The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-26
The Reconstruction Act,

NC io'io"lnS Is correct copy OF the act
ITO provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States" as it passed:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR TIE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade-
IN the s sof me OF property now exists
S f%l carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
FLORIDA, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas is necessary that peace and good order
Should De enlorcedi in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es-
tablished; therefore,
6e 10 enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
SIGNATURES Of the United States of Ie,ica in tou
gfeSS assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
Ject 10 tue military authority of the United States
us hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carollna and South Carolina the second district
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SEC: :: And6e Tfu't4er enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the President to assign to the com
mand 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
assigned.
SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned rs afore
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
cOH pIOIcIly, W suppress iHStsiTcctlOH, QlS-
order, and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbers of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
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 to organize military commissions or tri-
bunals for that purpose; and all interference
else Of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SEC 4. And be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue oil
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
fcted; and no sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life liberty of any person, shall be eXecll-
ted until 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 affected
by this act, except i'll so far as they may conflict
with its provisions P'OUided, That no sentence
OF death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval of the
President.
SEC. 5. Ind be it further enacted, That when
the people OF any of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed a 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-One Years old and
| upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day of such election,
except such may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or Tor 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 majority of the
persons voting the question of ratification who
are qualified rs 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 article IA, 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 therefrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
| then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
tS act shall be imperative in said State: PrOri
| 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 a member of the convention
| to frame constitution for any Of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for MEM
| bcrs of said convention.
| SEC. 6. Ind be it further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law adj
mttcd 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 at any time to abol-
sh modify, control OF superscde the same and
| in all elections to any office under such provis-
onal governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who 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
| tutional amendment.
| Supplementary Reconstruction Bill.
The following is a copy of the bill as it
finally passed both Houses:
An act supplemental to an act entitled an act
to prouide for the more efficient government
of tile rebel States, passed March 2, 1864
and to facilitats restoration.
BE it enacted, DC. That before the 1st day
of September, 1867, the commanding general
in each district defined by an act entitled
An act to provide for the more efficient gov.
eminent of the rebel States,' appro we'd
March second, eighteen hundred and sixty
seven, shall cause registration to be M ade
of the male citizens of the United States
twenty-one years of age and upwards, resi-
dent in each county or parish, in the State
or States included in his district, which eg
istration will include only those persons w Inc
are qualified to vote for delegates by the
act aforesaid, and who shall have taken and
subscribed the following oath or affirnati on
d., do solemnly swear Cor aft rm,
in the presence of Almighty Cod that am
4 citizen of the State Of; that l have
resided in said State for -- months ext
preceding this day, and now reside in the
county Of, or parish Of, in said
State, as the case may be; that 1 am TWEEN
ty-one years old; that have not been dis
franchised for participation in any rebellion
or civil war against the United States, nor
for felony committed against the laws ofany
State or of the United States; that have
never been a member of any State Legisla-
ture, nor held any executive or judicial office
in any State, and afterwards engaged in in
surrection against the United States, and
given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof !;
that have never taken an oath as member
of Congress of the United States, or as an
officer of the United States, OF as a member
of any State Legislature, as an executive
or judicial officer of any State, to support
the Constitution of the United States, and
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel
lion against the United States, or given aid
or comfort to the enemies thereof; and that
I will faithfully support the Constitution
and obey the laws of the United States !;
and will, to the best of my ability. encour-
age all Others to do $3.50 helpme God."-
Which oath or affirmation may be admins
tered by any registering officer.
Sec. 2. That after the completion of the
registration hereby provided for in any
State at such time and places therein as the
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