The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-28
Tie Reconstruction Act.

The following is correct copy of the act
"to provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States" as it passed:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS no legal State governments or ade-
quate 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, it's necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es
tablished; therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiucS OF the United States Of America in Con-
gresS assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority fthe United States,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and SOuthC 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. Amdb be ittu,ther 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 hot below the rank of brigadier 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 8. and be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer signed afore-
said TO protect all persons in tbs: rights of per-
son and property, to suppress Instruction, dis
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 iH' hi Judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, lie shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
| bunals for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the exer-
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 unusual punishment shall be in
lictcd and no sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life liberty of any person, shall be execu-
ted until ii 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 Prooided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval of the
| President
SEC. 5. and be it. further enacted, That when
the people of any one the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed 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 twcnty-One years old and
upward, of whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
for year previous to the day of such election
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for 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 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
| when said State, by vote ofts Legislature elect
cd under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty. Ninth Congress-
and hnown article H. and when said article
shall have becomes part of the Constitution OF
the United States, said State shall be declared en-
titled to repree entatiOn in Congress- and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrOnl
on their taking the oath prescribed by law and
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
Il is act shall be imperative in said State Ptor
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 as Il member of the convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for mem
bers of said convention.
SEC. 6. Ind be it further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law, ad
United to representation i'll the Congress of the
United States, any civil government, which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only
thority of the United States at any time to abol
iSh modify. control OF supcrsede the same and
in all elections to aHy office under such proviS
iOnal governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of the filth 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.