The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1866-12-18
! REORGANIZATION.

lima Read twice, referred to the Committee
Territories and ordered to be printed.
The following is the bill:
A Bill to establish civil government in
NOrth-Carolina, and ena BILE it to resume
its former relations one of the con-
stituent States of the American Union.
WHEREAS On the Goth day of May. 1861. the
citizens of North Carolina, one of the United
ment of the United States, and on the said Goth
day of May and thereafter, did violently set aside
ment of the said State and did engage with Others
in armed hostility and warfare to maintain their
said action; and
WHEREAS, Alter the lapse of more than four
years the United States by force of arms, having
succeeded in quelling said rebellion and disarm
ing such insurgent citizens did find in said dis
trict formerly comprising the State of North
Carolina, no government organized or officers
qualified according to the requirements of the
Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United States
by virtue of his power as Commanderin Chief of
the Army and Navy under the operation of mar
tial law, for the purpose of preserving peace and
order, and of relieving his subordinate military
officers from executing details of civil regulations
in the several and widely separated localities in
the district, did, under forms and rules by him
prescribed, authorize certain citizens of the dis
trict to assume the execution of said purpose of
preserving peace and order under the protection
and sanction of the military authority; and
WHEREAS, 1t is the duty of the Congress of
the United States to preserve the said district,
and the loyal citizens thereof, one OF the Uni
organized therein a government republican in
form, based on the civil and law making power
of the nation therefore,
Be it e4acted, ETC, That on the Goth day of May,
1867 at the hour of II o'clock, meridian, there
shall be assembled at the State House in the city of
Raleigh, Convention of the loyal citizens of the
district formerly comprising the State OF North
Carolina, composed of 12O delegates, to be chosen
by voters qualified as hereinafter provided; and
each count, in said district shall be entitled to
send to said Convention the same number of del
egates that it entitled to send members to the
House Of Commons of the State OF North Carroll
ma prior to the Doth day of May, 1861; and ma
jority of the delegates elected to said Convention
shall constitute quorum, and be invested with
the sovereign power of the people of the district
to frame State Constitution, which shall be
submitted to the Congress of the United States
for approval, modification rejection, prepare
tory to the establishment of the said State and
the reinvcstng its loyal citizens with all of the
rights, privileges and mmunities appertaining to
the citizens of the other States OF the Union;
and the said Convention shall have power and au-
thority to do all other acts which by the recog
nized principles of republican government SOW
ereign,C onventions of the people of the States
may OF right do provided that in case no quorum
shall assemble on tie said goth day of May, any
less number of delegates assembled may adjourn
from day to day until such time as quorum may
assemble for the transaction of business.
Second: That in the election of delegates 10
said Convention there shall be allowed to vote all
male resident citizens of the district formerly
comprising the State of North Carolina of the
age of twenty-One years, without distinction of
race color, who can read or WRITE may own
more: Provided, That no one who has heretofore
exercised the right of suffrage in said district
shall be disqualified from voting in said election.
Third: That the qualifications for the dele
gates to the said Convention shall be the same as
were required for members of the House of Com
mons of tie State Of North Carolina, immediate
ly previous the Goth of May, 1861, upon the
taking and subscribing, before the Judge of the
District Court of the United States for the Dis
trct Of North Carolina, or some other officer of
the United States authorized to administer oaths
the following oath, to wit:
1 do socmnly swear on the Holy Evangeists of
Almighty God Cor affirm as the case may beg, that
the fourth day OF March, 1864, and at ali times
thereafter, would willingly have complied with
the requirements OF the Proclamation Of the Pre-
sident of the United States issued on the Ell 5hth
day of December, 1868, had safe opportunity of
doing been afforded me. That on the said
fourth day of March, 1864, and at all times there
after, was opposed to the continuation OF the
Rebellion. and to the establishment of the SOCIAL
led Con. edcrate Government, and volunta lily gave
ma aid or encouragement thereto, but earnestly
dc sired the success of the Union and the suppress
siO OF all armed resistance to the Government of
the United States and that will hcnccforth aith-
full support the Constitution of the United
Sta ties, and the Union of States Hereunder.
: nd no person shall be allowed to sit or act as
eegate in said Convention, or hold any Office
Or appointment hereunder, until he shall
la ge taken and subscribed the above oath in the
III inner and form us above provided.
Fourth: That it shall be the duty of the Judge
Of the District Court or other officer before whom
81 Gin oath is proposed to be taken, Whenever he
II ay suspect it is about TO be taken falsely by any
d rson, to put to such person amy question under
}; tin, and to hear any other evidence that may
[ nd to satisfy him as to the proprirty of admin
5 tcring it. And if in his Judgment, the person
. nnot truthfully take the oath, he may refuse to
minister it. And should any person falsely take
id oath, he shall be indicted and prosecuted in
G Circuit Court OF the United States, held in the
i strict in which the uffense may be committed,
~ the crime of perjury, and upon conviction
Il ereof shall be sentenced to and receive such
oi lnishment as now attaches to the crime of per-
L ry. And in the trial of such Indictment no per-
C II shall be qualified 10 sit npon the jury until
le shall have taken said oath, and the Court may
:, quire any juror to take it, unless he swear that
/: cannot truthfully do o.
EiJh: That it shall be the duty of the Presi-
ent of the United States to direct and require
United States Marshal for the District of
forth Carolina to appoint for each county in said
iStrict one Deputy Marshal, and the Deputy Mar
,hal appointed SHALL, each in his respective
county, appoint Keepers and inspectors of polls
and other necessary assistants and the first day
of May, 1867, the said Deputy Marshals shall each
open polls in their respective counties for the
election of delegates to said Convention at such
places and shall conduct the election and give
certificates of election, under such rules and reg
ulations except as herein otherwise provided, rs
were prescribed tor the election of members of
the House of Commons by the laws of the State
Of North Carolina Immediately previous to the 10th
lay of May, 1861, and any person who shall be
appointed Deputy Marshal, Inspector, In
pector, or Keeper of the Polls, 81 aforesaid, and
Who shall refuse neglect to perform the duties
equircd of him under this act, shall be guilty
# a misdemeanor, and upon conviction thereof
,efore the United States Circuit Court, he'd in
he iStrict.Of Mort Carolina, shall be fined such
um or imprisoned for such time as the Court in
IS discretion shall fix.
,Sirih. That the said deputy marshals, keepers
nd inspectors of polls, and other necessary as
,stants shall receive the sum of five dollars per
lay, for every day they may be engaged in the
discharge of their duties under this act, to be
ccrtained and paid by the Lri:cd States Marshal
of the district under the order of the District
Judge. And the United States Marshal in adj
diton to his present salary and fees shall receive
such compensation for the discharge of his duties
under this Act, as Congress may hereafter allow ;
and the Treasurer OF the United States shall pay
to the United States Marshal of said District, upon
the order requistion OF said Judge, out of any
moneys in the Treasury not otherwise appropri- |
uted, such sums of money from time to time, as
may be necessary for carrying out t &c forego
ing provisions.
,Se0e,tth. That the present organization set up
under martial law by the military power of the
President, and all officers in said district charged
with the execution ofcivil regulations therein,
ccpt the regular officers of the United States, |
shall cease to be such, and their functions and
powers shall terminate mt such time may be
provided by the said Convention after the recog
milton and approval by Congress of the State Con-
stitution and civil government provided for and
sought to be established under this act.
J1,Lf hat he Pros of he cd Sfotoa