, 1864-01-06

SEC. Q. And Be it further enacted, That the
members of the Convention thus elected,
slall meet ut the time and place designated
BY the Governor, and after organizing, shall
first declare It's assent on behalf Of the people
Of said statc.to the adoption Of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, whereupon the said
Convention shall be aid Is hereby authorized
to form Constitution Of State government
for said district, Rptfded that the Constitu-
ton shall be Republican, and not repug gnant
tie Presidents proclamation Of January l,
1868, and, Pfovided further, tllat said ConYcn:
ton shall provide By an ordinance forever
irTcvocable without the consent Of Congress.
Isl. Tint no person who held office, civil
Or military under the usnrping Government,
State, or Confederate, shall be allowed to
vote at any election for Governor or member
OF the Legislature, or hold any Office of honor
or profit under said State Government until
tie Legislature thereof, by special act In each
cLse, ehGu have granted full and uncondl-
tional pardon to such persons.
%. That no debt contracted by the rebel
States or Confederate Government shall be
recognized or paid By said State.
Sd. That the freedom Of an persons hereto
Who shall hare been declared free by act Of
Congress or Proclamation Of the President,
Constitution.
4th. That, from and inter the adoption of
said State Constitution, slavery or involun-
taIy seryitude. except In punishment Of
duly convicted, shall be forever prohibited
In said State.
Sec. Z. -4nd Be il ,fartAer enacted, That in
case said Convention eh81l form Constftu-
ton Of State government for the people of
said District In compliance with the proyt-
sions Of this net, the Convention forming the
Gf,nn In |,%,1 fn1e
ting said Constitution to the people Of said
State for their approval or rejection at an
election to be held at such time and pace, and
under the regulations Of electors, as hereinbe-
fore provided, for the election Of delegates, at
which election the electors qualified TO vote
as aforesaid shall vote directly for or against
sald proposed Constitution, and the returns
of 6nid election shall be made to the Proyis-
ional Governor, who shall open and canvass
the eame In the presence Of ut least three
loyal citizens Of the State, and if a majority
Of the legal votes shall be cast fer said Con-
stitution, the acting Governor shall certify
the same to the President of the United
said Constitution and ordinance, whercupou
it shall bt the duty Of the President Of the
United States to issue his proclamation de-
clarfng the government formed by such Con
stitution, md none other, to be the consti-
tuted government Of said State; and Sena-
tors and Representatives. elected in compli-
ancc with the provisions of said Constitu-
ton, and the laws Of the United States, shall
be entitled to appear In the Senate and House
Of Representatives Of the United States from
such State.
SEC. s. Ind Be 1t further enacted, That if any
Constitutional Convention, elected and con
ycncd In pursuance OF this act, shall refuse to
adopt form Of State government subject to
the above conditions, the inhabitants Of said
District shall remain subject to the Provision
al Government hereby established, and such
laws ns Congress may from time to time pre-
scribe. and until the people Of such Districts
in conformity with the provisions Of this act,
It shall be lawful for, and the duty Of the Pre-
Eident, whenever he shall be satisfied that the
loyal electors of eaid district number ten per
cent. Of the entire voting population of 1850,
and that they are willing TO form such Statc
government, to direct the Provisional Gov
crnor to order another election, MS prescribed
In this net, for delegates to a constitutional
convention, and said convention, when so
elected and convened, shall proceed us here
tnbeforc provided to form constitution of
State government
SEC. Q. Ind be IL further enacted, That the
District Courts Of the United Stntcs, in the
several districts wherein Provisional Mill
tafy Governor is authorized By this act to bo
appointed, shall have general Jurisdiction,
both civil and criminal, SO long as the Proyi-
6tona1 Governor continues In Office, of all
cases whereof the State courts of such State
had cognizance, according to The laws in force
therein on the day when such State rcnonnc-
ed its obedience to the Constitution of the
United States, and said laws, and the laws Of
the United States, not inconsistent with the
provisions Of this act, shall continue to be
rules Of Judgment by the courts In said dis
trict, until State government BE- formed and
recognized rs prescribed by this act; Provided,
that all laws, judicial decisions, or usages Of
said States, which recog nize or sustain s1aye-
r., or which exclude the testimony Of colored
persons, or which deny them the right Of trl-
u by jury, or punish persons who may teach
them to read and write, or which authorize
the rifing Of the United States mails, or
abrilge the freedom Of speech or of the press,
shall be utterly void ii the courts Of the
United States within said districts; Ppridtd,
further, that all 1oyal electors who vote ut
the first election for. delegates to the afore-
said convention shall be qualified to serve as
grand or petit jurors Of the district in which
they reside and none other.
SEC. 10. 41,.d Be it further enacted, That Ill
persons held to service or labor in the States
declared by the preamble to be in rebellion
shall be, and they are hereby, discharged from
such service OF labor, and they and their pos
terity shall be forever free; and If any such
person, or the postcrity OF such person, shall
be deprived Of their freedom under pretence
Of amy claim to service or labor, tie courts
or judges Of the United States shall on ha5eas
eo,lus discharge such person. --
Sec. H. AID Be it Jurth<r enacted, That If
any person, or the posterity Of any such per-
sons, as have been or maybe freed By my act
of Congress orproclametion of the President,
to service or labor Of such person, or shall
be sued and arrested On q claim Of indebted
ness in the nature Of peonage the person so
att .mptiDg to deprive Of their freedom my.
such liberated s1rrc, or their postcrity, shall
be guilty Of q misdemeanor, and on convlc-
Jurisdiction, be fined in sum not less than
fifteen hundred dollars, or more than five
thousand dollars, and be imprisoned In the
pcnitentiary not less than five nor more than
twenty years.
SEC. Il. A,dbeit further enacted, That the
President may, by proclamation, until Con-
Eres6 shall otherwise direct, establish or dis
nay deem necessary, within the jurisdiction
Of any Provisional Government authorized By
this act, and appoint Collectors md all other
needed officers now for otherports In like man.
ner appointed. He may also appoint, or nu-
thor1zc the appointment, Of such other off,
GERS Us are usual In such ports, and NIL such
officers shall have the same power, and dis
charge such duties as like officers in other
ports of the United States The Collector
Of each port, and all subordinate officers, shall
receive the snme compensation heretofore al
lowed spch officers within said districts prior
to the rebellion, and NIL provisions Of Inv re-
lating to other ports Of entry In the United
States shall be applied, go far Us practicable,
to the ports hereby authorized.
SEC. 10. Ind Be Il further enacted, That all
acts, and parts of acts, inconsistent with the
provisions Of this act, within the districts of
country hereby organized into provisional
governments, be and the same are hereby re-
pea1ed.
Thanksgiving in Berlin.
The Berlin correspondent Of the " T.
Erc7dng nst mentions the observance Of the
National Thanksgiving by the loyal Ameri-
ans in Berlin, and says:
Agreeably to the call Of the President, the
loyal Americans in Berlin met to celebrate
tie peculiarly American festival Of Thanks
giving. Rev. DR.. Tappan, e1-president Of
Michigan University, delivered patriotic
unconditional Union address in the American
chapel, and the dinner took place ut the st.
Petersburg Hotel. There were present about
sixty Americans and number Of invited
guetts, among whom were Professor Neu-
mann, of Munich University, who Is here
pub1iahing his able historT Of tho United
States, and Professor Tclkmapf, Of Breslau
University, the only liberal member Of the
Prussian House Of Lords. The dinner, though
excellent, lacked the cranberry sauce, the
pumpkin pic and other indispensable accesso-
ries to an American Thanksgiving dinner In
the absence OF our minister, Mr. Judd, who
t.. +$r$f &f.n to1,1