THE ILLEGITIMATE RATIFICATION
(The Old Revolutionary, Militant Jeffersonian) - The ratification process of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution is a contentious issue, particularly concerning the actions of the states of Ohio and New Jersey. Ohio initially ratified the 14th Amendment on June 15, 1866, following its proposal by Congress. However, on January 15, 1868, the Ohio General Assembly passed a joint resolution attempting to withdraw its ratification.
This resolution explicitly stated that the State was “withdrawing the assent of the State of Ohio from the proposed XIV Constitutional amendment.” Despite this attempt to rescind its ratification, the federal government, under the influence and absolute control of the Radical Republicans, continued to count Ohio’s initial ratification as valid. This decision played a crucial role in the amendment’s eventual illegal ratification on July 9, 1868, as the amendment required the approval of three-fourths of the states to be added to the Constitution.
The State of Ohio rescinded its ratification of the 14th Amendment on January 15, 1868. The exact wording of the resolution is…
