The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-04-03
The Military Government Act,

w HEREAS NO legal state governments oF aueluat
protection for life property now exist in the rebe
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida
Texas and Arkansas and whereas, it is necessar,
that peace and good order should be enforced in sale
! States until loyal and republican State governments
| can be legally established therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and Honse Of Rep
resentatiges Of the United States Of Amertca II
Congress assembled That said rebel States shall BIZ
divided into military Districts and made subject to the
military authority Of the United States, as hereinafter
described, and for that purpose Virginia shall consti
tute the first district North 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 dist.
SEC. 2. A'sd be it further enacted mat it shall be
the duty of the President - assign to the command
each OF said districts officer of the army not be-
tie rank of brigadier general and to detail suf
fcent military force enable such officer to perform
his duties and enforce his authority within the district
! to which he is assigned
SEC. 8. Aasd be it further enacted, That it shall be
the duty of each officer assigned aforesaid to pro-
ect all persons in their rights of person and property,
to suppress nsurrectlon disorder and violence and to
punish, to be punished all dsturDers of the
| public peace, aud criminals; and to this end be 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 organise military commissions tribunals 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 4. And be it further enacted That all persons
put under military arrest by virtue OF this act shall be
tried without unnecessary delay, and cruel or IN
necessary punishment shall be inflicted; and SEN
tence of any military commission tribunal hereby
authorised affecting the life liberty Of any person.
shall be executed until it is approved by the officer
in command of the district; and the laws and rcguia-
tions for the government Of the army shall not be at
tected by this act except in so far they conflict
with its provisions; Providea That no sentence Of
death under this shall be carried into effect without
the approval of the President.
SEC. 5. Ind be 1t further enacted, That when the
people of any of said rebel States shall have formed
constitution of government in conformity with the
Constitution Of the United States in all respects,
framed by convention Of delegates elected by the
male citizens of said State twenty years old and du
ward of whatever color previous condition,
who have been resident in said State for year pre-
vous to the day of such election except such
be difranchised for participation in the rebellion or for
felony at common law, and when such constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall be
joyed by all such persons as have the qualifications
herein stated for election Of delegates and when said
constitution shall be ratified by majority Of the per-
sons voting the question Of ratification, who
qualified electors for delegates, and when such
stitution shall have been submitted to Congress for
animation and approval, and Congress shall have APP
proved the same and when said State by vote of its
legislature elected under said constitution shall have
adopted the amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, proposed by the thiry-ninth Congress-
and known article fourteen and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution of the
United States said State shall be declared entitled to
representation in Congress- and and represen
tatires shall be admitted therefrom on their taking
the oath prescribed by law, and then and thereafter
the preceding sections of this bill shall be inoperatve
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 election a member of the con-
vention to frame constitution for any of said rebel
States shall any such person vote fer members Of
said convention.
Sec. 6. -4na be 1t ttuthe. enacted That until the
people of the said rebel States shall be by law admit
ted to representation in the Congress Of the United
States, any civil government which may exist therein
shall be deemed provisional only, and in all respects
subject to the paramount authority of the United
States any time to abolish modify, control super
sede the same; and in all elections any office under
such provisional government, all persons shall be
titled to vote, and other who entitled to vote
under the the provisions of the fifth section of this
act; and person shall be eligible to any Office
der any such provisional governments who would be
disqualified from holding Office under the provisions
OF the third article of said constitutional amendment