The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-19
ciyi, co,ernmen. in North Carolina.

NAV not De Stuuucu WIN otCSi VI ,ct
civil Government in North Carolina.
The following are the material sections of
the bill introduced in the House of Represent
atives last week by Mr.. Stevens, of Pennsylva-
MIA. to enable the State of North Carolina to re-
sumo its former relations to the United States
Whereas On the Goth day of May, 1861. the
citizens of North Carolina one of the United
States of America, did rebel against the gov
arnmeut of the United States, and on the 10Th
day of May and thereafter, did violently set
aside and destroy the organized constitutions
government OF the said States, and did engage
with others in armed hostility and warfare to
maintain their said action; and
Whereas, After the lapse Of more than four
years the United States, by force of arms
having succeeded in quelling said rebellion
and dlsarming such insurgent citizens, did find
IN said district 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 Commander
in-Chief of the Army and Navy, under the OPP
Grafton of martial law for the purpose of pre-
serving peace and order, and of relieving his
subordinate military officers from executing de-
tails of civil regulations in the several and
widely separated localities in the district did,
under forms and rules by him prescribed, au-
thorize certain citizens Of the district to assume
| the execution of said purpose of preserving
peace and order under the protection and sane
| ton 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 as one of the
United States, and by law to cause to be organ
| lied therein government republican in form,
based ON the civil and law-malking power of the
nation; therefore, 1t- ts.f1-sFsa .liEE
| Be it enacted, etc, That ON the 10th day of
May, 1867, at the hour of II o'clock, meridian,
there shall assemble at the State House, in the
| city of Raleigh, Convention of the loyal eiti-
| zens of the district formerly comprising the
| State of North Carolina, composed of 120 dele
gates to be chosen by voters qualified as herein
after provided; and each County in said Dis
| trict shall be entitled to send to said COnven-
ton the same number of delegates that it was
entitled to send members to the House OF Com
mons OF the State of North Carolina prior to the
| 10th day of May, 1861; and a majority of
the delegates elected to said Convention
shall constitute quorum, and be invested with
| the sovereign power of the people of the Dis
| trict to frame State Constitution, which shall
/ be submitted to the Congress of the United
| States for approval, modification or rejection
| as preparatory to the re-establishment OF the
said State and the reinvesting of loyal citizens
with all the ts,privileges and immunities APP
pertaining to the the citizens OF the other States
of the Union, and the said Convention shall
have power and authority to do all other acts
which by the recognized principles of republic
can government sovereign conventions of the
/ people of the States may of right do; provided
| that in case no quorum shall assemble ON the
said Goth day of May, any less number of dele
gates assembled may adjourn from day to day
until such time as quorum may assemble for
the transaction OF business. fs IS 81
SecOnd-That, in the election of delegates to
said Convention there shall be allowed to vote
all male resident citizens of the District form
erly comprising the State of North Carolina, of
| the age OF twenty-one years, without distine-
ton OF race or color, who can read or write, or
NAV own in fee real estate of the value of 300,
| or more; Provided, That no one who has here
tofore exercised the right Of suffrage in said
| District shall be disqualified from voting in
| said election. 8 ''i'l
| Ihird-That the qualification for the delegates
| to the said Convention shall be the same as
| required for members OF the House of Com
mons of the State of North Carolina, immedi-
| ately previous to the 10th of May, 1861, upon
the taking and subscribing, before the Judge of
/ the District Court OF the United States for the
District OF North Carolina, or some other offic-
| err of the United States authorized to admins
| ter oaths, the following oath, to w.t.
do solemnly swear on the Holy Evangelsts of Al
mighty God or affirm as the may BEL that on
the fourth day of March, 1864 and all times there
after, would willingly have complied with the re-
quirements of the Proclamation of the President of
the United States issued the eighth day OF Deem
Der, 1853, had safe opportunity OF doing been af
| oroed me. That On the said fourth day OF March,
1884, and at all times thereafter opposed TO the
continuation of the Rebellion and the establish
ment OF the so-called Confederate Governments and
tne supprrrrssa-AaAa aid thereto
ernment of the United SIarcs,ss OF the
forth faithfully support the Constitution OF the UNI
ted States and the Union of States Hereunder.
And no person shall be allowed to sit or act
as a delegate in said Convention, or hold any
| Office or under-appointment hereunder until
he shall have taken and subscribed the above
| oath in the manner and form as above proyid-
| ed. 80
The next three sections provide the requisite
| machinery to make the law operative.
SeUenh-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 of civil regulations
therein, except the regular officers of the Unit
ed States, shall csase to be such, and their
functions and powers shall terminate at such
time as may be provided by the said Conven-
ton after the recognition and approval by Con-
gress of the State Constitution and civil gov
eminent provided for and sought to be estab-
lished under this act. ~
ESghM-That the President of the United
States is hereby authorized, and it shall be his
duty so to dispose and employ the military and
naval forces of the United States, from time to
time, and in such places, as to enforce the
prompt and efficient execution of the provis-
ions OF this act; and to preserve peace and or
der, and obedience to the laws of the United
States in the district formerly comprising the
State of North Carolina.
The bill was referred to the COMMITTEES on
Territories, of which Mr. Ashley of Ohio is
is chairman, and Mr., Rice of Maine lead
ing member a" o7 3'