Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-02-27
The New Reconstruction Act.

The bill which has passed both Houses OF
/ Congress by more than two-thirds vote, and
which may vet become law, if the President
vetoes it in season for Congress to act upon
it again before the adjournment, is as fol-
flows:
WHEREAS, No legal State government, or
adequate protection for life property, now
exist in the rebel States of Virginia. North
Carolina. South Carolina. Georgia. Alabama.
Louisiana, Florida Texas. and Arkansas
and
WHEREAS. 1t is necessary that peace and
good order should be enforced in said States
until loval and republican State Governments
can be legally established, therefore.
Be IT enacted. DC, That said rebel States
shall be divided into military districts. and
made subject to the military authority OF the
United States hereinafter prescribed. and
for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the
first district, North Carolina and South Caro-
lima the second district, Georgia Alabama
and Florida the third district. Mississippi
and Arkansas the fourth district. and Louis
lana and Texas the fifth district
SECTION ,. That it shall be the duty Of
the President 10 assign to the command of
each of said districts an officer of the army
not below the rank of Brigadier General, and
/ to detail sufficient Military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he
is assigned
SECTION g. That it shall he the duty of
each officer assigned as aforesaid. to protect
all persons in their rights of person and
property, to suppress Instruction, disorder
and violence, and to punish. or cause TO be
punished, all disturbers of the public peace
AMI criminals, and to this end he NAV allow
loc9 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 tt organize Military
Commissions or Tribunals for that purpose
and all interference. under color of State au-
thority, with the exercise of military author
ity under this act, shall he null and void
SECTION t. That all persons put under
military arrest by virtue Of this act shall be
tried without unnecessary delay, and no cruel
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 I'M
til it is approved by the officer in command of
the district, and the laws and regulations for
the government of the army shall not be af
fected by this act except in so far as they may
conflict with it's provisions
SECTION ). That when the people of anv
one Of said rebel States shall have formed
constitutional government in conformity with
the Constitution of the tnited States in all
respects. framed by convention of delegates
elected by the male citizens of said State
twenty-one years old and upward. of what
ever race. color or previous condition. who
have been residents in said State for one year
previous to the day Of such election, except
such as may be disfranchised for participating
in the rebellion, or for felony at common law,
and when such constitution shall provide that
thar oil I'LL Ill
such persons as have the qualification herein
stated for election of delegates. and when
such Constitution shall be ratified by
JorIty OF persons voting on the question of
ratification who are qualified as electors for
delegates, and when such Constitution shall
have been submitted to Congress for exami-
nation and approval and Congress shall have
approved the bill, and when said State shall,
by vote of its Legislature, elected under
said Constitution. have adopted the amend |
ment to the Constitution of the United States
proposed by the thrty-ninth Congress, and /
known as .'ArficIe a. and when said Ar /
ticle shall have become part of the Consti- |
tuition of the United States, said State shall /
De declared entitled to representation in .
Congress, and Senators and Representatives /
shall be admitted therefrom their taking
he oath prescribed by law. and then and
thereafter the preceding sections of this act
hall be imperative in said State.
PrOrfded, That no person excluded from
he privilege of holding office by said pro-
POSED amendment to the Constitution of the
United States shall be eligible to election as
member of a Convention to frame COnsti-
ution for any rebel State, nor shall any such
'erson vote at any election for members of
UGH Convention.
Provided, further, That until the people of
aid rebellious States shall by due form of
aw be admitted to representation in the Con- !
ress of the United States, any civil govern