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  1. Overview: United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65
  2. Full Record: United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65
  3. Committee:The Senate
  4. Session: 1864-02-04 12:00:00
  5. Event type: CREATE_FROM

United States Thirteenth Amendment 1863-65

An amendment to the United States Constitution to abolish slavery introduced during the American Civil War.

The Senate

The Senate of the Thirty-Eighth Session of Congress

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Document introduced in:

Session 8293: 1864-02-04 12:00:00

S. 45 is reported from the Committee on Territories with amendments.

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S. 45

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A BILL

To set apart a portion of the State of Texas for the use of persons of African descent.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That that part of the State of Texas located within the following bounds shall be perpetually devoted to the use and for the benefit of the free people of color within the United States and the freedmen thereof, who shall be privileged to enter on and take title to the public lands therein according to the provisions of the homestead law.

Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the public lands hereby devoted to the use of the persons named in the first section of this enactment are those included within the following bounds: beginning at the point where the Colorado river empties into the Gulf of Mexico; thence northward with that river to the point where it crosses the ninety-ninth meridian of the west longitude from Greenwich; thence west-northwest in a line direct from said point of junction to the southeast corner of the Territory of New Mexico; thence with the south line of said Territory to the Rio Grande del Norte; thence with the Rio Grande southward to the Gulf of Mexico; thence with the coast of the Gulf eastwardly to the point of beginning.

Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the officer in charge of emigration, heretofore appointed by the President, shall be charged with the execution of the provisions of this enactment, under the direction of the President, and he shall be allowed an annual salary of ---- per annum, and such a number of clerks, not to exceed ---- of each class, as shall be necessary for the transaction of the business of his office, the chief of whom shall be a bonded disbursing clerk. And the appropriations heretofore made for colonization purposes are hereby placed at the command of the President, to enable him to carry into effect the provisions of this law. And all laws and parts of laws contrary hereto are hereby repealed. And of all acts done in the department of the Commissioner of Emancipation said Commissioner shall make full report to the President of the United States before the commencement of each session of Congress.

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