The Portland daily press., 1867-02-22
IT. = Nov, 1tecosstructiou Biil.


Tho eouowinc is the new reconstruction bill
no IL finally PASSED the two Houses of Congress,
Including Mr. Wilson's and Mr.. Shellabarger's
amendments:
Whereas, No legal State government, or ade-
auate protection tor life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas and Arkansas; AMI
Whereas, 1t is necessary that peace and good
order should be enforced in said States untli
loyal and Republican State Governments can
be legally established; therefore ..u
Be ii enacted, &C., That said rebel States sni,i
be divided into military districts, and r niaa
subject to the military authority OF the 81, thot
States, as hereinafter prescribed anu e.. A.
purpose Virginia shall constitute tne LisS tis,
Jrict. North Carolina and South Caroilna the
second district, Georgia, Aiapaa anu ie rioiiua
the third district, Mississippi anu srN Inc
fourth district, and LouiSi"' 'iiu AeAas Cne
SrCrIoN 2.-Phat it shall be the duty of the
President to assign to the command of each of
said districts an officer of the army not below
the rank of Brigadier General and TO detail n
sufficient military force to enable such officer
to perform his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.
SECTION 3-That it shall be the duty of each
officer assigned as aforesaid, to protect all per
sons IN their rights OF person and property, to
suppress insurrection, disorder and violence
and to puMsh, or cause to be punished, all dis
turbers OF the public peace in criminals. and to
this end he may allow local civil tribunals to
take jurisdiction of and try offenders, or when
IN bus Judgment it may be necessary for the
trial OF offenders, he shall have power to Or
ganize Military Commissions or Tribunals for
that purpose, and all interference under color
OF State authority, with the exercise OF militia,
ny authority under this act, shall be null ana
void. ,lssr.qr Ya41f'l ag = :.
SECTION 4-That all persons put under mill,
tary arrest by virtue of this act shall De trleo
without unnecessary delay, and no cruei OF un-
usual punishment shall be inf1lcted, ana no
sentence OF any military commission 10, OF Cri ,.
nal hereby authorized affecting the life or lib
erty of any person, shall BIO executed until it
is approyed 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 III 80 Tar as tney may conflict
with its provisions. ~ ne ftf
SECTION 5.-That when the people of any one
ofsaid rebel States shall have formed o coIsti-
tutional government in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States in all res
poets, framed by convention of delegates
elected by the male citizens Of said State twen-
ty-one years old and upward, of whatever race
color or previous condition, who have been res
ldent IN SAID state for one year previous to the
day OF such election, except such as may be dis
franchlsed for participation in the rebellion or
for felony at common law, and when such Con-
stitution shall provide that the elective fran
chise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as
have the qualifications herein stated for cleo
ton of delegates, and when such Constitution
shall be ratified by a majority of the persons
voting on 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 bill, and
when said State shall, by vote of its Legisla-
ture, elected under said Constitution, have
adopted the amendment to the Constitution of
the United States proposed by the thirty ninth
Congress, and known as ARTICLE IA" and
when said Article shall have become a part OF
the Constitution OF the United States, said
State shall be declared entitled to representa-
ton in Congress and Senators and kepresen-
tatives shall be admitted therefrom on their
taking the oath prescribed by law, and then
and thereafter the preceding sections of this
act shall not be in operation in said State
Provided, That no person excluded from the
privilege of holding Office by said proposed
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States shall be eligible to election as member
ola Convention to frame Constitution for
any rebel State, nor shall any such person vote
at any election for members of such Con-
ventiOn. 500 - as avon q 40
Provided, further, That until the people of
said rebellious States shall by due form of law
be admitted to representation in the Congress
OF the United States, any civil government
which may exist there shall be deemed to be
provisional only and in all respects subject to
the powers and authority of the United States
at any time 70 be abolished, modified or super
ceded, and all elections for officers of such Pro
visional Governments shall be conducted only
by persons named in the fifth section of this
act, and no person shall be eligible to office un-
der such Provisional Government who would
be disqualified from holding office under the
provision OF the third section Of the COnstitu-
tional amendment OF last session. t..o o,.f.s