The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-02-27
The Military Bill in Full

1Ao AA41i VOL D1u III 1,ulH
The Crescent of Friday publishes tn
Military Bill in full as it passed the Senat
on last Thursday. We give it as found i
that Journal:
WHEREAS, no legal State government
or adequate protection for life or propert
now exists in the rebel States of Virgins
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida
Texas and Arkansas;
"AND WHEREAS, It is necessary tina
Fpeace and good order should be enforce
in said States until loyal and republican
governments can be legally established
Therefore,
"Be it enacted BY the Senate and House 0
Representatives Of the United States Of Amer
ca in Congress assembled, That the sal
rebel States shall be divided into militar
districts, and made subject to the militar
authority of tho United States as herein
after prescribed; and for that purpos
Virginia shall constitute the first district
North Carolina and South Carolina TIN
second district, Georgia, Alabama an,
Florida the third district, Mississippi an,
Arkansas the fourth district, and Louisian,
and Texas the fifth district.
"SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That
shall be the duty of the President to assigl
to the command Of each of the said district
an officer of the army not below the ranl
OF ,brigadier general, and to detail sufi
cient military force to enable such Office
to perform his duties and enforce hi
authority within the district to which b,
is assigned. a.,
"SEc. 3. and belt further enacted, That i
| shall be the duty of each officer assigned
as aforesaid, to protect all persons in thei1
rights of person and property, to suppress
instruction, disorder, and violence, and t.
punish or cause to be punished all disturb
ers Of the public peace and criminals; and
to this end he may allow local civil tri
bunals to take jurisdiction Of and to try
offenders, or, when, in his Judgment it may
be necessary for the trial of offenders, he
shall have power to organize military com
missions or tribunals for that purpose; and
all interference, under color of State
authority, with the exercise Of military au.
! thority, under this act shall DO null and
void. s
"SEc. 4. And be 1t further 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 shall be inflicted, and no sen.
tence Of any military commission or tri.
bunal hereby authorized, affecting life OF
liberty Of any person, shall be executed un.
til it is approved by the officerin command
Of the district; and the laws and regula-
tions for the government of the army shall
not be affected by this act, except in SO far
as they conflict with it's provisions; pro-
vided that no sentence Of death under pro-
visions of this act shall be carried into
affect without the approval of the Presi
dent.
"SEc. s. And be 1t further enacted, That
when the people of any of the said rebel
States shall have formed Constitution
and government in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States in all
respects, framed by convention of dele
gates elected by male citizens Of said State
II years and upwards, of whatever race,
color, or previous condition, who have been
resident in the State for one year previous
to the day of such election, except such as
may be disfranchised for participation in
the rebellion OF for felony at common at
law; and when such Constitution shall pro-
vide 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 a majority 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 examination
and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same, and when the said
by vote Of it's legislature elected under
said Constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the
United States proposed by the Thirty
Ninth Congress and known as article four
teen, and when the said article shall be-
come a part of the Constitution of the
United States; said State shall be de-
clared entitled to representation in Con-
gress, and senators and representatives
shall be admitted therefr0m on their tax
ing the oath prescribed by law and then
aiu VuEIosAGcI tue pTeceoiHg seCtlOnS OF
this bill shall be imperative in the said
State: Provided, That no person excluded
from the privilege of holding office by the
said proposed amendment to the Constitu-
ton Of the United States shall be eligible
to election IS member Of the Convention
to frame constitution for any of the said
rebel States; nor shall any such person
vote for member Of the said convention.
"SEc. 6. And Be it further enacted, That
until the people of the said rebel States
shall be by law admitted to the represen-
tation in the Congress of the United States,
any civil governments which may exist
therein shall be deemed provisional only,
and in all respect subject to the paramount
authority Of the United States, at any time
to abolish, modify, control or supersede the
same; and in all elections to any Office I'M
der such provisional governments, all per-
sons shall be entitled to vote, and none
other, who aro entitled to vote under the
provisions of the fifth section of this act i;
and no person shall be eligible to any Office
under slich provisional governments, who
would be disqualified from holding office
under the provisions of the third article of
said constitutional amendment.
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