The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-02-16
BY TELEc RAPH.
[coarrtrp FROM THE onroox nGnALD1
Thad. stevens Reconstruction BiIl


The following is Stevens Reconstruc-
ton Bill;
Whereas the pretended State Govern.
ments in the late so-callod Confederate
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas
have been set up, without the authority
from Congress, and without the sanction
of the people, and whereas the pretended
governments offered no adequate protec.
ton for life or property; and encouraged
laylessness and crime, and whereas it il
necessary that peace and good order shall
be enforced in the so-called States until
loyal State Governments can be legally
established therefore be it enacted
Sec. l. That the so-called States shall
be divided into Military Districts, and
made subject to the military authority ol
the United States, as hereinafter pre-.
scribed, and for that purpose Virginia
shall constitute the lst District. North
Carolina and South Carolina the I'd Dis
triot, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, the
Sd District, Mississippi and Arkansas the
4th District, and Louisiana and Texas the
9TH District
Sec 2. That it shall be the duty oi
the General Of the Army to assign to the
command Of each District an officer not
below the rank Of Brigadier General, and
to detail sufficient military force to ena
bic such officers to perform their duties
and enforce their authority.
Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty oi
each officer assigned as aforesaid to pro
tect all persons in their rights Of person
and property; to suppress insurrectionary
violence, and punish or cause to be pun
ished all disturbcrs of the public peace
and criminals, and to this cnd he ma5
allow civil tribunals to take Jurisdiction
and try offenders, and when in his judg
ment it il necessary for the trial ofenderi
he shall have the power TO organize mill
tary tribunals for this purpose, anything
in the Constitution or laws Of the so-caI.ed
States to the contrary notwithstanding
aud all the legislative or judicial proceed
ings or processes TO control the proceed
ings Of said military tribunals, and all in.
reference by said pretended State Gov.
ernments with the exercise ofsaid military
authority under this act shall be void and
Of no effect.
Sec. 4. That the courts and Judicial
officers of the United States shall moi
issue writs of habeas corpus in behalf Of
perBoEs in military custody, unless the
Commissioner or officer on duty in the
district ghereia the person is detained
shall endorse upon said petition the state
ment, certifying upon honor that he ha,
knowledge or information as to the cause.
or circumstances Of the alleged detention
and that he believes it to be wrongful
and further, that he believes the indorsed
petition is preferred in good faith, il
furtherance of justice, and not to hinder
or delay the punishment of crime. Al
persons put under military arrest by yir.
tue of this act, shall be tried without un
necessary delay, and no cruel or unusual
punishment shall be inflicted
Sec. 5. No sentence of any military
commissioner or tribunal hereby author
lied affecting the life or liberty ofanJ
person, shall be executed until approved
by the superior officer in command of the
District, and the laws and regulations fol
the government Of the army shall not bt
affected by this act accept in SO far as they
conflict with its provisions.
WAsHISGToE, Feb. I'm the Senate
Wilson, of Massachusetts,, introduced q
bill constituting the Southern States into
military districts under Brigadier Gener.
ais, to be assigned to the command by
Generals of the army, whose duty it will
be to protect peaceable citizens, and pun.
ish, or cause to be punished, disturbers
and criminals; allowing the local tribunals
Jurisdiction, but, when necessary, organic
ing military tribunals, interference with
which, by State governments, is forbidden
The United States only shall issue the
writ of habeas corpus when the act is en-.
dorsed by the commissioned officers of the
District, alledging the detention to be
wrongful Sentences must be approved
by the commander of the District.
FRANKFORT, KY, Feb. 2:-The House
referred to the Committee on Federal Re
lations a resolution providing that the
President be requested to issue a procla
nation for a general amnesty, and if no
now considered inexpedient by him, tha
John 9. Breckenridge may be pardoneC
and allowed to return.
The Grand Jury at Washington yester
day presented an Indictment against Johl
I'll. Surratt. sgi3'
Cyrus w. Field leaves for London oil
Wednesday, to have q cable laid from
Hearts Content to Boston. d
Mejia remains at Galveston to atteut
to the shipment of Whitworth rifles an,
other munitions of war to Mexico.
: DENVER, Feb 4.-The reported Indial
massacre on Smoky Hill Fork is denie,
here. Coaches are arriving regularly
and no hostile Indians were seen between
junction City and Denver.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-The Commis
sioner of the Land Office has just com
pleted comprehensive map, showing tn
exact locality of mines and mineral land
in the United States as far as known, an
] giving the locality of surveyors and reg
listers Offices He will in few day
transmit the officer at Oregon City 8
patents of old settled claims. He is pre-
/ pairing orders to land officers at Spring
i field, Missouri, to have withdrawn th
lands along the Atlantic and Pacific Raj
i road to the State boundary.
WASHINGTON, Feb. Sit is stated j
/ we'll informed circles at Washington ths
the President recognizes it as the obligs
tions of his oath to submit to the trial {
/ impeachment, but that he will resist su,