Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1867-03-06


append thereto the Constitutional Amend
ment alluded To in the 9Th and 9th Sections
of the said Bill:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR TIE MORE EFFICIENT
GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
Whereas no legal State Governments or
adequate protection for life or property now
exists in The rebel States Of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and
Arkansas: and whereas it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced in
said States until loyal and republican State
governments can be legally established /;
therefore,
Be ii enacted by the Senate AID Heuse OF
Representatives. of tie United States Of amer
icG IN Congress assembled, That said rebel
States shall lie divided into military districts
and made subject to the military authority of
the United States, as hereinafter prescribed,
and for that purpose Virginia shall constitute
the first district North Carolina and South
Carolina the second district; Georgia, Ala
bama and Florida the third district; Missis-
sippi and Arkansas the fourth district; and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
SEC. Q. And be ii further enacted, That it
shall bc the duty of the President to assign
to the command of each said districts an otli
Ger of the army, not below the rank of l3riga
r.General, and to detail a sufficient militia
ry force to enable such officer to perform his
duties and enforce his authority within the
district Of which he is assigned.
SEC. Q. And be ii further enacted, That it
shall be the duty Of each officer assigrcd as
aforesaid to protect all persons in their rights
of person and property, to suppress insr,rrec-
tion disorder and violence and to punish or
cause to be punished, all d'sturbers of the
public peace and criminals, and 10 this end
he may allow local civil tribunals to take ju-
risdiction of and to try offenders, OF, when in
his Judgment it may be necessary fer the
trial of offenders, he shall have power to or
eanize military commissions or tribunals for
that purpose and all interference under color
of State authority with the exercise of mill
tary authority under this Act shall be null and
void.
SEC. 4. And be it 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 inflicted; and no sentence Of any
military commission or tribunal hereby au.
thorized, affecting the life or liberty of any
person, shall be executed until it is approved
by the officer in command of the district, and
the laws and regulations for the government
of tho army shall not be affected by thi, Act,
except in SO far as they conflict with its pro-
visions: Provided. That no sentence of death
under the provisions of this Act shall be car
ried into effect without the approval of the
President.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That
when the people of any one of said rcbe
States shall have formed a Constitution d
Government in conformity with the Consti
tuition of the United States in all respects
framed by a convention of delegates elected
by the male citizens of said State, twenty.ont
years old aud upward, Of whatever race, color
or previous condition, who have been residen
in said State for one year previous to tie day
Of election, except such as may be disfran
chised for participation in the rebellion, o
! for felony at common law, and when suc'
Constitution shall provide that the electiv
franchise shall be enjoyed by all such p3rson
as have the qualifications herein stated 70