The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-03-26

re-publish the sAct to provide for the more
efficient government Of the rebel States,
eether with the proposed Constitutional CHOW
,ard) amendment, and the Supplemental Din
recently passed for carrying into effect the ne
construction Act.
an ACT TO provide for the more efficient
Government of the Rebel States:
Whereas, no legal State governments or ade-
ouate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas, il is necessary that peace and good
o,de, should be enforced in said States until
loyal and republican State governments can be
legally es,ablished therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House OF
Representatives of the United States of America
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 hereinafter prescribed, and for that
purpose Virginia shall constitute the first as
trict; 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 nth
district
Sec. 2 And be it further snaeted, That 1t
shall be the duty of the President to assign to
the command of each of said districts an officer
of the army not below the rank of brisadler
general, and TO detail sufficient military force
to enable such officer to perform his duties and
enforce his authority within the district to which
he is assigned.
Sec g. And be it further enacted, That 1t
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as
aforesaid to protect all persons In their rights OF
person and property, to suppress instruction,
disorder 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
under color of State authority with the exercise
of military authority under this act shall be null
and void.
Sec f. And be it 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 in
ficted; and no sentence of any military commits
sion or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting the
life or liberty of any person, shall be executed
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 in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions; Provided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without theapproval of the
President.
Sec s. And be it further enacted That when
the people of any one of the aforesaid rebel
States shall have formed constitution of gov
eminent in conformity with the Constitution of
fha Init Cd all hx,o
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 as may be disfranchised for partic-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
Jaw; 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 on the question of ratification
who are qualified as electors for delegates; and
when such constitution shall have been submit
ted to Congress for examination and approval,
and Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote of its Legislature
elected under said constitution shall have adopt
ed the amendment to the Constitution of the
United States proposed by the Thirty Ninth
Congress, and known as Article IA, and when
said article shall have become part of the Con-
sttution of the United States, said State shall
be declared entitled to representation in Con-
gross, and Senators and Representatives shall be
admitted therefrom on their taking the oath
prescribed by law, and then and thereafter the
preceding sections of this act shall be inopera-
tive in said State Provided, 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 as
member of the convention to frame consti-
tuition for any of said rebel States, nor shall any
such person vote for members of said convention
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That until
the people OF said rebel States shall be, By law,
admitted to representation in the Congress of
the United States, any civil govern ments which
may exist therein shall be deemed proviso nal
only, and in all respects 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 under such pro-
vsional governments all persons shall be entitled
to vote, and none other, who are 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 consi-
tutionsl amendment.
The Proposed Amendment to the Constitution.
ARTICLE XIV, Section l. All persons born
or naturalized in the United States and subitc ct
to the Jurisdiction thereof are citizens of the
:Uoited States and of the State wherein thew re.
side. No State shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or inmuni,ies