An amendment to the Constitution of the United States that granted citizenship and equal rights, both civil and legal, to Black Americans, including those who had been emancipated by the thirteenth amendment.
A special joint committee made up of nine members from the House of Representatives six members of the Senate. This committee was formed to inquire into the condition of the states in rebellion.
To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.
The Joint Committee meets; S. Res. 76 is received; the Constitutional Amendment is reconsidered and amended; the portion relating to certain persons to be excluded from office be considered as a separate bill to declare certain persons ineligible to office; the Joint Resolution and the two bills (the result of the original Plan of Reconstruction) are reported to the Senate and House as S. Res. 78/H. Res. 127, S. 292/H. R. 543, and S. 293/H. R. 544; leave is granted to submit a minority report; the injunction of secrecy is partially removed.
A BILL
Declaring certain persons ineligible to office under the government of the United States.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That no person shall be eligible to any office under the government of the United States who is included in any of the following classes, namely:
First. The President and Vice President of the Confederate States of America, so called, and the heads of departments thereof.
Second. Those who in other countries acted as agents of the Confederate States of America, so called.
Third. Heads of departments of the United States, officers of the army and navy of the United States, and all persons educated at the military or naval academy of the United States, judges of the courts of the United States, and members of either house of the thirty-sixth Congress of the United States, who gave aid or comfort to the late rebellion.
Fourth. Those who acted as officers of the Confederate States of America, so called, above the grade of colonel in the army or master in the navy; and any one who, as governor of either of the so-called Confederate States, gave aid or comfort to the late rebellion.
Fifth. Those who have treated officers or soldiers or sailors of the army or navy of the United States, captured during the late war, otherwise than lawfully as prisoners of war.