The national Republican., 1862-03-06
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN.
HON. J. N. AsHLEY'S BILL
ron THE I".. .u' F- r....4
TERRITORIAL OCCUPATION
OF The LAirTtH 80. Z
REBEL STATES. ""'
A BILL.
10 Establish Temporary Provisional Govern
mets over he DISTRICTS Of Cbantry In rebeiio,
AGAINST he United Sales rI rg1u', e

whsr "a a ms piracy has been for many years In
proxress and has resulted In sYsctoa aSd rebel
lion in that part Of the Uriesd Btatsa heretofore
kaown and designsted ns the States cf Alabama,
Artsnsas Florida, Georgia, Louisia,a, Mtss'ssipp
North Csrolins, Sou h Carolina, Tennessee, Texss
and Eastern virginia and whereas, by tn, aet Of
rebellion sgainst the United States, well as BY sn
a,tem pie alliance with foreitn Power to wage war
against said Goverrmen, snd granting l.tters cf
m,rque and ieprisa, the said States have violated
the National Cor siiutiou wbich Il tie suprsms Law
Of the land and which declares that no States shall
nier int, any treaty allia9oe, or confederation,
grant letters Of marque and rsprsal and sh,lt not
- without the con ,sn, Of Conzres, lay any duty Of
tonnage keep roops or ships Of war In tim, Of Ieace
enter into any agreement CT compact with smother
STATE, or with foreign Poser p and wh-rsa, said
acu Of nuliinoatioa, rsbailion. and levyius war
against the United State, and the alliance under
eonfsdsrstsd government, have Tea nina ed, and o.
right oaght to termiaat,, The ess exstesce Of said
st to govsrnmsns and whereas the loyal ei'iseos
residing Ia the aforesaid reseous districts, on a..
count Of the overthrow of ,hs State governments
and the tr buuals ofjustlce both State and Federal
therein a. we'll the loyal citxeos Of cher pafts
OF the United States, are deprived Of all adequate
redress for injuries tc their peron and property,
and OF all civil RENE lies for the redress Of grievances
aod whereas ths sovereignty Of the United States
over the districts o. country nov iu rebellion 10 su
prems BY the expires, tenn Of the Consultation and
where the esiablishmsnt OF hostile despots GOV
erun,ent with n any part Of the territory Of thi
United States is incompatible with the stability,
safety and dignity ofthe Government OF the Uoitcd
States aud also with the principles Of constitutional
liberty Therefore ..' n
Re 4 eac,d BY IL. Ssn1,e and Houe ef Ryreeaiatises
~ % zsr Re = TS. ,ns
to take possession of TO occapy the usur
recioaary States named and to iushtute, sstabli.h
u%es State sseporary civil VII soycin%sns Win
such names and within such geogrs phicai boundaries
- hsmay, by proclamation, designSt. that said civil
each Of the districts thus named and designated,
until such time he loyal people residiog therein
soali form new state goyernmsnts, republican, 10
fJfm prescribed by the Constitution ot the United
Sts.es aud apply for and obtain admission into the
Union a. States and the States which may be erected
ont OF said territory shall be formed with the express
forever remain part Of the American Union, sub
ject to the COnsiitutionof the Unitad states, and
and to ali acts and ordinaoes- Of ssS United States
ip Congf ,ss assembled, coutermable thereto.
Sec. Ande It further esaoed, That the temporary
goyernments hereby authorized tor each Of said dis
trcts shall consist Of executive legislative and
judicial department. The executive power shall
:: ss IL :,
gress upon the governor Of the Territory of Wssh-
ington and in addition, he shall during the oon.n
msy be necessary to secure the due enforcement of
the laws and DEGREES OF tho United SAtss or Of the
Pfovsi NAL Government the legislative power shall
be vested In council, Of not lees than seysn;uor
than thirteen The PRECEDENT may determine;
the judicial power shall be vested In superior court
Ths superior court shall consist of tSree judges,
majority Of whom shall constitute the provisioDal
court Of each district, and Congress, shall hsEs
power at any time 10 remove any one or all ofhcers
created by ihi, net, and tho term Of ofhos OF the
governor and all other officers wboee creation and
appointment are hereby euthorL.d, shall cont,nus M
the efcers designated by this act shAl be appointed
by the President, BY AID with the advice and con-
se mt Of the senate.
sec 3 And be Il further eaa;.I That the legfslativt
authority OF said distrots shall be vested In the
governor and legislative council, whose powers aud
ton, not ineonsist,nt with the Constitution and
laws OF the United States and the proyions OF this
act but no act shall be passed by sad council cstab
li.hing, protecting or recognizing the sxi'tence Of
slavery, nor shall sail temporary soverum.nt, .r
any psrtment the eof give sanction to or declare
Of sae Sist ict, and law Or act Of said gorernor
or legislative council shsi be valid which Is disap
proved Of BY Congr.ss The legislative council
time and place as the Presideot may designate and
afterwards at such time and place a. the governor
select, from one OF their own number a sieaker,
Who shall be their preceding officer, and they ,nuy
elect CLERK and sergeant al aTIns, who shall hold
their otlcFs during th. pleasure of the council, and
the clerk and Lrgeknt al arms appoiutcS may be
allowed uch Bsistanp as, 10 tbs opinion Of thr leg
ion o. sad eisiT AID Sesses"t Il arm. sSd ,Ssr
aesis,snts, shall be 'uch M the igtlatiye coupci
may by law prescrioS not TO exceed our dollars per
Tie cihcss hereby authorized 70 be -apponied BY tse
Prcsidsnt, The governor, or ao,ing governor ot the
ni-ric shall forthwith notify the President and On
appointment ,hali be made by him to MI such vacan
cy Immediately
SEQ J. Ipl h II fu1ar eaaaed This, the governor
and les-la i've cou oCi arc hereby auhorize, TO take
NIL abau6Oull IDrtsitg1 cOnflsna
estates within the lns Of said dis rcts IN the M
and on behalf OF the Pres ident snd the Congress o.
such terI1s and for surh pina, not to exceed hy,
years as the governor and legislative coupcil mty
by lag prescribe fro,i"i, That all lea-es SHAH 81
TO acirsl occupants who loyal, and have no
been in rebellion against the Gove,nment OF the
United btsles: And pr,ridsd fptho, That all lease
shall be for bmitsd Quantities, mot 10 exceed ont
hipdrrd and sixiy actes TO any ono person ii being
,ha intent and purpose Of 'h sct t8 establish usct
and promote The peace, safety and welfare Of the
inlabitaBu, by securing all IN tho enjoy ment Of life
liGeriy and tile fruits ., their own laGOr.
sec, s. .ind Jfrrhsr ena-,i, That II ehall be the
duty Of the govern and legislative council Of eat
dstict to establish schools iOr the moral and intel
lectusl co,ure OF all the inhabtaotsto provide BY
law for the attendance OF all children asd
under fourteen years Of age, no. less than three
months in each year. and Ia prptcrbu aUd fix tEe
number OF hours, not to exceed twelve, WHOA shall
constitute dsys work for field hands and lsborcrs
SEC And II FURTHER ,il1r>i hat nll public lands
in each Of sad districts, held by .sd ncen sta'os
al the time Of their act of :esion shall be seized
occupied and held by tho governor OF tho districts
IN which they may be located, Ia tho name Of the
President OF the United States, until otherwise di,
posed Of by Congress. That all public lends thss
acquired ana wilton may become vested in the Uni
teG states by forfeiture, by the provis
ions Ot any law in force which may hereafter
De passed, thau be held for tie VI the soldiers
faiors, and marines, regular and yoluuteer, who
have been or may be catd into tho service Of the
United states 10 crual the existing rebe lion ana
who shall be honorsbiy discharged at the olose 0f
the war and the widows and minor children Of such
as may be killed In battI-. or die IN the service or
die OF wounds received or By Diseases contracted l.,
the service and FIR the purpose OF oompepsstipg pg
such loyal citizens OF said ruoent states may s
ta,n damages losses py Of the said re- eli
or by the provision, of tins TO be distributed und
O. p0rtioned a. Congr-s' may hereafter proyice
Sec. 7. And BE- ii further enacted, That the superior
court hereby authorized shall h I'D such terms n,
such times and places ~ m 'jority OF the judges
may from time 70 time istsrmne, and thoy may ap
point clerk, and establish nod modify rules OF prsc
tice within each district, and shall exercise sucl
urisdiotiop and hear and determine all such cause
and mattefs within heir respective districts a. aI'
a.aipp aYII atrt,t