I hereby certify that the above is a correct copy of a joint resolution, originating in the Senate, and passed by the House of Representatives on the 17 day of January 1870. Attest: ROBT J. ALCORN F. E. FRANKLIN Speaker of the Clerk of House of Reps. House of Representatives Joint Resolution. Whereas, The Legislature of the State of Texas has assembled under the Reconstruction Laws of the United States, and has received official notification through the Governor of the State that the following amendment to the Constitution of the United States comes properly before this body for its acceptance or rejection. The same being in the words folowing to wit: Joint Resolution proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. 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. Article 14. Section I. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the States 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 II. 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, 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. Section III. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President or hold any office, civil or military, under the United States, 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 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 or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two thirds of each house, remove such disability. Section IV. 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 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 V. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article. Therefore, resolved by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That we hereby ratify, on behalf of the State of Texas, the above recited Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. Resolved, That certified copies of the foregoing preamble and resolutions be forwarded by the Governor of the State of Texas to the President of the United States, to the presiding officer of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the Secretary of State of the United States. Speaker of the House of Representatives Attest L. J. GALLANT President of the Senate. Clerk House of Representatives C. C. ALLEN Secretary of Senate. Headquarters Fifth Military District Office of Civil Affairs Austin, Texas, February 25 1870. I hereby certify that the above is a true and correct copy of the Joint Resolution adopted by the Legislature of Texas on the 18 day of February 1870, as appears from the Journals of the two Houses. J. J. REYNOLDS Commanding. |