The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-19
RECONSTRUCTION *

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src BE at enacted by the Senate and
Ho,tse of Representatives Of the OnttS@ Sta ~.
of 4u,erica an Congress- assembled, That 1t is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
and meaning of the act of March I'd, A u.
1897 entitled an act to provide tor the more
efficient government Of the rebel States,
and of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the 23d day of March, In the year loo''
that the governments, then existing IN the
reheI States of Virginia, North-Carollna
South Carolina, Georgia, MlssisslPpl' Ala
bama. louisiana Florida, Texas ana ArNan-
sas. were illegal and void and thereafter the
same governments, II continued, were TO ne
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
torv Commapders of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress.
Sac 9 Ind be 1t further enncted, That the
commander of any district named in said act
shall have power, subject to the approval OF
the General of the armies of the United
States. to have effect till disapproVed
whenever in the opinion OF such com,
mander the proper administration OF SAID
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from oGice, or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise OF oillclai
powers, any officer or person holding OF eA-
ercising, or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty IN such
district under any power, election, appoint
ment or authority derived from or granted
bv or claimed under any so called State or
the Government thereof, or any munlclpal or
other division thereof, and upon such sus-
rension or removal such commander, subject
to the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time to
time for the performance OF the SAID duties
of such officer or person, so suspended or re-
IT,: - ntlant N
ficer or soldier of the army or by tile APP
pointment of some other person to perform
the same. and to fill vacancies occasloned by
DEATH resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. And he it .tu1fber enactcd, That
the General of the armies of the United
States shall be invested with all the power of
suspension, removal. appointment and detail
granted in the preceding section to district
commanders.
SEC. 4. Ind be 1t .5uriher enacted, That
the acts of the officers of the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
exercising the functions of civil officers and
appointing others i'll their stead, are hereby
confirmed provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions OF any
civil Office may he removed, either by the
military officer in command OF the district or
BY the General of the army and 1t SHALL be
the duty OF commanders TO remove from OF
flee, as aforesaid, ali person who are dlSloyal
to the government of the United States, or
who use their official influence III any manner
to hinder, delay, prevent or ohstruct the due
and proper administration of this act and
the acts to Which this is supplementary.
SEC. s. Aud be it Jurtj;er ennctett, That
the boards of registration provided tor in
the act entitled An act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide tor the
more efficient government OF the rebel
States passed March 2. 1867, and to tacili-
tate restoration" passed March %, 1867,
shall have power, and it shall he their duty
before the allowing the registration of any
person, to ascertain, upon such facts or in
formation as 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 there
to-; and such board shall also have power to
examine under oath Ito be administered by
any member of such board) any one touch
ing the qualification of any person claiming
registration. But in every case of refusal
by the board to register an applicant, made
in every case hereinafter provided, the board
shall make note memorandum, which
shall be returned with the registration list to
the commanding Generals of the Districts, |
setting forth the ground OF such refusal, or
such striking from the list: Provided, that |
no person shall be disqualified. as member
of any board of registration, by reason of
race or color.
Sec. 6. Ind be 1t .t'U7ther enacted, That |
the true intent and meaning of the oath pre-
scribed in said supplementary act Is, (amcng
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 to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States or not, and whether he was hold |
ing such office at the commencement of the /
rebellion or had held it before, and who has |
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel |
lion againstthe United States, or given aid or !
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to |
be registered or TO vote; and the words tex
ecutive OR judicial office in any State in |
said oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil offices created by law for the
administration of the general law of the !
State, or for the administration of Justice.
Sec. 7. ind be 1t FURTHER enacted, That the
time for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discre-
ton OF the commander of any district, be
extended to the 1st day of October, 1867:
and the boards of registration shall have
power and 1t shall be their duty, commenc-
ing fourteen days prior to any election under
said act, and upon reasonable public notice
of the time and place thereof, to revise for
period of three days the registration lists
and upon being satisfied that any person not |
entitled thereto has been registered, to strike
the name of such person from the list And |
such hoard shall also, during the same peri
cd. add to such registry the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualifi-
cations required by said act who have not
been already registered, and no person shall
at any time be entitled to be registered or to
vote by reason of any executive pardon or
amnesty, for any act or thing which. with
out such pardon or amnesty, would disqual-
ify him from registration or voting
Sec. 8. Ind be it further enocted, That
sec. OF the said last-named act shall be con-
strued to authorize the commanding general
named therein, whenever lie shall deem it
needful, TO remove any member of board
and to appoint another per-
son in his stead, and to fill any vacancy in
such board.
~ Sec. 8. That all members of said Boards
of Registration and all persons hereafter