[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 628 Introduced in House (IH)]

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114th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 628

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the African-
Americans who duly won election to the House during the post-Civil War 
  Reconstruction Era but were wrongly denied the right to take their 
       seats should be recognized as former Members of the House.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 29, 2016

Mr. Richmond submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                 the Committee on House Administration

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                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the African-
Americans who duly won election to the House during the post-Civil War 
  Reconstruction Era but were wrongly denied the right to take their 
       seats should be recognized as former Members of the House.

Whereas during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era, many African-Americans won 
        election to the House of Representatives but were wrongly denied the 
        right to serve as Members;
Whereas James Lewis of Louisiana, who won an election in 1869, was denied his 
        seat in the House when his credentials were challenged;
Whereas John Willis Menard of Louisiana, who also won an election in 1869, was 
        denied his seat in the House on the basis of a challenge by the 
        individual he defeated;
Whereas Pinckney B.S. Pinchback of Louisiana, who had been elected previously to 
        the House, conceded his seat in the House on the assumption that he 
        would be seated in the Senate, but was denied his seat by the Democratic 
        majority; and
Whereas Josiah Thomas Walls of Florida, who had been elected previously to the 
        House, won an election in 1874 but was denied his seat in the House on 
        the basis of a challenge by the individual he defeated, a former colonel 
        in the Confederate army: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) James Lewis, John Willis Menard, Pinckney B.S. 
        Pinchback, and Josiah Thomas Walls duly won election to the 
        House during the post-Civil War Reconstruction Era;
            (2) these individuals were wrongly denied the right to take 
        their seats as Members of the House; and
            (3) these individuals should be recognized as former 
        Members of the House.
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