“Neither Slavery Nor Involuntary Servitude…Shall Exist Within The United States”

AMENDMENT XIII

SECTION 1.
Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.

In 1863, President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which declared that people held as slaves within areas of the Confederacy that were in rebellion against the United States would be “forever free.” However, because the Emancipation Proclamation only applied to the Confederate States, an amendment to the US Constitution was required to guarantee that slavery would be abolished in the United States.
The House Joint Resolution Proposing the 13th Amendment to the Constitution
Source: The National Archives

The 13th Amendment was passed by the Senate in April 1864, however it did not initially pass in the House. Lincoln added the passage of the 13th Amendment to the Republican Party platform for the 1864 presidential election. The 13th Amendment finally passed the House on January 31, 1865 with a vote of 119 to 56. Philip mentions the occasion in his diary.

In addition to commemorating the passage of the 13th Amendment, in today’s diary excerpt, Philip mentions the arrival of several Confederate peace commissioners for the Hampton Roads Peace Conference. The historic meeting took place on February 3rd on the steamship River Queen anchored near Fort Monroe in Hampton Roads, Virginia. Ultimately the conference ended “without result” as the southern representatives could not agree to Lincoln’s first two non-negotiable conditions of peace which were:

1. Confederate armies needed to lay down their arms, and
2. Confederate states had to submit to the authority of the federal government.

Sources:

_____________

JANARY 27TH
Was on pickett this day. Very cold and windy. We suffered very much. No word on the post. My foot became sore and I was taken with a cold. The news of Forts Caswell and Campbell falling in our hands with a very heavy loss to the rebels.

JANUARY 31ST
The bill to amend the Constitution abolishing slavery in the United States passed in Congress precisely at four o’clock. The vote stood as follows for 119, against 56 and was ratified by three fourths of the states senate. The news was received amid great rejoicing of the spectators.

FEBRUARY 1ST
The peace commissioners on the part of the rebels came within our lines in front of Petersburg. They consisted of the following named persons, (Confederate Vice President) Alexander H. Stevens, R.M.T. Hunter (Confederate Senator Robert M.T. Hunter) and (Confederate Assistant Secretary of War) John Cambell and was met at Fortress Monroe by President Lincoln and Secretary Seward on the part of the United States to treat on terms of peace.

FEBRUARY 3RD
A.M Caldwell from Brooke County (West Virginia) was here on business concerning the local bounty of the vets. He is trying to get us transferred to his county. Was on guard. Sleeted through the night and was very disagreeable to be on guard.

FEBRUARY 4TH
The peace conference was broken up after four hours interview. They did not come to any terms and the Rebel commission went back to Richmond again. The weather is very fine today. The news from Sherman is very cheering and I look for Charleston to fall in a very short time.

FEBRUARY 5TH
Nothing new this morning. Last night there was a large fire in Washington. Had inspection by Jacobs.

FEBRUARY 6TH, 7TH, 8TH
Nothing of importance has transpired within the last three days. A heavy snow storm fell last eve. I was on guard. Suffered from cold. My clothes got wet and froze on my person. But a good fire soon made me all right again.

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