The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-19
The Reconstruction Act.

The following is a correct copy of the act
"to provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States" as itpassed:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade-
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States Of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas lit is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es-
tablished; therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre
sentdtipeS Of the United States Of America IL, Con-
greSS assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ect to the military authority ofthe United States,
as hereinafter prescribed and TO: that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South-Carolna the second district;
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the tnird district;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty Of the President TO assign to the COM
mand of each of said Districts an officer of the
! army not below the rank of bri ,ad.cr general,
and to detail a sufficient military force to enable
| such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he is
assigned.
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That it
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress Instruction, dis
order, and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbers of the public peace and
| criminals and to this end he may allow local
| civil tribunals to take Jurisdiction of and try
offenders, when in hi judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri
bunals for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the eyer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SEC f. And be il further enacted, That all
| persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay,
| and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
| ncted; and no sentence of any military COM
| mission tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty OF any person, shall be cXccu-
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district; and the laws and regulations for
| the government of the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far they may conflict
| with its provisions Poyided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
| carried into effect without the approval OF the
| President.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That when
the people of any of the aforesaid rebel States
| shall have formed constitution of government
| in conformity with the Constitution of the
United States in all respects. framed by a
convention of delegates elected by the male
| citizens of said State twenty-onc years old and
| upward, of whatever race, color, or previous
| condition, who have been resident in said State
1 Z,
| except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
| patton in the rebellion for felony at common
| law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
| such persons as have the qualifications herein
| stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting the question of ratification who
| are qualified as electors for delegates, and when
| such constitution shall have been submitted to
| Congress for examination and approval, and
! Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote ofits Legislature elect
cd under said constitution shall have adopted the
| amendment to the Constitution of the United
| States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress-
| and hnown article IA, and when said article
| shall have become part of the Constitution of
the United States, said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress, and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrorn
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
| then and thereafter the proceeding sections of
this act shall be imperative in said State PrOvi-
| ded, That no person excluded from the privilege
| the Constitution Of the United States shall be
| eligible to election as member of the convention
| to frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for men,
bcrs of said convention
| SEC G. and be it further enacted That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law adj
mitted to representation in the Congress of the
| United States, any civil governments which may
| exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
| and in all respects subject to the paramount au-
| ish modify, control OF supersede the same and
in all elections to any office under such provs-
iona governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
| under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
| under any such provisional governments who
| would be disqualified from holding office under
the provisions of the third article of said consti-