The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-14
RECONsTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.


AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS no legal State governments or adc-
ouate protection for life or properly now eNist9
in the rebel States of Virginia, Nortll-CarolAna,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, anu
,v,pr,aS ii is necessary that peace ana oou oiuei
ho,,Id hr .nfoTccd in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can De legally os-
tabishud; therefore, D
r. n rsnrted by tie ,ScnGte amd House Of Rep'r-
so,1t1fj,gx or tie Ute! Suites IF i"tGrica /" Con-,
yyesS assembled, That said rebel States sii;iil
be divided into military DISTRICTS anu lhaue SUI
ect the military authority o. t:le li.iou 800,
gs hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia Shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and Soutil-Carojina the second district;
Gnnr,rio Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, ana
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SEC 2 indie it T5ufher enacted, That II shall
he the duty of the President to assign to the com
,,,and Of each of said districts officer OF the
army not below the rank of brl%adier general
aud to detail sufficient military lorce 10 rltanis
such officer to perform his duties ana eh1 ~, :;
his authority within the district TO which ne Is
SEC. }; And Jr it ttt,fAr c'aacfed, That II
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as uiore
said t protect all persons IN their rights OF per-
son and PROPERTY to suppress nsurrecllon dis
order and violence, and to punish or cause 10 NC
punished all disturber5 Of the pubic peace ana
criminals and to this end ne may a'tom io 90,
Offenders or when in his Judgment II may DC
necessary for the trial o offenders, he ssiaii nave
power 10 organize military commissions or III
buuals for that purpose; and all lhteTicTeHce
undur color OF state authority with the eXcr-
else of military authority under this act shall DC
null and void. r, :,
SEC. 1. And be it further eaeactea, That all
persons nut under military arrest by virtue Oh
This act shall be tried without unnecessary dciaV
and 10 cruel or unusual punishment shall be IN
nicted and sentence OF amy military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty OF any person, shall De eNecu-
led ,,i,tii it. is approved by Tie officer in command
of the district; and the laws and regulations LOT
the government ot the army sL,i NOT TIC aitectca
by this act except III 50 Jar as incS may cohiiicI
with lis provisions II'o"sttcd, mat no sentence
of dc;li. under The provisions Of tis act shall be
carried into elect without the approval OF the
President
the people O! any one of the aforesaid rebel States
shall nave 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 twerty-one years Old and
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who nave been resident in SAID State
foruue year previous TO the day OF such election,
EXCEPT such a. NAV he DISTINGUISHED for partici
patiOnin the rebellion or Tor felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons have the qualifications herein
stated for election Of delegates and when such
constitution si.aH be ratified by majority OF the
persons voting on the question OF ratification who
are qualified as electors for delegates, and when
such constitution snail have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
CONGRESS shall have approved the same; and
when said State hy vote OIits 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 i.nown as article II, and when said article
shall lave become L part of the Constitution OF
the Cnite;l States said State shall be declared
titled to representation in Congress. and Senators
and Representatives shall hc admitted thcretrOm
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF
ii j. act shall be imperative i'll said State ,'0"i
Ged That no person excluded from the privilege
of LulGing ofiicc by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution Ut the United States shall be
eligible to election is Z member OF the convention
70 frame constitution for any Of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote tor mem
bcrS of said convention.
SEC. Is. Aa,sj BE- it further cpdctt7 That until
the people OF said rebel STATES siai! be- by law adj
nittcd TO representation in the Congress OF the
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein Shall i,e deemed provisional only,
and in all respects subject to the paramount au-
ISL Incdify, control Of Supcrsede the same and
in all elections 10 any Office under such provis-
iONa governments all persons shall be entitled
Vote and none other, who entitled to vote
under the provisions of the iiith section of this
act and 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-
tUtiOnal amendment.