Ulysses S. Grant signs the Amnesty Act of 1872

Legislative Context. The Amnesty Act of 1872 was passed by the 42nd United States Congress on May 22, 1872. It removed most penalties imposed on former Confederates by the Fourteenth Amendment, which had been adopted in 1868. The original restrictive Act was passed in May 1866. The 1872 law specifically removed office-holding disqualifications against most secessionists, clearing over 150,000 former Confederate troops.

Exclusions and Proclamation. The act excluded Senators and Representatives of the 36th and 37th Congresses, as well as officers in the judicial, military, and naval service, heads of departments, and foreign ministers. Following the passage, Grant issued a proclamation on June 1, 1872, directing district attorneys to dismiss proceedings against disqualified persons except those falling within these specific exceptions.

Grant's Role. Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president serving from 1869 to 1877, held office when the Amnesty Act was passed. On June 1, 1872, he issued a proclamation directing district attorneys to dismiss and discontinue proceedings against persons disqualified by the Fourteenth Amendment, except for those falling within the exceptions named in the act.