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  1. Overview: United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65
  2. Full Record: United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65
  3. Committee:The House of Representatives
  4. Session: 1864-12-20 12:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE_FROM

United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65

An amendment to the United States Constitution to abolish slavery introduced during the American Civil War.

The House of Representatives

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

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Session 3642: 1864-12-20 12:00:00

Reuben Fenton leaves the House of Representatives; More members join the House; H. R. 602 is reported back from the Committee on the Rebellious States with amendments; President's Annual Message is considered in the Committee of the Whole.

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H. R. 602

Shown with amendment 'H. R. 602: Editorial Amendment to Mr. Eliot's Substitute' (e904016)

(Showing state at moment e902148)
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A BILL

To guarantee to certain States whose governments have been usurped or overthrown a republican form of government.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

That the States declared to be in rebellion against the United States, and within which the authority of the Constitution and laws of the United States has been overthrown, shall not be permitted to resume their political relations with tor prts o States in which such persns have been declared free by any proclamation of the Pent,he government of the United States until, by action of the loyal citizens within such States, respectively, a whiteState constitution shall be ordain, together with the citizens of the United States from such State in the military or naval service of the United States,ed and establish8ed, repuenrollblican in f, or in the military or naval service of the United States, as aforesaid,orm, forever prohi9biting involuntary or naval servitude within such State, and gu0aranteeing to all persons freedom and equality of rights before the law.

Sec. 21. And be it further enacted, That the State of Louisiana is hereby perm2itted to resume its political relations with the governmand equality civil rights before the law arent to all persons of the Unit, or in any manner in aid thereof,sed State; and all acts, judicial or legislative, for the confiscation or forfeiture of any debt, property, or franchise, of any loyal citizen of the United States, are hereby declared null and void.s under the3 constitution it shall proceed to re-establish a republican form of government, and ordain a constitution containing those provisions, adopted by the convention which assembled on the sixth day of April, anno Domini eighteen h4undred and sixty-four, at New Orleans.Sec. 15. And be it further enacted, That the United States, in Congress assembled, do hereby recognize the government of the State of Louisiana, inaugurated under and by the convention which assembled on the sixth day of April, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-four, at the city of New Orleans; and the government of the State of Arkansas, inaugurated under and by the convention which assembled on the eighth day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-four, at the city of Little Rock: Provided, That the same or other conventions, duly assembled, shall first have incorporated into the constitutions of those States, respectively, the conditions prescribed in the twelfth section of this act, and the marshal of the United States shall have returned to the President of the United States the enrolment directed by the seventh section to be made and returned to the provisional governor, and it shall appear thereby that the persons taking the oath to support the Constitution of the United States, together with the citizens of the United States from such State in the military or naval service of the United States, amount to a majority of the persons enrolled in the State. And the President shall, thereupon, by proclamation, declare the recognition by the United States, in Congress assembled, of the said government of such State; and from the date of such proclamation the said government shall be entitled to the gurarantee and all other rights of a State government under the Constitution of the United States; but this act shall not operate a recognition of a State government in either of said States till the conditions aforesaid are complied with, and till that time those States shall be subject to this law.

Sec. –. And be it further enacted, That in all that portion of the United States heretofore declared to be in rebellion against the United States, and enumerated in the President's proclamation of January 1, 1863, slavery and involuntary servitude, otherwise than in punishment of crime whereof the accused shall have been duly convicted, shall be, and the same hereby is, abolished and prohibited forever, and the re-enslavement, or holding, or attempting to hold, in slavery or in involuntary servitude any person within said States made free by this act, or declared to be free by the proclamation of the President of the United States, dated January 1, 1863, or of any of their descendants, otherwise than in the punishment of crime whereof the accused shall have been duly convicted, is and shall be forever prohibited, any law or regulation of either of said States to the contrary notwithstanding.

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