The Original 13th Amendment
"If any citizen of the United States shall accept, claim, receive or retain, any title of nobility or honour, or shall, without the consent of Congress, accept and retain any present, pension, office or emolument of any kind whatever, from any emperor, king, prince or foreign power, such person shall cease to be a citizen of the United States, and shall be incapable of holding any office of trust or profit under them, or either of them."
Article 1, Section 9, Clause 8
"No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince or foreign State."
Article V of the Constitution describes how the Constitution can be lawfully ratified and it was understood at that time that the only states that would be allowed to participate in the ratification process were the states that existed at the time the amendment was first proposed.
In 1810 the Titles of Nobility amendment was proposed and their were Representatives of 17 states in Congress who voted to submit the proposed amendment to the legislatures of the states for their consideration. It has been argued that the amendment only received the ratification of 12 states, which was one vote short of the number needed for ratification. It has been alleged that Virginia's "yes" vote had not been properly submitted.
In 1913 Delaware voted "No" to the proposed 17th Amendment and in 2010 their state legislature was allowed to change their vote to approve of the proposed amendment. If the state legislature of Delaware had a right to change their vote after 97 years, shouldn't Virginia be allowed to become the 13th state to ratify the proposed amendment?
This amendment would have prevented the granting of titles to individuals which would give them special rights, privileges and immunities not available to all. It would prohibit government officials from receiving gifts, presents, bribes or campaign contributions from foreign powers including corporations. The fact that this amendment was printed in copies of the Constitution from 1812 to 1869 is clear evidence that the state of Virginia had ratified the amendment.
Comments