Fourteenth amendment adopted. posed 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, toall intents and purposes, as a part of said Constitution, namely: "Article XIII., Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any place subject to their jurisdiction. "SEC. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation;" therefore, 1. Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Florida in General Assembly convened, That the foregoing amendment to the Constitution of the United States be and the same is hereby ratified, to all intents and purposes, as a part of the Constitution of the United States. 2. Be it further resolved, That this amendment to the Constitution of the United States is adopted by the Legislature of the State of Florida, with the understanding that it does not confer upon Congress the power to legislate upon the political status of the freedmen in this State. 3. Be it further resolved, That the Governor of the State be and he is hereby requested to forward to the President of the United States an authenticated copy of the foregoing preamble and resolutions. Joint resolution approved Dec. 30, 1865. SEC. 14. The following amendment to the Constitution of the United States, as proposed by the Congress of the United States, and known as Article Fourteen (XIV.,) be and the same is hereby ratified and adopted: 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and Constitutional 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. Provisions of amendment. 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, 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 have [bear] to the whole number of male citizens, twenty-one years of age, in such State. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or Elector of President and [or] 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 Constitution of the United States, or 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. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, including debts incurred for [the] payment of pensions, and bounties for service 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. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article. Joint resolution relating to adoption of 14th Amendment to Constitution of U. S. adopted. SEC. 15. The following amendment to the Constitution of Fifteenth the United States, as proposed by the Congress of the United Amendment States, and known as Article Fifteen, be and the same is hereby ratified and adopted: 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servi tude. 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. Join' resolution adopting 15th Amen Iment to Constitution of U. S., June 15, 1869. APPENDIX TO STATE CONSTITUTION. WHEREAS, The first Legislature, under the Constitution of A. Joint resolution D. 1868, of the State of Florida, did in due form, by a two- agreeing to ratifying and conthirds vote of all the members elected to each of the two firming amendHouses, propose and agree to amendments of said Constitu- ments to State tion as follows: ARTICLE 1. The salary of the Governor of the State shall be three thousand five hundred dollars per annum; that of each Justice of the Supreme Court shall be three thousand dollars; that of each Judge of the Circuit Courts shall be two thousand five hundred dollars; that of each Cabinet officer shall be two Constitution. Joint resolu amendments thousand dollars; that of the Lieutenant-Governor shall be five hundred dollars, and he shall receive the same mileage as members of the Legislature. The pay of members of the Legislature shall be a per diem, to be fixed by law, for each day's actual attendance, and in addition thereto ten cents per mile for travelling expenses for each mile from their respective places of residence to the Capital, estimated by the shortest thoroughfare, and the same to return. All other officers of the State shall be paid by fees or per diem fixed by law. No Legislature shall increase its own pay. ART. 2. The offices of Surveyor-General and Commissioner of Immigration are hereby consolidated under the name of Commissioner of Lands and Immigration. ART. 3. The thirteenth section of the sixth article of the Constitution is hereby abrogated. ART. 4. The number of terms of the Supreme Court, and the time of holding the same, shall be fixed by law. ART. 5. The Legislature shall have power to prescribe regulations for calling into the Supreme Court a Judge of the Circuit Court to hear and determine any matter pending before the Court in the place of any Justice thereof who shall be disqualified or disabled in such case from interest or other cause: And enter the same on the respective journals thereof with the yeas and nays thereon, and refer the same to the Legislature then next to be chosen, and the same having been published, as provided by law, for three months previous to the time of making the choice of this the second Legislature under said Constitution; therefore, The People of the State of Florida, represented in Senate and Assembly, do resolve as follows: That the said amendments aforesaid, and each of them, are hereby ratified, agreed to, and confirmed, and the same shall be submitted to the people separately for their approval, as this Legislature shall provide. The People of the State of Florida, represented in Senate and Assembly, do resolve as follows: That the Joint Resolution proposing tion proposing and agreeing to amendments to the State Constitution, passed at the present session of the Legislature, is hereby referred to the Legislature to be chosen at the next general election, and the Secretary of the State shall cause the same to be published for three months previous to the time of said election in the official newspapers of the State. to the State Constitution referred. Preamble. [These amendments were proposed at the sessions of the Legislature of 1870 and 1871, and passed by a two-thirds vote at each session. I have inserted the 3rd Article above in the Constitution as compiled. Articles 1, 2, 4 and 5, are not incorporated into the Constitution but are appended hereto.-COMPILER.] CHAPTER 1838. AN ACT to Provide for the Submission of Certain Proposed Amendments to the Constitution of the State of Florida to the People therof. WHEREAS, The first Legislature under the Constitution of A. D. 1868, of the State of Florida, did, in due form, by a twothirds vote of all the members elected to each of the two Houses, propose and agree to certain amendments to said Constitution, and did cause the same to be entered on the respective journals thereof, with the yeas and nays taken thereon, and did refer the same to the Legislature chosen at the general election now last past, and did cause the same to be published as provided by law, for three months previous to such election; and Whereas, The Legislature chosen at such election, to-wit: This the second Legislature under said Constitution, has by a two-thirds vote of all the members elected to each House thereof, agreed to, ratified, and confirmed the following of said amendments, to-wit: ARTICLE 1. The salary of the Governor of the State shall be three thousand five hundred dollars per annum; that of each Amendments. Justice of the Supreme Court shall be three thousand dollars; that of each Judge of the Circuit Court shall be two thousand five hundred dollars; that of each Cabinet officer shall be two thousand dollars; that of the Lieutenant-Governor shall be five hundred dollars, and he shall receive the same mileage as members of the Legislature; the pay of members of the Legislature shall be a per diem to be fixed by law for each day's actual attendance, and in addition thereto ten cents per mile for travelling expenses, for each mile from their respective places of residence to the Capital, estimated by the shortest thoroughfare, and the same to return. All other officers of the State shall be paid by fees, or per diem fixed by law. No Legislature shall increase its own pay. ART. 2. The offices of Surveyor-General and Commissioner Amendments. of Immigration are hereby consolidated under the name of Commissioner of Lands and Immigration. ART. 3. The thirteenth section of the sixth article of the Amendments. Constitution is hereby abrogated. ART. 4. The number of terms of the Supreme Court, and Amendments. the time of holding the same, shall be fixed by law. ART. 5. The Legislature shall have power to prescribe regu- Amendments. lations for calling into the Supreme Court a Judge of the Circuit Court, to hear and determine any matter pending before the court, in the place of any Justice thereof who shall be disqualified or disabled in such case from interest or other cause; Therefore, ratification. The People of the State of Florida, represented in Senate Amendments and Assembly, do enact as follows: SECTION 1. The said amend- submitted for ments aforesaid are hereby submitted to the people of the approval and State of Florida, for their approval and ratification, at a special election to be held on Tuesday the fourth day of the month of April next ensuing; and it shall be the duty of the Governor, within ten days after the passage of this act, to issue his proclamation of such election, setting forth said amendments and the submission thereof. SEC. 2. Those electors voting to approve and ratify the first Manner of of said amendments, shall have written or printed on their bal- voting. lots the words, "For the first amendment." Those electors Manner of voting. Manner of voting. Manner of voting. Manner of voting. Votes to be canvassed as in other elections. Governor to issue procla fication. voting not to approve and ratify said first amendment, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "Against the first amendment." SEC. 3. Those electors voting to approve and ratify the second of said amendments, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, " For the second amendment." Those electors voting not to approve and ratify said second amendment, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "Against the second amendment." SEC. 4. Those electors voting to approve and ratify the third of said amendments shall have written or printed on their ballots the words "For the third amendment." Those electors voting not to approve and ratify said third amendment shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "Against the third amendment." SEC. 5. Those electors voting to approve and ratify the fourth of said amendments, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "For the fourth amendment." Those electors voting not to approve and ratify said fourth amendment shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "Against the fourth amendment." SEC. 6. Those electors voting to approve and ratify the fifth of said amendments, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "For the fifth amendment." Those electors voting not to approve and ratify said amendment, shall have written or printed on their ballots the words, "Against the fifth amendment." SEC. 7. In other respects said election shall be held and conducted in like manner as an election for State officers, and the votes cast for and against the approval and ratification of each of said amendments, in the manner aforesaid, shall be canvassed and returned in all respects as the votes for State officers are canvassed and returned, except that the result shall be certified in duplicate by the Board of State Canvassers, one certificate being deposited in the office of the Governor, and the other in the office of the Secretary of State. SEC. 8. In case either of said amendments shall be approved and ratified by a majority of the electors qualified to vote for mation of rati- members of the Legislature voting thereon, the Governor shall forthwith issue his proclamation setting forth such approval and ratification, and declaring such amendments, so approved and ratified, to be a part of the Constitution of the State of Florida, which proclamation shall be transmitted and published the same as proclamations of election. Approved January 28, 1871. |