The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-07-25
The Reconstruction Bill.

ing is the reconstruction bill as finally
passed aud sent to the President:-
Section /. That it is hereby declared
to have been the true intent and mean
ing OF the act of the 21st day of March,
1867, entitled An act to provide for
the more efficient government of the re-
bel States" and the act supplementary
thereto passed the 23d day of March,
1867, that the government then existing
in the rebel States of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida,
| Texas and Arkansas, were not legal State
governments, and that thereafter said
governments, if continued, were to be
continued in all respects to the military
commanders of the respective districts,
and to the paramount authority of Con-
gress.
Section g That the commander of any
district named in said act shall have pow
er, subject to the disapproval of the gen
eral Of the army of the United States,
and to have effect until disapproved,
whenever, in the opinion of such COM
mander, the proper administration of said
act shall require it, to suspend or remove
from office, or from the performance of
ofiiciA duties, and the exercise of officia
powers, any officer or person holding or
exercising, or protesting to hold or exer-
else, any civil or military Office or duty in
such district, under any power, election,
appointment, or authority derived from,
or granted by, or claimed under, any so
called State, or the government thereof,
or any municipal or other division there
of, and upon such suspension or removal
such commander, subject to the approval
of the general as aforesaid, shall have
pewer to provide from time to time for
the performance Of the said duties of such
officer or person so suspended or removed
by the detail of some competent officer or
soldier of the army, or by the appoint
ment of some other person to perform the
same, and to fill vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
Section 3. That the general of the ar
my of the United States shall be invested
with all the powers of suspension, removal,
appointment, and detaching granted in
the preceding section to district COM
manders.
Section 4. That the acts of the officers
of the army, already done in removing in
said districts persons exercising the func-
tions of civil officers, and appointing 9TH
ers in their stead, are hereby confirmed !;
provided that any persons heretofore or
hereafter appointed by any district com
mander to exercise the functions of any
civil Office may be removed either by the
military officer in command Of the district
or by the general of the army, and it shall
be the duty of such commander to re-
move from Office, as aforesaid, all persons
who are disloyal to the government of the
United States, or who use their official in
fuence in any manner to hinder, delay
prevent or obstruct the due and proper
administration of this act and the acts to
which it is supplementary.
Section 5. That the boards Of registra-
tion provided for in the act entitled % An
act supplementary to an act entitled an
act to provide FOR the more efficient gov
ernment of the rebel States" passed
March 2, 1867, q and to facilitate restora-
tion, passed March %, 1867, shall have
power, and it shall be their duty, before
allowing the registration of any person to
ascertain, upon such facts or information
they can obtain, whether such person is
entitled to be registered under said act.
and the oath required by said act shall
not be conclusive on such question; and
no person shall be registered unless such
board shall decide that he is entitled
thereto; aud such board shall also have
power to examine under oath, to be ad-
ministered by any member of such board,
any one touching the qualification of any
person claiming registration; but in every
case of refusal by the board to register
an applicant, and in every Case Of strik-
ing his name from the list, as hereinaf-
ter provided, the board shall make note
or memorandum, which shall be returned
with the registration list to the command
ing general of the district, setting forth
the ground of such refusal or such strik-
ing from the list; provided that no per-
son shall be disqualified as member of
any board of registration by reason Of
race or color.
Section 6. That the true intent and
meaning of the oath presented in said
supplementary act is (among other things)
that no person who has been a member of
the Legislature of any State, or who has
held any executive or judicial office in any
State, whether he has taken an oath 10 sup
port the Constitution of the United States
ro not, and whether he was holding such
Office at the commencement of the rebel
lion or had held it before, and who has
afterwards engaged in insurrection or re-
bellion against the United States or given
aid or comfort to the enemies thereof, is
entitled to be registered or to vote; and
the words " executive and judicial Office
IN any State, in said oath mentioned,
shall be constructed to include all civil
officers created by law for the adminis-