The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-23
The Reconstruction Act.

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i AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
f. GENT GOVERNMENT of THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS. no legal State governments GRADE
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South-C Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and ARKANSAS, ana
whereas it is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal ana
republican State governments can be legally es
| tablished; therefore,
Be it enacted By the Senate and House OF hep1e-
sesetatves of the United States Of Amertca in Con-
| gress assembled That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority ofthe United States
as hereinafter prescribed and Tor that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the second district i;
Georgia. Alabama and Florida the third district !;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
Sec 2. Andbe it further 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 not 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. g. Aaed be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned afore
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress resurrection, dis
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 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 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 COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty of any person, shall be eXecu
ted until it is approved by the otcer IN command
the government of the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in SO far as they may conflict
with its provisions F00tded, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval 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 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-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-
pationin 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 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 OfitS Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and hnown as article IA, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution of
the United States said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress- and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrom
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: Provi
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 member of the convention |
TO frame constitution for any of said rebel |
States, nor shall any such person vote Tor men,
bers of said convention.
SEC. q. And be it further enacted That until !
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law adj
rnitted to representation in the Congress of the |
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
md in all respects subject to the paramount aI-
thority of the United States at any time to abol-
sh modify, control OF supersede the same ; and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
onal 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
lnder any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
he provisions of the third article of said consti-
utional amendment.