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 the States declared to be in rebellion against the United States, and withfor the protection of persons and property in which the authority of the Constgovernment, ,itution and laws of the United States has been wnons with tor prts o States in which suchhve bee declarefree by any clamation of thrown, shall note Pent,he govnmens of the United States u4ntil, bthaction of the l$1,500ya5respetively, a l whiteState constitution lshall be permitted to resumordain, together with the citizens of the United States from such State in their political relations with th military or naval service of the United States,ed and establish6ed, repuenrollblican in f, or in the military or naval service of the United States as aforesaidorm, forreverr prohi7bitings ofState, who areluary or naval serviall who have been hion of oonoraly dcarg therefrom, together with all loyal citizens enrolled as afosaid, tude, prescribJuly 2, 1862, shall be electors, and may vote for delegates to the conventiozensherebefore authorized, in the couy, pish, or district in which they reside,n such State8ngred ality of rs before the la
Sec. 9espe8 cyticivil LGvely, aand equality civil rights before the law ari to all persons , or in any manner in aid thereof,s Stat.ee31establish a repusblica4n in form of government, and ordain a constizetution containing those provisions, shall be ordained and esy ril, anno DominSRi eighteen h2undred and sixtyfour, at New Orleans.éSec. 15. And be it further enacted, That the United States, in suchCongress assembled, do hereby recognize government of the State$1,500ng5rea rs befolaespel ctively, a St of Louisiana, inaugurarepublicd under and by convention which assembled on the sixth day of April, anno Domini eighteen hundrnd ixty-four,t 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, dassembled, shall first ve incorporated into the constitutions of those States, respectively,the conditions prescridin the twfth sion of this actan the rshal of the United States shall have returned o thPresident of the United Sthe enrolment directed by the seh section to be made and returned to the provisinal governor, and it sall appa threby that the persons taking the oath to support thmConstition of te United States, tgethe with the citns of the United States from such State e military or naval service of the United Stablistes, am to a majoty of the person enrolled in the State. And the President shall, therepupon, by proclamation, declare the recognition by the United States, in formCongress assembled, of the said government of suState; and from date of such proclamation th a government shall be entitled to the gurarantee and rever prohibitingSec. . Anoer rights of a State government under the Constitu of the ted States; but this act shall not operate a recognition of a State govnmnt in eiher of said States till the conditions asaid are complied with, and till th time thse States shall be subject to this law.
Sec. –. Andt further enacted, That in a that portn of the United States heretofore declared to be in rebellio the State anrated the on of January, and involuntary serv9itude, otherwise than in such Sta of the te shl al, and the guarherebGy shed and pe1rohibited forever, and the re-enslavement, or hold, or ing to all in ary servit personsaid States freedom and equalitySR2 free by the proclamation ofé the President of the United States, of an the d than of rightsereof the beut is a shall fore the lawn either f said States to the contrarthsta.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the State of Louisiana is hereby permitted to resume its political relations with the government of the United States under the constitution adopted by the convention which assembled on the sixth day of April, anno Domini eighteen hundred and sixty-four, at New Orleans.