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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: 1864-01-25 12:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE

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 8187: 1864-01-25 12:00:00

Mr. McDowell submits Resolutions on the Rights of Citizens; Mr. Edgerton submits Resolutions Censuring the President's Actions; both are laid over under the rules.

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Resolutions on the Rights of Citizens

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Resolved, 1. That this House fully recognizes the great fundamental provision of the Constitution of the United States which guaranties the FREEDOM OF SPEECH to every American citizen; and that neither the President, nor any person acting in a subordinate capacity to him, has the rightful authority to arrest and imprison a Citizen of the loyal States for the utterance of sentiments distasteful to the men in power.

2. That we recognize in the FREEDOM of the press the great bulwark of civil liberty; and that those persons temporarily intrusted with power have not the rightful authority, in those States not in rebellion, to subvert this great constitutional guarantee by issuing military orders, or by a resort to any other means unknown to the laws of the country.

3. That the right to security of person from arrest, in the loyal States, when no crime is charged, is a sacred right guarantied to every citizen; and that neither the President, nor any one acting by his authority, has the legal right to arrest, imprison, or transport our people without "due process of law" requiring affidavit, warrant, arrest and trial by a jury of the country impartially selected.

4. That the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus is a fundamental and inherent right belonging to the American people, solemnly guarantied by express provision of the Constitution, that cannot be denied to the citizens of the loyal States, where the courts are open and the administration of justice unobstructed, and "invasion and rebellion" do not exist.

5. That the Constitution of the United States is one of expressed and limited powers, and that neither Congress nor the Executive have the "lawful right" to interfere with the established rights and domestic institutions of the several States.

6. That we reaffirm our unalterable devotion to the Constitution of the United States, and to each and every provision thereof, as framed by the fathers, including those provisions relating to the rights of property and the inviolability of contracts, as understood and interpreted by the Supreme Court of the United States.

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