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  1. Overview: The Road to Civil War
  2. Full Record: The Road to Civil War
  3. Committee:The House of Representatives
  4. Session: 1862-05-08 12:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE_FROM

The Road to Civil War

The House of Representatives

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Document introduced in:

Session 12279: 1862-05-08 12:00:00

Mr. Lovejoy, from the Committee on the Territories, reports H. R. 374 with an amendment

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H. R. 374

Shown with amendment 'None' (e896996)

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

An Act[+e896998] Bill[-e896998] [+e896971]

To secure[+e124931]render[-e124931] freedom to all persons withi[+e124931]Territories[+e896998]n the exclusive jurisd[+e124931 -e896998]i[+e124931]nationa[-e124931]United States[+e896998]F[+e896971 -e896998]l and sl[-e896998]G[+e896971 -e896998]avery se[-e896998]ction of the feder[+e124931 -e896994]al[-e896994] government[+e124931 -e896994]. [-e896994]

[-e896994]

To the end that freedom may be, and remain forever, the fundamental law of the land in all places whatsoever, so far as it lies within the powers or de[-e896994]G[+e896971 -e896994]pends upon the action of the government of the United St[-e896994],[+e896971]a[-e896971]tes to make it so: Therefore—

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of [-e896971]the United States of American in Congor[+e896971]res[-e896971]s assembled, That slavery and involuntary servitudet[+e896988],[-e896988] in all cases whatsoever, (other than in the punishment of crime, whereof the [-e896988]party shall have been duly convicted,) shall henceforth cease, and be prohibited forever [-e896988]namely: [+e896971 -e896988]in all the fol[-e896988]lowing places, viz:

First. In,[+e896988] all the Territories of the United States now existing, or hereafter to be f[-e896988] [+e896971 -e896988]ormed or acquired in any way. [-e896988]

[-e896988]

Second. In all places purchased or to be purchased by the United Sta[-e896988]L[+e896971 -e896988]tes, with the consent of the legislatures of the several States, for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock-yards[-e896988], and in which the United States has or shall have exclusive legislative jurisdiction[+e896971 -e896988],[-e896988] [+e896971 -e896988] and other needful buildings. [-e896988]

[-e896988]

Third. In all vessels on the high seas, and on all national highways, beyond the territory and jurisdiction of each of the severa[-e896988]n[+e896971 -e896988]l States from which or to which t[-e896988] [+e896971 -e896988]he said vessels may be going. [-e896988]

[-e896988]

Fourth. In all places w[-e896988]G[+e896971 -e896988]hatsoever where the national government is supreme, or has exclusive jurisdiction and power. [-e896988]

[-e896988]

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That any person now held or attempted to be held hereafter as a slave in any of the places above named is hereby declared to be free, and the right to freedom hereby declared may be asserted in any of the courts of the United States[-e896988] or of the several States, in t[+e896971]be[-e896971]half of the party, or his or her posterity, after any lapse of time, upon the principle that a [-e896971]party once free is always free.

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