89 STAT. 38©
PUBLIC LAW 94-67—AUG. 5, 1975
Public Law 94-67 94th Congress Joint Resolution Aug- 5, 1975 [S.J. Res. 23]
Robert E. Lee. Citizenship restored posthumously, u s e prec. title 1.
To restore posthumously full rights of citizenship to General R. E. Lee.
Whereas this entire Nation has long recognized the outstanding virtues of courage, patriotism, and selfless devotion to duty of General R. E. Lee, and has recognized the contribution of General Lee in healing the wounds of the War Between the States, and Whereas, in order to further the goal of reunion of this country, General Lee, on June 13, 1865, applied to the President for amnesty and pardon and restoration of his rights as a citizen, and Whereas this request was favorably endorsed by General Ulysses S. Grant on June 16, 1865, and Whereas, General Lee's full citizenship was not restored to him subsequent to his request of June 13, 1865, for the reason that no accompanying oath of allegiance was submitted, and Whereas, on October 12, 1870, General Lee died, still denied the right to hold any office and other rights of citizenship, and Whereas a recent discovery has revealed that General Lee did in fact on October 2, 1865, swear allegiance to the Constitution of the United States and to the Union, and Whereas it appears that General Lee thus fulfilled all of the legal as well as moral requirements incumbent upon him for restoration of his citizenship: Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in accordance with section 3 of amendment 14 of the United States Constitution, the legal disabilities placed upon General Lee as a result of his service as General of the Army of Northern Virginia are removed, and that General R. E. Lee is posthumously restored to the full rights of citizenship, effective June 13, 1865. Approved August 5, 1975.
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY: HOUSE REPORT No. 94-324 (Coram, on the Judiciary). SENATE REPORT No. 94-44 (Coram, on the Judiciary). CONGRESSIONAL RECORD, Vol. 121 (1975): Apr. 10, considered and passed Senate. July 22, considered and passed House. WEEKLY COMPILATION OF PRESIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS, Vol. 11, No. 32: Aug. 5, Presidential statement.
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