162 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Jan. 21,

cess," sub-title " Practices of Code of Public General Laws."
On motion of Mr. Hoblitzell,

Leave was granted to Messrs. Hoblitzell, McLane and
Cooper to introduce a bill to repeal section 174 of Article 4,
of the Code of Public Local Laws, relating to Baltimore city,
and re-enac tthe same with amendments.

Mr. Kilbourn, Chairman of the Committee on Federal
Relations, submitted the following

JOINT RESOLUTION.

WHEREAS, The General Assembly of Maryland has re-
ceived official notification of the passage by both Houses of
the Fortieth Congress of the United States, of the following
proposition to amend the Constitution of the United States,
in the words following, to wit:

A resolution proposing an amendment to the Constitution
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 Arti-
cle 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 bo 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 condition
of servitude.

Section 2. That Congress shall have power to enforce this
Article by appropriate legislation.

Therefore be it resolved, By the Senate and House of Dele-
gates of Maryland, that the Legislature of this State hereby
reject the said 15th Article, proposed as an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States, and on behalf of the
State of Maryland, refuses to ratify the same.

Resolved, That the Governor be requested to forward a
copy of the foregoing preamble and resolution, duly attested,
to the Secretary of State of the United States, our Represen-
tatives and Senators in Congress, and to the Governors of
each of the States in the United States.

Which, was read a first time,
And on motion of Mr. Merrick,