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Sec. 2. Power of Congress.-Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. (Declared adopted by the Secretary of state Feb. 18, 1865)

1 Abb, (U. S,) 28; 1 Dill, C. R. 248.

ARTICLE XIV.

Sec. 1. Who are citizens.-All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subjects 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 law.

Sec. 2. Representatives, how apportioned, 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 judical 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 abridge, except for participation in the 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 twentyone years of age in such state.

Sec. 3. Eligibility to office, &c.-No person shall be Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President or Vice-President or hold any office civil or military, under the United States or under any state, who having previously taken the oath as a member of Congress or an officer of the United States, or as a member of any state legislature,, or an executive or judical officer of any state, to support the constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or has given aid and comfort to the enemies thereof., But Congress may by a vote of two thirds of each house remove such disability.

Sec. 4. Validity of public debt not to be questioned.

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 against the United States 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 forthe loss or emancipation of any slave, but all such debts, obligations and claims shall be held illegal and void.

Sec. 5 That Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article.

(Declared adopted by the Secretary of State, 28th of July, 1869.) 44 Alo. 367; Cal. 658; 1 Dill. C. R. 344.

ARTICLE XV.

Sec. 1. In regard to suffrage,-The rights 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 or color, or previous condition of servitude.

Sec. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by the ap propriate legislation.

(Declared adopted by the Secretary of State, March 30, 1870.

NATIONAL PLATFORMS.

Before the nomination of Gen. Jackson by the Legislature of Ten nessee, Candidates for President and Vice President were nominated by "Congressional Caucus", so that National conventions are of comparatively recent origin, as also party platforms.

U.. S. Anti-masonic convention

The United States Anti-masonic convention was held at Philadelphia in September, 1830, when the following resolution was adopted; "Resolved, that it is recommended to the people of the United States, opposed to Secret Societies, to meet in convention on Monday the 26th day of September, 1831, at the city of Baltimore by delegates equal in number to their representatives in both houses of Congress, to make nominations of suitable candidates for the office of President and Vice-President, to be supported at the next election, and for the transaction of such other business as the cause of Anti-Masonry may require."

The Democratic convention met at Baltimore in May, 1832, when the following platform was adopted;

"Resolved, that each state be entitled, in the nomination to be made for the Vice-Presidency, to a number of votes equal to the number to which they will be entitled in the electoral colleges, under the new apportionment in voting for President and Vice-President; and that twothirds of the whole number of the votes in the convention shall be necessary to constitute a choice."

The following resolution was adopted:

"Resolved that it be recommended to the several delegations in this convention, in place of a general address from this body to the people of the United States, to make such explanation by address, report, or otherwise, to their respective constituents of the object, proceedings and result of them eeting, as they may deem expedient.

Henry Clay platform of 1831:

"The political history of the union for the last three years exhibits a series of measures plainly dictated in all their principal features by blind cupidity or vindictive party spirit, marked throughout by a disregard of good policy, justice, and every high and generous sentiment, and terminating in a dissolution of the cabinet under circumstances more discreditable than any of the kind to be met with in the annals of the civilized world."

"On the great subjects of internal policy, the course of the President has been so inconsistent and vacillating, that it is impossible for any party to place confidence in his character, or to consider him as a true

and effective friend. By avowing his approbation of a judicious tariff, at the same time recommending to Congress precisely the same policy which had been adopted as the best plan of attack by the opponents of that measure; by admitting the constitutionality and expediency of internal improvements of a National character, and at the same moment negotiating the most important bills of this discription which were presented to him by Congress, the President has shown that he is either a secret enemy to the system, or that he is willing to sacrifice the most important national objects in a vain attempt to conciliate the conflicting interest, or rather adverse party feeling and opinions of different sections of the country,"

The young men of the Clay party held a convention at the Capital May 11, 1832, when the following platform was adopted;

"Resolved, that an adequate protection to American Industry is indispensable to the prosperity of the country; and that an abandonment of the policy at this period would be attended with consequences ruinous to the best interests of the Nation."

"Resolved, that a uniform system of internal improvements, sustained and supported by the general government, is calculated to secure, in the highest degree, the harmony, the strength and the permanency of the Republic.

"Resolved, that the indiscriminate removal of public officers, for a mere difference of political opinion, is a gross abuse of power; and that the doctrines lately boldly preached in the United States Senate, that "to the victors belong the spoils of the vanquished," is detrimental to the interests, corrupting to the morals, and dangerous to the liberties of the people of this country."

The Democratic convention which met at Baltimore, May 1835,unanimously nominated Van Buren for President. No platform was adopt. ed by this convention.

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The Whig National convention met at Harrisburg, Pa. December 4, 1839, and nominated William Henry Harrison for President. It adopted no platform.

A convention of abolitionists met at Warsaw, N. Y. Nov. 13, 1839. James G. Birney, of New York, and Francis J. Lemoyne, of Pa. were nominated for President and Vice-President. The following platform was adopted:

"Resolved, that in our judgment every consideration of duty and expediency which ought to control the action of Christian freemen, requires of the abolitionists of the U. S. to organize a distinct and independent political party, embracing all the necessary means for no minating Candidates for office and sustaining them by public suffrage."

Å Democratic National convention met at Baltimore, May 5, 1840. The following platform was adopted:

"1. Resolved, that the Federal Government is one of limited powers, derived solely from the constitution, ard the grants of power shown therein ought to be strictly construed by all the departments and agents of the government, and that it is inexpedient and dangerous, to exercise doubtful constitutional powers."

"2. Resolved, that the constitution does not confer authority upon the general government the power to commence or carry on a general system of internal improvement."

"3. Resolved, that the constitution does not confer authority upon the Federal Government, directly or indirectly, to assume the debts of the several states, contracted for local internal improvements or other state purposes; nor would such assumption be just or expedient."

"4. Resolved, that justice and sound policy forbid the Federal Government to foster one branch of industry to the detriment of another portion of our common Country-that every citizen and every section of the country has a right to demand and insist upon an ample protection of persons and property from domestic violence or foreign aggression."

"5. Resolved, that it is the duty of every branch of the government to enforce and practice the most rigid economy in conducting our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray the necessary expenses of the government."

"6. Resolved, that Congress has no power to charter a United States Bank, that we believe such an institution one of deadly hostility to the best interests of the country, dangerous to our republican institutions and the liberties of the people, and calculated to place the business of the country within the control of a concentrated money power, and above the laws and the will of the people."

"7. Resolved, that Congress has no power under the constitution, to interfere with or control the domestic constitutions of the several states; and that such states are the sole and proper judges of every thing pertaining to their own affairs, not prohibited by the constitution; that all efforts, by abolitionists or others, made to induce congress to interfere with the questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences, and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanency of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend to our Political Institutions."

"8. Resolved, that the separation of moneys of the Government from banking institutions is indispensable for the safety of the funds of the government and the rights of the people.

"9. Resolved, that the liberal principles embodied by Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence, and sanctioned in the constitution, which makes ours the land of liberty and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been cardinal principles in the democratic faith; and every attempt to abridge the present privilege of becoming citizens, and the owners of soil among us, ought to be resisted with the same spirit which swept the Alien and Sedition Laws from our statute book."

"Whereas, several of the states which have nominated Martin Van Buren as Candidate for the Presidency, have put in nomination different individuals as Candidates for Vice-President, thus indicating a diversity of opinion as to the person best entitled to the nomination

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