has received official notification of the passage by both houses of the Fortieth Congress of the United States, at its third session, of the following proposition to amend the Constitution of the United States, by a constitutional majority of two-thirds thereof, in the words following, to wit:

"A RESOLUTION PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO THE CON"STITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES:

"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 XV.

"SECTION 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 con"dition of servitude.

"SECTION 2. The Congress shall have power to enforce "this article by appropriate legislation," and,

WHEREAS, Three-fourths of the Legislatures of the States comprising the United States, are required to give assent to the said proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States, before it becomes a part thereof, therefore,

Resolved, by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, That we hereby ratify, on behalf of the State of Ohio, the above recited proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Resolved, That certified copies of the foregoing preamble

and resolution be forwarded, by the Governor of Ohio, 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.

A. J. CUNNINGHAM,

Speaker of the House of Representatives.
J. C. LEE,

Adopted January 27th, 1870.

United States of America, Ohio,

President of the Senate.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE.

I, ISAAC R. SHERWOOD, Secretary of State of the State of Ohio, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true copy of a Joint Resolution therein named, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, on the 27th day of January, A. D. 1870, taken from the original rolls on file in this office.

[SEAL.]

In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto subscribed
my name, and affixed the Seal of this office, at
Columbus, the 27th day of January, A. D. 1870
ISAAC R SHERWOOD

[WRAPPER.]

Executive.

Secretary of State.

Feby 1. 1870

Case of Ohio. State of

Transmits Joint Resolution ratifying the proposed 15th Constitutional Amendment. passed Jany. 27. 1870

Respectfully referred to the Hon. the Secretary of State

By order of the President,

O E. BABCOCK Secretary.

[SEAL APPENDANT.]

A Resolution

Whereas, at the session of the fortieth Congress it was 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 shall be proposed to the Legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which amendment, when it shall have been ratified by three-fourths of the said Legislatures, shall be valid to all intents and purposes as a part of the said Constitution, namely:

Article Fifteenth

1st 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 or color, or previous condition of servitude. 2d The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Therefore resolved, if the Senate concur, That the said proposed amendment to the Constitution be, and the same is hereby ratified by the Legislature of the State of Georgia. R. L. McWHORTER

Georgia:

Secretary of State's Office.

I, David G. Cotting, Secretary of State of Georgia, do hereby certify, that the above and foregoing page contain a true copy of the Resolution, ratifying the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States, passed by the General Assembly of Georgia on the 24 day of February, A. D. 1870.-the original of which resolution is on file in this office.

Given under my Hand and the Great Seal of the
State, at the Capitol, in Atlanta, this, the 3d day of
February in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred
and Seventy, and of the Independence of the United
States of America, the Ninety-Fourth

SIR:

STATE OF IOWA.

Executive Office,

Des Moines, February 4th, 1870.

I have the honor to transmit herewith "Joint Resolution "ratifying the proposed Fifteenth Article of Amendment to "the Constitution of the United States, relative to the right "of citizens to vote," adopted by the General Assembly of the State of Iowa, February 3, 1870.

To Secretary of State

Washington.

SAM MERRILL

JOINT RESOLUTION

Ratifying the proposed Fifteenth Article of Amend-
ment to the Constitution of the United States, rela-
tive to the Right of Citizens to vote.

WHEREAS, The Fortieth Congress of the United States has proposed to the legislatures of the several States the following article of amendment to the Federal Constitution, namely:

"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 by any State, on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.