The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-05-07
The Reconstruction Act.

ne 0SEVIiSeluSaoh 1AS
\ the Following Is correct copy OF the act
:, 10 provide RSH the more efficient govern
\ fstt.at e4 The 4~See States" rs itpassed:
. N A.sF 10 s,IsaSlpE FOR THE MORE Eff
/ s4tyf E>,sS &sNNsNr OK THE REBEL STATES.
4 W1Et-s+,.s, ~ stsal State governments or ade-
asr gi<,gvxs5>'as s>r life or property now exists
s.. ~. H,..z Sss,s>$ vi Virginia, North Carolina,
S,5,s [,.r,,ffssa Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
sH.,st,ss Tc\a%, Mississippi and Arkansas, ana
mlyg>>,e(s II nrre$>ary that peace anu good ordeI
snrs,,s - rntrrrea in said States until loyal ana
sus,uett>An State governments can be legally es
.sNl{>hri, tacreiore,
Il !, e,tst&gs! 81 ne S,.,!s end Ao"Ss ef Repre-
ssxaag$ " bts itss.E &,:..S 9f ims'ftet IN Ton,
y,vSS usSealhteI, Th&t said rebel States snail
be divided suro military districts, and made SUP
frrE ~ tAe lllitary authority oil the nlted states,
a. hervlualter prescribed, aud FOR that purpose
NtsSiuiA shall Constitute tIr urSt distinct N0!ln
Cayy}nA Aul South Carpliua the second district;
Georgia Alabama and Florida the third district
Mis>is>ivpi ant Arkansas the fourth district, ana
LQej>i;r4 a,,A rt>as rhe nth district;
Ssc ,. tut te 1t ft.r:hsr s"0ctSd, That II shall
BE- the ltaty OF the President 10 assign to the COM
a.ag4 vi each ri said districts an officer OF the
tsanv not brtpw the rank OF briGadcr general,
na u detail sufficient military force 10 enanle
Such Officer ~ perform his duties ana enforce
his authority Within tho district 10 when he Is
So. 5, -lu,; b 1t .t.,rtiSr enacted, That it
shalt he The duty OF each officer assigned rs atorc-
SAID ~ protect all persons i'll their rights Oh per
$>,., ana property, IL suppress iuSurrtction, dis
Sy,:rr aud violence, and 10 punish or cause 10 DC
punished all diSturhcrS of the public peace and
Criminals aud 10 this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction OF and try
offenders or when in hie Judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tn
bunalS for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the eNer-
piS of authority
null and void. .
SEC. 1. And be it .titrther 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 snail be IN
fctcd and no sentence OF any military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty of any person, shall be eXecu-
ted until it is approved by the officer i'll command
of the district and the laws and regulations for
the government. OF the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions POgidcd, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President.
the people of any one of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed Il constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution OF the
United States in all respects, framed by a
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty-onc years old and
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law: and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by ma joIity of the
persons voting on the question of ratification who
qualified electors for delegates, and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote ofits Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and hnown as article Il, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution of
the United States said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress- and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted thercfrom |
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
tits act shall be imperative in said State: Povi-
ded, That no person excluded from the privilege |
of holding office by said proposed amendment to |
the Constitution of the United States shall be !
eligible to election as member of the convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel /,
States, nor shall any such person vote for men,
bcrs of said convention.
Sec. 6. And belt further enacted That until /
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law ad
mitted to representation in the Congress of the !
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only, |
and in all respects subject to the paramount au-
thOrity of the United States ut any time to abol-
lsh modify, control OF supersedc the same ; and /
in all elections to any office under such proyis- !
onal governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act; and no person shall be eligible to any office
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
the provisions of the third article of said consti
.utiOnal amendment,