The Handy Cyclopedia of Things Worth Knowing Part 47

Article XIV.

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 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 or 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 partic.i.p.ation 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, 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 judicial officer of any State, to support the Const.i.tution 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 a.s.sume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or emanc.i.p.ation 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.

[Proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress and declared adopted by concurrent resolution of Congress, July 21, 1868.]

Article XV.

SECTION I.

The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States, or any State, on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

SECTION II.

The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

[Proposed by the Fortieth Congress, and declared adopted by proclamation of the Secretary of State, March 30, 1870.]

WORKINGMEN EASILY GULLED.

Who fought for King George in 1776? Working people.

What interest did they have in being ruled by him? None.

Why, then, did they risk their lives for him? Because he hired them.

Where did the king get the money to pay them? By taxing them.

Then they really paid themselves for fighting? Certainly.

In every war ever fought the working people paid the expenses.

"WHAT const.i.tutes a state?

Men who their duties know, But know their rights, and, knowing, Dare maintain."

--Jones.

JEFFERSON'S POLITICAL POLICY.

1. Legal equality of all human beings.

2. The people the only source of power.

3. No hereditary offices, nor order of "n.o.bility," nor t.i.tle.

4. No unnecessary taxation.

5. No national banks or bonds.

6. No costly splendor of administration.

7. Freedom of thought and discussion.

8. Civil authority superior to the military.

9. No favored cla.s.ses; no special privileges; no monopolies.

10. Free and fair elections; universal suffrage.

11. No public money spent without warrant of law.

12. No mysteries in government hidden from the public eye.

13. Representatives bound by the instructions of their const.i.tuents.

14. The Const.i.tution of the United States a special grant of powers limited and definite.

15. Freedom, sovereignty and independence of the respective States.

16. Absolute severance of Church and State.

17. The Union a compact--not a consolidation nor a centralization.

18. Moderate salaries, economy and strict accountability.

19. Gold and silver currency--supplemented by treasury notes bearing no interest and bottomed on taxes.

20. No State banks of issue.

21. No expensive navy or diplomatic establishment.

22. A progressive or graduated tax laid upon wealth.

23. No internal revenue system. A complete separation of public moneys from bank funds.