An Act

For the removal of legal and political disabilities imposed by the third section of the fourteenth article of amendments to the Constitution of the United States.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled (two-thirds of each House concurring therein,) That all legal and political disabilities imposed by the third section of the fourteenth article of amendments to the Constitution of the United States on persons therein mentioned, because of their having engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof, be, and the same are hereby, removed: Provided, That this act shall not apply to, or in any way affect or remove, the disability of any person included in either of the following classes, viz: First, members of the Congress of the United States who withdraw therefrom and aided the rebellion. Second, officers of the Army or Navy of the United States who, being above the age of twenty-one years, left said Army or Navy and aided the rebellion. Third, members of State conventions which adopted pretended ordinances of secession who voted for the adoption of such ordinances.

Sec. 2. That before any person shall be entitled to the benefit of this act, he shall, within the district where he resides, before a clerk of some sort of the United States, or a United States commissioner, take and subscribe an oath or affirmation to support the Constitution of the United States, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same; which oath and affirmation shall be forwarded by said officer to the Secretary of State of the United States, who shall cause a list of all persons complying with the provisions of this act to be laid before Congress at the opening of each session thereof; and the officer before whom such oath or affirmation is made shall give to the person taking it a certificate of the fact, under such forms and regulations as the Secretary of State shall prescribe.