In 1865, the 13th Amendment freed millions of Southern blacks from slavery.

Some opponents of the draft argue that it is a form of slavery and thus violates the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, which bars "involuntary servitude.

During the January 1865 effort to persuade the last few Democrats to switch votes in order to pass the 13th amendment abolishing slavery--an effort in which the political president played a larger role than in any other congressional action during his presidency--there came a devastating rumor, ruinous to the chances of passage, that Southern commissioners were headed for Washington to sue for peace.