Titles of Nobility Amendment

Titles of Nobility Amendment is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that has been outstanding for over two centuries. Also known as the Thirteenth Amendment, it was first proposed by Senator Philip Reed of Maryland in 1810.

History

The Titles of Nobility Amendment was introduced in the 11th United States Congress on April 27, 1810. It was passed by the Senate on May 1, 1810, and by the House of Representatives on May 10, 1810. The amendment was then sent to the states for ratification.

The amendment was ratified by twelve states by 1812. However, it fell short of the thirteen states needed at the time for ratification. The amendment has been ratified by additional states since then, but it has never reached the three-fourths of states required for ratification of an amendment.

Text of the Amendment

The text of the Titles of Nobility Amendment reads as follows:

"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."

Impact

If ratified, the Titles of Nobility Amendment would strip U.S. citizenship from any citizen who accepts a title of nobility or an honor from a foreign country without the consent of Congress. This would include titles such as "Sir" or "Dame" bestowed by the British monarchy, as well as honors from other countries.

Controversy

There is some controversy surrounding the Titles of Nobility Amendment. Some believe that the amendment was actually ratified and that it is being suppressed by the government. These theories often cite the fact that the amendment was printed in some early 19th century copies of the U.S. Constitution.

See also

• List of amendments to the United States Constitution
• History of the United States Constitution