Article 28

The Confederate flag（联邦旗）, a symbol of racism （种族主义）for many in the US and of Southern heritage （遗产）for others, is set to be removed （摘除）from South Carolina's state Capitol grounds on Thursday after lawmakers sealed （封印）its fate in a late-night session（会议）.

The bill （议案）to remove the flag, which dates back to （追溯）the 1861-65 American Civil War, would transfer （移交）it to the "relic room" （陈列室）at a military museum in the state capital, Columbia, as soon as midday Thursday.

It passed a third and final vote in the House of Representatives （众议院）shortly after 1 am Thursday by a hefty （大）margin （盈余）of 94-20, after 13 hours of at times rancorous （恶意）debate and stiff （激烈）opposition （反对）from a group of conservative （保守）white Republicans.

It has already passed the Senate and now goes to Governor Nikki Haley who has said she will sign it into law.

Haley posted（张贴） a statement （声明）on her official （正式）Facebook page early Thursday saying, "It is a new day in South Carolina, a day we can all be proud of, a day that truly brings us all together as we continue to heal（愈合）, as one people and one state."

The final vote was secured （确保）almost exactly three weeks after nine black worshippers （崇拜者）were gunned down （杀掉）on June 17 during Bible study at a church with a historically black congregation （集会）in Charleston.

The battle over the banner （旗帜）was stoked （引发）by photos of the accused （被指控）shooter, Dylann Roof, 21, posing （摆姿势）with a Confederate flag on a website bearing （带有）a racist manifesto（宣言）.

The massacre （大屠杀）prompted （促使）widespread repudiation （消除）of the flag by southern US politicians, led by Haley, as well as major retailers （零售商）and motor racing's NASCAR.

The bill appeared （似乎）to be in trouble as the debate ran late into the night on Wednesday with Republicans launching （发动）60 amendments （修正案）seeking to soften （软化）the impact （影响）of taking down the flag.

Various alternatives （备选）were proposed（提供）, from a referendum （公投）to hoisting （升起）a different Civil War-era battle flag to flying （升）the current flag only once a year on Confederate Memorial Day.

As patience （耐心）wore thin（稀少）, a string of Democrats, both black and white, and some white Republicans, begged （恳求）the House not to drag（拖） its feet any longer, warning （警告）that amending the bill could hold up （耽搁）passage for weeks.

"Are we going to tarry （拖延）in the foolishness of 150 years ago," said Cezar McNight, a Democrat Representative who is black.

Republican Representative Jenny Anderson Horne, who is white, turned her frustration （恼怒）on fellow （同胞）party members, invoking （援引）the memory of the nine victims （受害者）at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal （卫理公会）church, including their pastor（牧师）, Reverend Clementa Pinckney, a widely admired （尊敬）state senator.