Crittenden–Johnson Resolution

The Crittenden–Johnson Resolution (also known as the Crittenden Resolution and the War Aims Resolution) was proposed in the United States Congress early in the American Civil War, as a conciliatory message to the slave states assuring them that the Northern war effort was not aimed at interfering with their rights to slavery, but solely towards restoring the Union. It was passed almost unanimously in July of 1861 after the shocking defeat at the First Battle of Bull Run. It was later rejected in December of that year during an attempt to reaffirm the resolution by congress.

The resolution is sometimes confused with the "Crittenden Compromise," a series of unsuccessful proposals to amend the United States Constitution that were debated after slave states began seceding, in an attempt to prevent the Confederate States from leaving the Union. Both measures are sometimes confused with the Corwin Amendment, a proposal to amend the Constitution that was adopted by the 36th Congress, which attempted to put slavery and other states' rights under constitutional protection; it passed Congress but was not ratified by the states.