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  1. Overview: United States Fourteenth Amendment & The Civil Rights Act of 1866
  2. Full Record: United States Fourteenth Amendment & The Civil Rights Act of 1866
  3. Committee:Joint Committee of Fifteen on Reconstruction
  4. Session: 1866-04-23 10:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

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.

Joint Committee of Fifteen on Reconstruction

A special joint committee made up of nine members from the House of Representatives six members of the Senate. This committee was formed to inquire into the condition of the states in rebellion.

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Document introduced in:

Session 5630: 1866-04-23 10:00:00

The Joint Committee meets; the plan of reconstruction is further divided; the bill to provide for the restoration to the States lately in insurrection of their full political rights (part of the divided plan) is considered.

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A Bill to Provide for the Restoration to the States Lately in Insurrection of Their Full Political Rights

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A Bill to provide for the restoration to the states lately in insurrection of their full political rights.

Whereas, It is expedient that the states lately in insurrection should, at the earliest day consistent with the future peace and safety of the Union, be restored to full participation in all political rights;

And, whereas, the Congress did, by joint resolution, propose for ratification to the legislatures of the several states, as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, an article in the following words, to wit:

"Article.

"Section 1. No discrimination shall be made by any State nor by the United States as to the civil rights of persons because of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

"Sec. 2. From and after the fourth day of July in the year 1876 no discrimination shall be made by any state nor by the United States, as to the enjoyment, by classes of persons, of the right of suffrage, because of race, color or previous condition of servitude.

"Sec. 3. Until the fourth day of July, 1876, no class of persons, as to the right of any of whom to suffrage discrimination shall be made by any state, because of race, color or previous condition of servitude, shall be included in the basis of representation.

"Sec. 4. Debts or obligations already incurred or which may hereafter be incurred in aid of insurrection or of war against the Union, and claims for compensation for loss of involuntary service or labor, shall not be paid by any state nor by the United States.

"Sec. 5. 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. 6. The Congress shall have power to enforce by appropriate legislation the provisions of this article."

Now, therefore,

Be it enacted, by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That whenever the above recited amendment shall have become part of the Constitution, and any state lately in insurrection shall have ratified the same, and shall have modified its constitution and laws in conformity with the first section thereof, the Senators and Representatives from such state, if found duly elected and qualified, shall, after having taken the usual oath of office, be admitted into Congress as such; Provided, That until after the fourth day of July, 1876, no person shall be eligible to either branch of the National Legislature who is included in any of the following classes, namely:

First. Persons who, having been officers of the army or navy of the United States, or having been members of the 36th Congress, or having held in the year 1860 seats in the Cabinet, or judicial offices under the United States, did afterwards take part in the late insurrection.

Second. Persons who have been civil or diplomatic officers of the so-called confederate government, or officers of the army or navy of said government above the rank of colonel in the army and of lieutenant in the navy.

Third. Persons in regard to whom it shall appear that they have treated officers or soldiers or sailors of the army or navy of the United Slates, of whatever race, or color, captured during the late civil war, otherwise than lawfully as prisoners of war.

Fourth. Persons in regard to whom it shall appear that they are disloyal.

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