The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-03-13

| NhSAS"ol hO Apkdl Otuto
y adequate protection for life or property nov
exist in the rebel States Of Virginia, Nortl
Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia, Mississip
pi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas ant
Arkansas and whereas, IL iS necessary Inn
peace and good order should be enforced IL
said States until loyal and republican STAG
governments can DO legally establisnea
Z, therefore,, fsl "
Be it enacted, &c, That said rebel states
shall DO divided into military districts ano
made subject to tho military authority o.
the United States, as hereinafter prescribed.
and for that purpose Virginia shall consul,
tute the first district, North Carolina ana
South Carolina the second district, Georgia
Alabama and Florida the third district, MIS-
sissippi and Arkansas the fourth district, ana
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district. ],
Sec. 2. That it shall be the duty OF inc
President to assign to the command OF eacn
Of said districts an officer of the army not pc
low the rank Of brigadier general, and TO de'
tail sufficient military force to enable sucn
officer TO perform his duties and enforce his
authority within the distEictlto which ne y
n assigned
Sec 3. That it shall be the duty of each
officer assigned as aforesaid to protect All
persons In their rights of person aud proper
| ty, to suppress instruction, disorder and vi
| olence, and to punish or cause to be pun
ished all disturbers of the peace and criml-
mails, and to.this end he may allow local civil
tribunals to take jurisdct Of and try Of
tenders or. when in his Judgment 1t may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall
have power to organize military commissions
or tribunals for thatpurPose; and aH inter
| ference under color of State authority with
the exercise Of military authority under this
act shall be nulland void.
Sec. A. That all persons put under militia
ry arrest by virtue Of this act shall be tried
| without unnecessary delay and no cruel or
unusual punishment shall be intiictedi and
no sentence of any military commission or
| tribunal hereby authorized, affecting the liio
or liberty of any person, shall be executed
until II is approved by the officer in COM
mand of the district; and the laws and reg
ulations for the government OF the army
shall not be affected by this act, except in
so far as they may conflict with Its provis-
ions.
Sec. s. That when the people of any one of
the said rebel States shall have formed o
constitution of government in conformity
with the Constitution of the United States
in all respects, framed by q convention of
delegates elected by the male citizens of
said States twenty-one years old and up
ward of whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been residents in said
such election, except such as may be distran-
chised for participation in the rebellion or
for felony at common law; and when such
constitutions shall provide that the elective
franchise shall be enjoyed by all such per-
sons as have the qualifications herein stated
for election sof delegates; and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority
of the persons voting on the question OF rat
iication who are qualified as electors Tor
delegates, and when such constitution shall
have been submitted to Congress for exani-
nation and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same; and when said State by
a vote of its Legislature elected under said
constitution, shall have adopted the amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty ninth Con-
gress, and known as article Ia, and when
such article shall lave become part of the
Constitution Of the United States, said State
shall be declared entitled to representation
in Congress, and Senators and Representa-
tives shall be admitted therefrom on their
taking the oath prescribed by law, and then
and thereafter tho preceding sections of this
act shall be imperative in said States
Provided, That no person excluded from
the privilege of holding office by said pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution of the
United States shall be eligible to election as
member of the convention to frame o
constitution for any of said rebel States, nor
shall any such person vote for members OF
said convention.
Sec. g. And be it further enacted, That
until the people of said rebel States shall be
by law admitted to representation in the
Congress of the United States any civil gov
eminent which may exist therein shall be
deemed provisional only, and in all respects
subject to the paramount authority of the
United States at any time to abolish, modi-
fy, control, or supersede the same; and nj
all elections 10 any Office under such prOvis-
ional governments all persons shall be en-
titled to vote under the provisions of the
fifth section of this acti and no persons
shall be eligible to any office under any snch
provisional governments who would be dis
qualified from holding office under the pro-
visions of the third article of said consttu-
tional amendment.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.
The following is the constitutional
amendment" referred to in the preceding
bill
Resolved by the Senate and House of Rep
of the United States of Ameri-
ca in Congress assembled (two-thirds of
both Houses concurring,) That the follow
ing article be proposed to the Legislatures
of the several States as an amendment to |
the Constitution of the United States, which,
when ratified by three-fourths of said Leg |
slatures, shall be valid as o part of the Con- |
namely: i
ARTICLE I.
Section I. All persons born or naturalized |
II the United States aud subject to the iu-
'isdiction thereof, are citizens of the United
States, and Of the State wherein they reside.
No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges OF immu-
titles of citizens Of the United States. Nor
hall any State deprive any person of life,
liberty or property without due process of
aw, nor deny to any person within its iuris-
LECTION the equal protection of the laws.
Sec. q Representatives shall be appor-
Toned among the several States according
o their respective numbers, counting the
Whole number of persons in each State, ex-
luding Indians not taxed; but whenever
he right to vote at any election for electors
f President and Vice President of the Uni
cd States, Representatives in Congress, ex-
cutlye and judicial officers, or the members
f the Legislature thereof, is denied to any
f the male inhabitants of such States, being
wenty one years of age, and citizens of the
Jnited States, or in any way abridged, ex-
opt for participation in rebellion or other
rhine, the basis of representation therein
hall be reduced in the proportion which the
lIuDeT OF sucu nnitfo CiIiISHb Sinai lbetFt W
be whole number of male citizens twenty
ne years of age in that State. II
Sec. g. No person shall be a Senator or {
in Congress, elector of Pres s
lent and Vice President, or hold any office,
yil or military, under the United States, Q
: under any State, who, having previously e
ken an oath as a member of Congress, or s
an officer of the United States, or as
ember of any State Legislature, or as am 0
tecutive or judicial officer of any State, to {
lpport the Constitution of the United t
,ates, shall have engaged in instruction +
rebellion against the same, or given aid a
comfort to the enemies thereof; but .
Dngress may, by a vote of two-thirds of 81
ch House, remove such disability.
Sec. 4. The validity of the public debt Of n
q United States, authorized by law, inclu- o
ng debts incurred for the payment of PEN h
)ns and bounties for service in suppressing
or rebellion, shall not be ques- 81
med. but neither the United States nor any il
at o shall assume or pay any debt or obi n
ton incurred in aid of insurrection or re- n
lion against the United States, or claim al
+ the loss or emancipation Of any slaves, d
t all such debts, obligations, aud claims d
all be held Illegal and void. ~
Sec. s. The Congress shall have power to IL
force, BY appropriate legislation, the pro- Of
lions Of this article. q
The committee appointed by the