Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-02-26

client storms soon eXpend their force. Action
and reaction are equal, and reaction may take
place sooner than we anticipate.
Hope on, hope ever.
Passage of the bill for the Government of
the Southern States.
On Wednesday. the 18th inst, the military
bill offered by Thad. Stevens, and which we
published last week, passed the House of Rep
resentatiyes by vote of 100 to 55 In the
Senate on Saturday, the 10th, Mr. Sherman
offered substitute for Stevens military bill,
which was adopted by vote of 80 to 3-Messrs.
Buckalew, Davis and Salisbury voting in the
negative. Mr.. Doolittle moved an additional
section that no sentence Of death under this act
shall be carried into execution without the APP
proval of the President. Adopted-yeas 81,
nays l6. The bill as thus amended, passed the
Senate by vote of % to 10.
On Monday, the 18th, the House refused to
concur in the amendments of the Senate and
asked a committee of conference. On Tuesday,
the 10Th, the Senate insisted on its amendments
and refused to appoint committee of confer
ence. On the same day the House voted
against agreeing to the amendments of the Sen
ate by vote Of 90 nays to 70 yeas, and then
the motion for committee Of conference was
agreed to without division Messrs. Stevens,
Shellabarger and Blaine being appointed the
committee of conference Oh the part of the
House.
On Wednesday, the Goth, Mr. Wilson moved
to concur with the Senate amendment with the
addition Of provso to fifth section. See
proviso at the end of fifth section Of the bill as
adopted Mr. Shellabarger moved an amend
ment to the amendment to come In as a new
section. See section sixth of the bill as adopt
ed. Mr.. Shellabarger's amendment was adopt
ed by a vote of 90 to 70.
The question then REQUIRED on agreeing to
Mr.. Wilson's motion-to concur with the Sen
ate amendment, with the amendment offered
by Mr. Wilson, as that was amended on the
motion of Mr. Shellabarger
The vote was taken by yeas and nays, and re
sulted-yeas l25, nays 46-a strict party vote
So the Senate amendment, as thus modified,
was agreed to, and the bill was lat quarter past
one) sent back to the Senate.
The blu as thus amended was sent to the
Senate, where, after some discussion, and the
defeat of several proposed amendments, it was
adopted, as amended in the House, by the vote
of 35 to 7.
The following is the bill as passed by both
Houses of Congress:
COPY OF THE BILL.
WHEREAS no legal State governments or
adequate protection for life or property now
exist In the rebel States of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi.
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
sas,; 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 at enacted, DC, That said rebel States
shall be 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 dis
trlct, North Carolina and South Carolina the
second district, Georgia, Alabama and Florida
the third district, Mississippi and Arkansas the
fourth district, and Louisiana and Texas the
fifth district
SEC. ,. That 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-genera and to detail a
sufficient military force to enable such officer to
perform his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.
SEC. ). 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 instruction, disorder and violence
and to punish or cause to be punished all dis
turbers Of the public peace and criminals, and
to this end he may allow local civil tribunals to
take jurisdiction of and try offenders, Or when
In his Judgment it may be necessary for the
trial OF offenders. he shall have power to orga-
nIze military commissions or tribunals for that
purpose and all interference under color of
State authority with the exercise of military au-
thorlty under this act shall be null and void.
SEC; 4. 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
authorized, affecting the life or liberty of any
person, shall be executed until it is approved
by the offlcer In command Of the district; and
the laws and regulations for the government Of
the army shall not be affected by this act, ex-
cept In SO Tar as they may conflict with its pro-
visions: PrOUlded, That no sentence of death
under the provisions of this act shall be carried
into effect without the approval of the Presi
dent
SEC: 5. That when the people of any one Of
the said rebel States shall have formed a con-
stltutlon OF government in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States in all respects,
framed by convention of delegates elected bv
the male citizens of said State twenty-one wears
old and upward, Of whatever race, color, or pre-
ylous condition, who have been resident in said
State for one year previous to the day of such
election, except such as may be DISTINGUISHED
for participation in the rebellion or for felony
at common law; and when such constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall be