Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-07-16
REcoHsTRu crIoN BILL BY NIB. STEVENS

REC0HSTRC CTIUN BILL BY NIB. STEVENS
MIR. Stevens introduced bill TO- day, which
Was referred to the Reconstruction Committee
ITO enable the inhasitan8 OF this late rebel
States, conquered by the United States, to form
State governments" II provides that ell gov
eInmen.s and pretended governments within
that portion of territory which lately laimed
to beons to the Confederate States OF America
and which the United Stares have CONQUERED.
are hereby declared null ana void, and O. no
effect other than that which they shall derive
from tae action OF congress. The munIc,pai
corporations and officers existing dc Facto for
local purposes shall be continued until Con-
grsss. or those authorized by Congress- SD all
determine their existence. Until the said
territory shall be prepared with proper
constitutions and regularly admitted iato
the L MON as new States it shsII be gov.
erned as follows: Three commissioners, civil.
i ian shall De chosen by the joint action of
each of the divisions, now called military
districts. two OF whom shall be nominated by
the House and one by the senate, who shall be
called Commissioners Of Recon struction. They
shall all discharge all the duties which by
the act Of March 2, 1867, and its supplement of
March %. s67, are now enIoined upon the
miiitarycommanders,exc except so far as is altered
by this act, and they shall proceed to correct
and complete the registration already In
progress with all convenient speed. When
the Iegisrauon is complete. they shall
take the same action with regard to thu forma.
ton OF the constitution as is now prescribed to
the military commanders in the acts aforesaid;
and whenever any portion or SAID territory
and its constitution submitted to Congress and
approved by 1t, it shall be admitted into the
Union and declared capable of rep-esen tation
to the Congress OF the United States. The
military commanders and all military auth ori-
~ are hereby relieved from any duty within
said territory, except the prosecution OF the
peace, which they shall enforce upon the de-
mand OF the Commissioners of Reconstruc-
ton, or any OF them. The admission of
new States into the Union and the recon
s'ruction Of old ones is the sole duty and
work OF Congress. and neither the Presi-
dent, nor any head Of Department, nor the
Judiciary, nor the military have any right
TO interfere in such matters unless req uired by
the Congress OF the United States The opin.
ION or the Attorney General upon any point
connected with the admission of new States,
or the reconstruction OF destroyed ones is un-
authorized, and ought not to be obtru ded upon
Government. Lest there may be a mis-.
understanding with regard to who are
entitled to exercise the elective fran
chise, both in the election OF delegates to
form Convention and on the confirmation or
rejection of any constitution they may form, 1t
is declared that ; II persons who voluntarily
engaged in the late rebellion shall be excluded
from registration; and such fact may be proved
commissioners Of reconstruction, or either of
them, shall have full power to call wit
nesses, administer oaths, ask questions, and
conduct the examination in such manner
as may be necessary to ascertain the the
truth. Any false swearing under this law
shall be deemed felony, and punished
as such. The residence req uired in said acts
must be continuous, Immedi tely preceding
the election at which the vote is offered No
person who during the time OF the rebellion
held any judicisl or executive Office under the
government called the Confederate Staes of
Americ a, or under either OF said States, shall
be registered. nor, military officers who,
during the existence OF the government of the
Confederate States, held office either in the
army or militia Of either OF said States,
and nothing in this Act shall be held to
admit to registra ton any Of the classes
excluded by the acts of which this is
supplement. The Commissions of
reconstruction, each within Its own ,uris.
diction shall have full power to remove any
municipal officer, or magistrate, or state
Judge; and if it sees proper, to fill the vacancy
oy new appointments, whenever it shall deem
the public good shall req uire it. From the acts
and doings OF the respective boards OF com
m1ssIoners there shall be no appeal except to
Congress. So much of the act OF March 2
1867, and Of its supplement March 23 1857, as
Is not altered OF supplied by this act shall re-
main in full force and virtue. If the commits
sioners OF the State of Texas, and the State of
Louisiana. shall adjudge that the Interests OF
the country require the division of Texas into
two States, they shall proceed to run and
mark the division line, and prepare them for
admission into the Union as herein pre-
Scribed.