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  1. Overview: United States Fifteenth Amendment
  2. Full Record: United States Fifteenth Amendment
  3. Committee:The House of Representatives
  4. Session: 1867-12-05 12:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

United States Fifteenth Amendment

The House of Representatives

The House of Representatives of the Fortieth Session of Congress

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Document introduced in:

Session 6458: 1867-12-05 12:00:00

Frederick E. Woodbridge from Vermont and J. S. Golladay from Kentucky enter the House; H. R. 212 and H. R. 214 are proposed and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

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H. R. 214

Shown with amendment 'None' (e866350)

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

A Bill

To amend the act passed March 23, 1867, entitled "An act supplementary to an act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” passed March 2, 1867, and to facilitate the restoration thereof.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of the fifth section of an act passed March 23, 1867, entitled “An act supplementary to an act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States, passed March 2, 1867, and to facilitate their restoration," as requires that a majority of all the registered votes of the district shall be cast in favor of the ratification of the constitution before it becomes valid be, and the same is hereby, so far modified that a majority of the votes cast at the election for the ratification or rejection of the Constitution shall be considered as valid and as affirming or rejecting the constitution.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the several States which may be reconstructed under the act of March 2, 1867, and its supplements, may at the time of voting upon the ratification of the constitution vote also for members of Congress, who shall be entitled to take their seats in the next session of Congress after their several States shall have been admitted into the Union; and until a new apportionment the election for said members shall be according to the districts as they existed in 1858 and 1859, except when otherwise provided for; and the same elective officers who make the return of the votes cast on the ratification or rejection of the constitution shall enumerate and certify the votes cast for the members of Congress, and give certificates of election to those having the largest number of votes and whom they may deem entitled thereto.

Sec. 4. [And be it further enacted,] The several conventions which have assembled, or may assemble, under the act of March 23, 1867, supplementary to the act of March 2, 1867, to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States, have power to provide by ordinance for temporary civil governments in the several States, mentioned in said acts, which shall continue only until the organization of permanent civil governments therein under constitutions framed, adopted, and ratified in pursuance of said acts and any amendments thereof; and also, so far as may be deemed necessary, for the appointment of the proper officers to administer such temporary governments; and the several provisional governments now existing in said States shall thereupon, unless continued in whole or in part by such ordinance, cease to have or exercise any authority therein.

Sec. 5. [And be it further enacted,] The commanders of the several military districts established by the said act of March 2, 1867, shall aid and sustain the temporary civil governments thus established for States within their respective districts so far as may be necessary to enforce the authority of the said governments and of their officers under the ordinances providing for the same respectively.

Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That said conventions be, and they are hereby, empowered to enfranchise all citizens of their respective States who have proved their loyalty by aiding in the work of reconstruction.

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