The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-20
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 1867.
The Passage of the Supplemental Re-
construction Bill-A Summary of it's

The Passage of the Supplemental Re-
construction Bill-A Summary of its
Provisions.
THE Supplementary Reconstruction bill has
finally passed both Houses of Congress, and
has gone to the President for his signature or
rejection. He will probably veto it, when it
will Immediately be passed over his veto and
become law.
This BILL as we have before explained
merely supplies the necessary machinery for
carrying out the general plan of reconstruc-
ton adopted by the last Congress. 1t provides
that, before the first day of September next,
the Commanding General in each of the dis
tricts under the Reconstruction law passed
last session, shall cause registration to be
made of the legal voters under that act, and
who shall have taken and subscribed an oath
to the effect that they are citizens of full age,
have never been disfranchised for participa-
ton in any rebellion or civil war against the
United States-have never, as United States
or State officers, taken an oath to support the
Constitution of the United States, or held
civil Office in any State and afterwards en-
gagged in rebellion or insurrection against the
United States-and that they will support
and defend the Constitution of the United
States.
That, after the completion of the registra-
ton in any State, an election, of which at
least thirty days notice shall have been given,
shall be held at such time as the command
ing General shall direct, for delegates to frame
al Constitution and civil government for the
State loyal to the Union. At that election the
qualified voters shall also vote on the question
whether a Convention shall be held or not
and no Convention shall be held unless
majority of the registered voters shall have
voted upon that question, and a majority Of
those so voting shall have voted i'll favor of
holding Convention.
That the Commanding General shall appoint
not exceeding three loyal officers or persons in
each election district to make registration of
the voters, superintend the election, and make
return to him of the votes and of the persons
elected. He shall then make proclamation of
the result, and, within sixty days after the
election, shall notify the delegates to assemble
at place named, and, on a day fixed to frame
q constitution. The Convention, when or
ganized, shall first determine by a vote
whether it is the wish of the people of the
State to frame a constitution and civil govern
ment in conformity with the provisions of the
act, and if it is, shall then proceed to frame
said constitution, which, when framed, shall
be submitted for ratification to the registered
voters of the State, at an election to be held
by the officers appointed by the commanding
general for the election of members of the
Convention, the returns, as before, to be made
to him.
That if the Constitution shall have been
ratified by a majority of the votes of the quail
fed electors, the President of the Convention
shall transmit certified copy of the same to
the President of the United States who shall
forthwith transmit it to Congress, if in ses-
sion, or if not, Immediately upon its reas-
sembling and if Congress shall declare the
same to be in conformity with the provisions
of the Reconstruction act, and shall be salts
fed that all the registered voters had an op-
portunity to vote without hindrance or intimi-
dation, and that it meets their approval, the
State shall be declared entitled to representa-
tion, and Senators and Representatives shall
be admitted therefrom. All elections under
the act are to be by ballot.
1t will be seen from this summary that Con-
gress has carefully guarded all the steps to be
taken that governments are not to be formed
by minorities of the qualified voters, and the
rights of all classes are fully protected. Great
discretion is reposed in the Commanding Gene
rails and their faithfulness is necessary to the
proper execution of the law. The high char
acter of the officers appointed is sufficient
guarantee that their duties will be well per
formed. Thus, at last the work of recon,
struction is placed upon proper basis, and is
in the full tide of successful operation.