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Manuscript draft of the 'Territorial Slavery Act of 1862' passed by the 37th Congress, one page, 13 x 13.75, June 17, 1862. Draft of the 'engrossed bill'—the final text of a bill passed by both houses before sent for printing by the Government Printing Office—prepared by the "Thirty Seventh Congress, Second Session," for the 'Territorial Slavery Act of 1862,' prohibiting slavery in all current and future territories of the United States. In full: "Be It Enacted By the Senate House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress Assembled, That from and after the passage of this act there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any of the Territories of the United States now existing, or what may at any time hereafter be formed or acquired by the United States, otherwise than in punishment of crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted." Docketed on the reverse, "H.R. 374," with "An Act to secure Freedom to all persons within the Territories of the United States," written multiple times below. In very good condition, with foxing, fold splits (some repaired with tape on the reverse), and loss to the bottom edge.
The Territorial Slavery Act of 1862 was a landmark piece of legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that formally abolished slavery in all current and future federal territories. Signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln on June 19, 1862, the act marked a significant—if largely symbolic—step toward national emancipation and reflected the growing power of anti-slavery sentiment during the Civil War. It laid the legal groundwork for the later abolition of slavery nationwide through the Thirteenth Amendment.
