes, De Witt, Eldredge, Field, Finck, Giddings, Glover, Gooch, Gunter, Hagans. R. Hamilton, Hancock, B. W. Harris, H. R. Harris, J. T. Harris, Hatcher, Havens, J. R. Hawley, Hereford, Herndon, E. R. Hoar, G. F. Hoar, Holman, Hunton, Kelley, Knapp, Lamar, Lamison, Lawson, Leach, Magee, Marshall, McLean, Milliken, Mills, Morrison, Neal, Nesmith, Niblack, Niles, H W. Parker, I. C. Parker, Perry, Pierce, Randall, Read, W. M. Robbins M. Sayler, Schell, H. J. Scudder, Sherwood, Sloss, W. A. Smith, Southard, A. H. Stephens Stone, Storm, Swann, W. Townsend, R. B. Vance, Waddell, Wells, Whitehead, Whitehouse, Whitthorne, C. W. Willard, Willie, E. K. Wilson, Wolfe, F Wood, Woodworth, J. D. Young, P. M. B. Young—98.

Not Voting—Messrs. Albright, Barnum, Bland, Buckner, Bundy, B. F. Butler, Cannon, A. Clark, jr., C. L. Cobb, Coburn, Conger, Creamer, Darrall, John J. Davis, Dunnell, Durham, Eden, Fort, Foster, R. S. Hale, Hersey, Hubbell, Hurlbut, Hyde, Kendall, B. Lewis, Lofland, Luttrell, Mitchell, Morey, Nunn, O'Brien, W. W. Phelps, Phillips, J. H. Piatt, jr., C. N. Potter, Rainey, Ransier, Rapier, W. R. Roberts, J. C. Robinson, S. Ross, J. G. Schumacher, Sheldon, Sloan, G. L. Smith, Snyder, Speer, Standiford, Stowell, Strait, Sypher, Walls, C. G. Williams—54.

Approved January 14, 1875—[See President Grant's Message on the subject, in subsequent chapter].

XI.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES-FORTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.

First Session—Forty-Fourth Congress.

The following propositions of amendment were made:

In Senate.

1875, December 8—Mr. Morton proposed the following:

I. The President and Vice-President shall be elected by the direct vote of the people in the manner following: Each State shall be divided into districts, equal in number to the number of Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress, to be composed of contiguous territory, and to be as nearly equal in population as may be; and the person having the highest number of votes in each district for President shall receive the vote of that district, which shall count one presidential vote.

II. The person having the highest number of votes for President in a State shall receive two presidential votes from the State at large.

III. The person having the highest number of presidential votes in the United States shall be President.

IV. If two persons have the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, they shall receive each one presidential vote from the State at large; and if more than two persons shall have each the same number of votes in any State, it being the highest number, no presidential vote shall be counted from the State at large. If more persons than one shall have the same number of votes, it being the highest number in any district, no presidential vote shall be counted from that district.

V. The foregoing provisions shall apply to the election of Vice-President.

VI. The Congress shall have power to provide for holding and conducting the elections of President and Vice-President, and to establish tribunals for the decision of such elections as may be contested.

VII. The States shall be divided into districts by the Legislatures thereof, but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter the same.

1876, January 31—Mr. Wright proposed the following:

After the year eighteen hundred and seventysix, the President and Vice-President of the United States shall be elected by a direct vote of the people of the several States, and the electors in each State shall have the same qualifications as the electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

The person receiving the greatest number of votes for President shall be the President, and the person receiving the greatest number of votes for Vice-President shall be the Vice-President; but if two or more persons shall each receive aft equal and the greatest number of votes for President, then the House of Representatives shall, from such persons, immediately choose the President; and if two or more persons shall each receive an equal and the greatest number of votes for Vice-President, then the Senate shall, from such persons, immediately choose the Vice-President. In such elections, each House shall vote viva voce, and each member shall have one vote; and the person receiving a majority of the votes cast shall be elected; and, in case of a tie, the presiding officer shall determine it.

The election for President and Vice-President shall be held at the time now provided by law for choosing the electors of such officers, but Congress may prescribe a different time, which shall be the same in all the States; and Congress shall prescribe the manner of holding and conducting such election, and making the returns thereof; and, in case of failure so to do, that duty shall devolve, in the order named, first, on the President of the United States; second on the Legislature of each State within that State; and, third, upon the chief executive of each State within- that State.

The returns shall be canvassed at the time and in the manner now provided, or which may be hereafter provided, by the joint rules of the two Houses, or by law, by and in the presence of both Houses of Congress, who shall be the judges (each House voting separately) of the returns and election; but in case the two Houses shall not agree, then the matter of disagreement shall be referred to the Supreme Court of the United States, which shall forthwith decide the same, and such decision shall be final.

January 31—Mr. Wright proposed the foi lowing:

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two members from each State, who shall hereafter be elected by a direct vote of the peo pie thereof for six years; and the electors in each State shall have the same qualifications as the electors of the most numerous branch of the State legislature; but Congress may, by law, provide for conducting and holding the election and canvassing the vote.

March 22—Mr. Edmunds proposed the following:

ARTICLE XII.

That the twelfth article of the amendments of the Constitution be, and the same is hereby, abrogated, and in the place thereof the following be, and the same is hereby, ordained and established, namely:

The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot for President and VicePresident, one of whom at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name in their ballots the person voted for as President, and in distinct ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and for all persons voted for as VicePresident, and of the number of votes for each; which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of Government of the United States, directed to the presiding justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. And the Supreme Court, at a time and place to be fixed by law, shall publicly open all the certificates and count the votes, and the person having the greatest number of votes for President, considered by the court to have been lawfully given and certified, shall be President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors lawfully appointed; and if no person have such majority, the state of the votes shall be immediately certified to the House of Representatives, and then, from the persons having the highest number, not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by a viva voce vote, the President; but the vote shall be taken by States, the representation from each State having one vote; and if the votes of any State shall not show a majority for any one candidate, the vote of such State shall not be reckoned. A quorum of the House of Representatives for the purpose of such election shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary to a choice; and if, on the first vote, there shall be a failure to elect, further votes shall immediately continue to be taken until a President shall be elected.

And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a President, when the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of votes for Vice-President, to be counted and determined as in case of President as before provided, shall be Vice-President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed. And if no person have a majority, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose a Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.

Sec. 2. No person holding the office of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States shall be eligible to be elected as President or Vice-President until the expiration of two years next after he shall have ceased to be such justice.

PETITION FOR AN AMENDMENT.

1876, January 17.—Mr. Boutwell presented a memorial of citizens of Massachusetts, praying an amendment of the Constitution of the United States so that every member of Congress shall be directly responsible to the electors of his district, who may at any time recall him if he does not justify their confidence in him; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

In House. 1875, December 14—Mr. Blaine proposed the following:

ARTICLE XVI.

No State shall make any law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; and no money raised by taxation in any State for the support of public schools, or derived from any public fund therefor, nor any public lands devoted thereto, shall ever be under the control of any religious sect; nor shall any money so raised or lands so devoted be divided between religious sects or denominations.

1875, December 14—Mr. Randall proposed the following:

ARTICLE Xvi.

I. From and after the next election for a President of the United States, the President shall hold his office during the term of six years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same term, be elected in the manner as now provided, or may hereafter be provided; but neither the President, nor the Vice-President, when the office of President has devolved upon him, shall be eligible for re-election as President.

1875, December 14—Mr. Carter H. HarRison proposed the following:

ARTICLE XVI.

From and after the election for President of

the United States next following the ratification

of this article, the President shall hold his office

during the term of six years, and, together with

the Vice-President chosen for the same term, be elected in the manner as now provided, or may hereafter be provided. But neither the President nor the Vice-President, when the office of President is devolved upon him, shall be eligible for re-election as President, but shall be, from and after the expiration of his office as President, unless the same be by impeachment, a Senator for life for the United States at large, and as such Senator shall have the same privileges as other Senators, except that he shall not vote as Senator, nor shall he be President pro tempore of the Senate, and the same immunities and compensation; but his attendance upon the sessions shall not be compulsory, nor shall his compensation be abridged by reason of his non-attendance.

1875, December 14—Mr. Morrison proposed the following:

ARTICLE XVI. I. From and after the next election for a President of the United States, the President shall hold his office during the term of six years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same term, be elected in the manner as now provided, or may hereafter be provided; but the President shall not be eligible for more than six years in any term of twelve years.

1875, December 14—Mr. Mccrary proposed the following:

All civil officers of the United States, except judges of the Supreme and inferior courts, the heads of Departments, and those whose duties are temporary in their character, shall hold office for a term of four years, unless a longer term shall be fixed by law. Congress may by law provide for the election by the people of postmasters and other officers whose duties are to be performed within the limits of any State or part of a State; but the President shall have the power of removal of any such officer, whether appointed or elected, for any cause affecting the incumbent's character, habits, or other qualifications, excepting political or religious opinions.

1876, January 6—Mr. Reagan proposed the following:

First. That the words <' and direct taxes," where they occur in the first line of clause three, section two, article one, of the Constitution, be stricken out.

Second. That the following words be added to the end of clause one, section eight, of article one, of the Constitution, namely:

"And direct taxes, when levied by the United States, shall be apportioned between the several States and Territories and the District of Columbia in proportion to the value of the property in each; and each State, Territory and the District of Columbia shall have the right to collect its portion of the same, if it elect to do so, by its own officers, and from subjects of taxation provided by its own laws, and pay the same over to the United States, as may be provided by law. And on the refusal or failure of any State, Territory, or the District of Columbia, to collect and pay over its portion of any such tax, the same shall be collected as may be provided by the laws of the United States.''

January 6—Mr. OLIVER proposed the following:

After the year eighteen hundred a,nd seventy

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