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.

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Document introduced in:

Session 5692: 1866-05-23 00:00:00

The Senate considers H. Res. 127 in Committee of the Whole

Document View (with components):

H. Res. 127

Shown with amendment 'None' (e898520)

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There are 5 proposed amendments related to this document on which decisions have not been taken.

JOINT RESOLUTION

Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States.

Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, (two-thirds of both houses concurring,) That the following article be proposed to the legislatures of the several States as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which, when ratified by three-fourths of said legislatures, shall be valid as part of the Constitution, namely:

ARTICLE —.

SEC. 1. All persons born [+e897139]or naturalized [+e898770]in the United States[+e897139],[+e898285] and subject to the jurisdiction thereof[+e897139],[+e898285] are citizens of the United States and of the State[+e897139]s[+e897139 -e898285] wherein they reside. [+e897139]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. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union[-e898525] according to their respectiv[-e898519]e numbers[-e898519], coun[-e898519]ti each Stat[+e898519]ng t[-e898519]he w[-e898519]hf ma[+e898519]olecitizens[+e898519] numbe[-e898519]r ofthe United[+e898519] persons in eac[-e898519]h the ri[+e898525]fo[+e898701]ght to vo[+e898525 -e898701]te at [+e898525]choice of electors for President[+e898701]any[+e898525 -e898701]State, ex[-e898701]cludi[-e898519]Vice President[+e898701]ng I[-e898701]ndia[-e898519]non held under [+e898525]Representatives in C[+e898701]t[+e898525]ng[+e898701]h[+e898525]ess, the executive and judicial officers[+e898701]e Constitution and laws[+e898525], or the members of the Legislature thereof[+e898701] of the Ut[+e898525]sS[+e898525]o[+e898519]ates, [+e898525]v[+e898519]r of[+e898525]er twenty-one y[+e898519]State, is denied to any[+e898525]ears of age qualified by[+e898519] not[-e898519]the[+e898525] tax[-e898519]such[+e898525]ed[-e898525]. But whenever in any Stat[-e898519]e thelaws of such State to choose membe[+e898519]being and citizens of the United States[+e898525]rs of the most numerous branch[+e898519] elective franchise shall be denied to any portio[-e898519]n othere[+e898525]f its[-e898525]L[+e898519 -e898525]egislature, and including such citizen[+e898519] male[-e898519]inhabitants, being [+e898327 -e898519] citizen[-e898519] of the United Sta[+e898327 -e898519]such [+e898525]tes,[+e898327 -e898525]s[-e898525] not le[-e898519]ss t[-e898519]han twenty-one yea[-e898519]rsare disqualified by[+e898519] of age, or in any way abridged, except fo[-e898519]r participati[-e898519]og[+e898519]n in rebellio. Direct taxes shall be appor[+e898519]n or other crime, the basis of repr[-e898519]esent[-e898519]atioed among the several[+e898519]n in suc[-e898519]h Stats accord[+e898519]e shall be reduced[-e898519] ig[+e898519]n the p[-e898519]roportion whic[-e898519]h thevalue[+e898519] numbe[-e898519]r ofthe real and personal taxable property situate in each State[+e898519] male citizens shall bear to the whole number of such male citizen[-e898519]s notbelonging to the State or to the United[+e898519] less than twenty-one years of ag[-e898519] in such[+e898330 -e898519] State[+e898330]s[+e898519]e.

SEC. 3.[+e897145]N[+e898420]That n[+e898317 -e898420] [+e897145 -e898317]No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or[+e897145] an[+e897145 -e898317] elector of Presiden[+e897145]validity [+e898764]t[+e897145]f the pu[+e898764] an[+e897145]c debt[+e898764]d Vice [+e897145 -e898764]President, or hold an[+e897145], authoriz[+e898764]y offic[+e897145 -e898764]e, [+e897145]by law, [+e898764]ci[+e897145]clud[+e898764]vil or mi[+e897145 -e898764]lita[+e897145]debts [+e898764]ry[+e897145]c[+e898764],[+e897145 -e898764] und[+e897145]d for payment[+e898764]er the United States[+e897145 -e898764], or[+e897145]pensions and[+e898764] under any State, who, havin[+e897145 -e898764]g previous[+e897145]f[+e898764]ly [+e897145]services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion[+e898764]taken an oat[+e897145 -e898764],[+e898317 -e898764]h as a membe[+e897145 -e898764]r of Con[+e897145]not be questioned. But n[+e898764]gress, or as an officer of the[+e897145 -e898764] United States, or as a member of any State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to s[+e897145]u[+e897145 -e898764]pp[+e897145]o[+e897145 -e898764]rt the Constitutio[+e897145]n of the[+e897145 -e898765] United States, shall hav[+e897145]for[+e898764]e engaged in [+e897145 -e898764]insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereo[+e897145]. B[+e898317]f; [+e897145 -e898317]but Congress may, by a vote of two th[+e897145]5[+e898764]i[+e897145 -e898764]rds of each House, remove such disability. [+e897145]

[+e897145]

SEC. [+e897145]3. [-e897111]The obligations of the United States incurred in suppressing insurrection, or in defense of the Union, or for payment of bounties or pensions incident thereto, shall remain inviolate. [+e897148]

[+e897148]

SEC. [+e897148]5[+e897149]4[+e897148 -e897149]. [+e897148]Until the fourth day of July, in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventy, a[-e897111]ll perso[-e897149]ns who v[-e897111]oluntarily adhered to the late insurr[-e897149]ection, giving it aid an[-e897111][[+e897149]on account of[+e898413]d [-e898413]] rebellion[+e897149 -e898413]comfort[-e898413], shall be excluded from the right to vote for representatives[-e897111]the [+e897149] in Co[-e897111]r emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations, and claims shall b[+e897149]ngress and for elect[-e897149]or[-e897111]f[+e897149]s [-e897111]ever held illegal and void[+e897149]for Pr[-e897149]esident an[-e897111]6[+e897149]d[-e897149] Vice President of the United States. [-e897111]

[-e897111]

SEC. [-e897111]4. Neither the United States nor any State shall assume or pay any debt or obligation already incurred, or which may hereafter be incurred, in aid of insurrection or of war against the United States, or any claim for compensation for loss of involuntary service or labor.

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

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