TIES of REBELS.

_No person shall be a 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 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,
shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given
aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.[1] But congress may, by a
two-thirds vote of each house, remove such disability.[2]_

[1] The primary purpose of this provision was to exclude from public
office those who in the Civil War, by entering the service of the
Confederate States, broke an oath previously taken. Though the persons
whom it was immediately intended to affect will soon all be "with the
silent majority," the provision, by being made part of the constitution,
will remain a warning to all in the future.

[2] The disabilities have been removed from all but a few of those
immediately referred to. This clause seems to put another limitation upon
the power of the president to grant pardons. From 1862 to 1867 the
president had been specially authorized by congress to grant amnesty to
political offenders. And in 1867 President Johnson continued to grant such
amnesty, denying the power of congress to put any limitation upon the
president's pardoning power. But this provision specifically places the
power to relieve certain disabilities in the hands of congress. The
"two-thirds" vote is required in order that such disabilities may not be
easily removed.

SECTION IV.--PUBLIC DEBT.

_The validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law,
including debts incurred for the payment of pensions, and bounties for
services 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._

_Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the
provisions of this article._

This section needs little comment. It means simply that any expense
incurred on the part of government in suppre