In using the name "Indemnity Act" to designate the law of March 3, 1863, contemporary usage has been followed. Senator Trumbull and others referred to the measure while under debate as the "Indemnity Bill," and the same designation appeared in the heading of the record, as well as in many other places. Cong. Globe, 37 Cong., 3 sess., pp. 1459, 1479.)
Source: James G. Randall, Constitutional Problems Under Lincoln, Revised Edition, 1951, Chapter 11, "The Indemnity Act of 1863," p. 189, footnote 8.
If you look at HR 591, as recorded on Dec 9, 1862, the working title was "An Act to indemnify the President and other Persons for suspending the privilege of the writ of Habeas Corpus and acts done in pursuance thereof." It also came with a preamble which explained the reasons for the proposed Act:
The Indemnity Bill was passed on March 3, 1863.
In the House:
March 2, 1863.THE CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
INDEMNITY BILL.
The SPEAKER. The hour of one o'clock having arrived the vote will now be taken, by previous order of the House, on agreeing to the report of the committee of conference on the indemnity bill
Mr. ALLEN, of Ohio, called for the yeas and nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The question, was taken; and it was decided in the affirmative-yeas 99, nays 44; as follows:
* * *
Source: Congressional Globe, 37th Congress, 3rd Session, March 2, 1863. (Page 1479)
