Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-02-21
THE LOUISIANA BILL.

AS an offset 10 G0V. ORR pan OI Tecoucllld
ton, we publish the peace-oAering which comes
back, in response, from the party to whom the
Governor held out the olive branch. This is the
bill for the reconstruction of louisiana, reported
by Mr.. ELLIOT, from the New Orleans Riot Com
mittee. 1t has passed the House by a vote o.
more than two-thirds, and is now before the Sen
ate.
Section l, provides for the appointment by the
President, by and with the consent Of the Senate
ofa Governor for the State Of Louisiana. Such
governor shall be thirty years of age and citzer
of the United States and Of Louisiana He shal
not have held any office whatever under the Con
federate government or any State acknowledging
its authority He shall not have signed voted for
or in any way favored the act of secession. Ht
shall not be person who ever held any office il
the United States army or navy, or seat in Con
gress, and afterwards took an oath to support thu
Confederacy; nor shall he ever have borne arm'
against the United States. And finally, he shal
take the test oath prescribed by act Of July End
1862
Section 2, provides for the appointment Of nine
similarly qualified persons as eounsellors, who shal
constitute the State legislature for the present.
Section 3, defines the powers Of the governor.
Section 4, orders an election for governor and
legislature in June, 1867.
Section S, prescribes the qualifications of voters
Every male citizen of the United States Of the
age of twenty-one years, without distinction o.
race or color having resided one year in Louisiana
and who has never borne arms against the United
States since he was citizen thereof, and car
take the oath of July I'd, 1862 is entitled to vote
at all elections Any one who never served in the
war of rebellion, in higher capacity than that Of
private soldier in open and civilized warfare, may
be admitted to the rights of voter, by an order
of any court of record of the United States upon
establishing the above qualifications by the testi
mony of persons who have at all times borne true
allegiance to the United States. He must also
prove by the same ''loyal' evidence, that he nev'
er gave voluntary aid or support to the rebellion,
after the 4th of March, 1864. Upon furnishing
such evidence, he shall receive certificate enti'
tling him to vote.
Section 6, provides for registration of quail
fed voters
Section 7, provides for the election Of members
to a convention to be held in October, 1867, tol
the purpose of forming constitution for the State.
The persons eligible to seats in this convention
must be twenty-five years of age, and possess all
the other qualifications required of the governor.
The new constitution shall permit no distinction
between men on account of race or color. 1t shall
repudiate all debts contracted in support OF the
rebellion, and shall forbid any pension, compensa.
ton, gift or gratuity for anything done or suffered
by any one in support Of rebellion.
Section 8, provides for the appointment by the
President, Of military officer not under the rank
of Brigadier. General, with sufficient military
force, whose duty it shall be to enforce the laws
and sustain the authority of the State government
and the United States.
Section 9, requires that all laws passed by the
provisional legislature shall be transmitted to the
Secretary of the United States Senate, for the ap-
proval of Congress All laws disapproved by Con-
gress shall be null and void, from the date Of dis
approval
Section 10, enacts that until Louisiana is admit
ted to representation in Congress as State, the
people thereof shall be entitled to one delegate pos
sessing the qualifications of the governor, who shall
have the same powers and rights had by delegates
from the Territories of the United States.
Section IL, enacts that all laws now in force in
Louisiana, consistent with the provisions Of this
act, shall remain in force until repealed, except
that no person is iscompetent to act as juror, who
is not an elector under this act.
Comment is Unnecessary, as every one can see how
carefully rebels of all degrees are shut out from the
rights of freemen. Nine-tenths of the voting un-
der this bill must be done by negroes, and the re-
naming tenth by the pitiful wretches who, with no
affection for either the Confederate or United
States, vibrated between them while the struggle
was doubtful, and, at its close became the most
loyal among the loyal