The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-03-02
The Reconstruction Bill.

The following is a correct COPY of the Re
construction Bill
1ThcrcdS, No legal State governments OF
adequate protection for life or property now
exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Missis,
sippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas,
and Arkansas
Ind ,ohe,cas, 1t is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced in said
States and loyal and republican State gov
ernments be legally established: therefore
| BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House Of
! Representatives Of the United States of
I An,erica in Congress assembled, That said
rebel States shall be divided into military
Districts and made subject to the military
authority of the United States, as hcreinaf
ter prescrbcd and for that purpose Vir.
! gnia shall constitute the FIRST district North
Carolina 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. 2. Ind be ii further enacted, That il
shall be the duty of the President to assign
! to the command of each of said districts an
| officer of the army not belew the rank Of
! brigadicr general, and to detail. sufficient
military force to enable such officer to per.
! form his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.
SEC. 3. And be ii further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as
/ of person and property to suppress insur.
rcction disorder and violence, and to punish
or cause To be punished. all disturbcrs of the
public peace, and criminals: and to this end
he may allow local civil tribunals 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 commissions or tribunals
| for that purpose, and al interference. under
color of State authority, with the exercise of
military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SEC. 4. Ana b" it further enacted, That
all persons put under military arrest by
virtue OF this act shall he tried without I'M.
necessary delay, and no cruel or unusual
punishment shall be inflicted: and no sen.
tcucc Of any military com mission or tribunal
hereby authorized, affecting the life or liberty
of any person. shall he executed until it is
approved by the officer in command of the
district; and the laws aud regulations for
| the government Of the army shall not be
AFFECTED by this act, except in so far as they
conflict with its provisions provided. that
no sentence Of death under the provisions Of
| this act shall he carried into effect without
| the approval Of the President Of the United
! States.
SEC. }. BE il i"lihcJ enacted, That when
! the people Of any one of said rebel States
shall have formed Il constitutional govern
mcnt, in conformity with the Constitution Of
the United States in al, respects, framed by
a convention of delegates elected by the
male citizens OF said State, twenty one years
old and upwards, OF whatever 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
DISTINGUISHED in rebellion or for felony at
common law, and when such Constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall
be enjoyed by all snch persons as have the
qualifications herein stated for election Of
delegates, and when such Constitution shall
be adopted by majority Of the 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 Wien said State, by II vote Of its Legs
aturc, elected under said Constitution, shall
have adopted the amendment TO the Consi.
tuition of the United States proposed by the
Thrty.nintl Congress, and known AS article
II; and when said article shall have become
Il part Of the Constitution Of the L niicd
States, said State shall lac declared entitled
to representation in Congress, and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted there.
from Oh their taking the osh prescribed by
law and thereafter the preceding sections
Of this act shall be in operation in said State;
R'orilcd, That no person excluded from the
privilege Of holding Office by the said pro
posed amendment to the Constitution of the
United States shall be eligible to election as
: a member of convention to frame consti
tuition for any said rebel States, nor shall
any such person vote for a member Of salt
convention.
) SEC. G. And be It further enacted, Tha
t until the people of said rebel States shal IL be
} by law admitted to representation in til,
Congress of the United States, any ciyi
| gsyornmQnt which may exist therein shall b,
deemed provisional only, and in all respect
subject to the paramount authority Of th,
5 United States ut any time to abolish. modify
! control, or supcrSedc the same, aud in al
t elections to any office under such provisional
government al. narsons shall DC entitled I,
a vote, and meme other, who are entitled t,
D vote under the provisions Of the fifth scetio,
/ Of this act, and no person shall be eligibl
to any Office under such provisional govern
ment who would be disqualified from holdin!
i Office under the provisions Of the third artic
G of said constitutional amendment.
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