United States Fourteenth Amendment & The Civil Rights Act of 1866

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.

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The House of Representatives of the Thirty-Ninth Session of Congress

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Document introduced in:

Session 5614: 1866-06-09 12:00:00

Mr. Boutwell gives notice that the House is to take up H. Res. 127 on the next Wednesday

Document View (with components):

H. Res. 127

There are 0 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of both houses concurring,) That the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said legislatures, shall be valid as part of the Constitution, namely:

ARTICLE —.

SEC. 1. All persons born [+e445959]or naturalized [+e893296]in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. [+e445959]No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

SEC. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union [-e471159]according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at[+e471159]ever in[-e471159] any election for the choice of[+e471159]State the[-e471159] electors for President and Vice President of the U[+e471159]ive franchise shall be de[-e471159]nit[+e471159]ed States, Representatives in Congress, the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the member[+e471159]to any portion of its male [-e471159]inhabitants, being [+e1539 -e471159]citizen[-e471159]s of the [+e1539]Legislature thereof, i[+e471159]United State[+e1539 -e471159]s de[+e471159]nied t[+e471159]o any of [+e471159]the[+e471159] ma[+e471159]le inhabitant[+e471159]s of [+e471159]such[+e471159] S[+e471159]th[-e471159]ate, bei[+e471159]ng[+e471159] twenty-one years of age and citizens of the United States[+e471159], or in any way abridged,[-e471159] except for participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation there[+e471159]in such State s[-e471159]hall be reduced in the proportion which the number of such [+e471159]male citizens shall bear to the whole number of such [-e471159]male citizens not less than[-e471159] twenty-one years of age in such State[+e823914].

SEC. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and 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 insurrecti[+e240158]validity [+e376768]o[+e240158]f the pu[+e376768]n o[+e240158]c debt[+e376768]r rebel[+e240158 -e376768]lion against the same[+e240158], authoriz[+e376768], or gi[+e240158 -e376768]ven[+e240158]by law, [+e376768] a[+e240158]clud[+e376768]id or com[+e240158 -e376768]fort[+e240158]debts [+e376768] t[+e240158]c[+e376768]o[+e240158 -e376768] the[+e240158]d for payment[+e376768] enemies thereof. Bu[+e240158 -e376768]t Co[+e240158]pensions and[+e376768]ngress may, by a vote of two[+e240158 -e376768] thirds of[+e240158]f[+e376768] ea[+e240158]services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion[+e376768]ch House, remove such dis[+e240158 -e376768]ability.[+e240158]not be questioned. But n[+e376768] [+e240158 -e376768]

[+e240158 -e376768]

SEC. [+e240158 -e376768]3. [-e376768]The obligations of[+e525352 -e376768] the United States incurred in suppressing insurrection, or in defense of the Union, or for payment of bounties or[+e525352] [+e525352 -e376768]pe[+e525352]n[+e525352 -e376768]sions incident thereto, shall remain inviolate. [+e525352]

[+e525352]

for[+e376768]SEC. [+e525352 -e376768]5[+e874199 -e376768]4. [+e525352 -e376768]Unti[-e376768]l the fourth day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy, a[-e633023]ll perso[-e874199]ns wh[-e633023]o volunt[-e376768]arily adhered to the late insurr[-e874199]ection, giving it aid an[-e633023][[+e874199]d [-e633023]] rebellion[+e874199]comfort[-e874199], shall be excluded from the right to vot[-e633023]on account of the[+e874199]e for representative[-e874199]s in Co[-e633023]r emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall b[+e874199]ngress and for elect[-e874199]or[-e633023]f[+e874199]s [-e633023]ever held illegal and void[+e874199]for Pr[-e874199]esident and Vice President of the United States. [-e633023]

[-e633023]

SEC. [-e633023]4. Neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation already incurred, or which may hereafter be incurred, in aid of insurrection or of war against the United States, or any claim for compensation for loss of involuntary service or labor.

SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article.

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