An amendment to the United States Constitution to abolish slavery introduced during the American Civil War.
The House of Representatives of the Thirty-Eighth Session of Congress
To see the full record of a committee, click on the corresponding committee on the map below.
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.
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 Senators and Repthe States declared to be in rebellion against the United Statives shall not be received from any, and within which the authority of the Constitution and laws of the United States heretofore declared in rebellion againsas been overthrown, shall not be permitted to resume their political relations with the government of the United States until, by an action or jointf the loyal citizens within such States, resolpectively, a State constitution of Congress, approved by tshall be ordained and established, President, or passed notwithstandpublican in form, forever prohibiting his objections,involuntary servitude within such State sh, and guaranteeing to all have been first declared to have organized a just local government, repubpersons freedom and equality of rights before the law.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the State of Louisiana is hereby permitted to resume its politican in form, and to be entl relations with the government of the Unitled to representaStates under the constitution inadopted by the respeconventive Houseson which assembled on the sixth day of CongApril, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-four, at New Orleans.
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.