The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-05-04
The Military Government Act
AND THE
Constitutional Amendment.

t 6A'D AAAA|
Constitutional Amendment.
The military government bill which
passed Congress over the veto of the
President, having become the law of
the land, we publish it below, together
with the pending constitutional amend
ment:
WHEREAS, No legal State govern
ments or adequate protection for life
or property now exist in the rebel
States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas
! and Arkansas; and whereas, it is nee
essary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until
r loyal and republican State govern
f ments can be legally established !;
therefore,
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and
} House Of Representatives of the United
States of America IN Congress assem-
, bIed, That said rebel States shall be
f divided into military districts, and
made subject to the military authority
= of the United States, as hereinafter
l. described, and for that purpose Vir-
ginia shall constitute the first district;
North and South Carolina the second
n district; Georgia, Alabama and Flori-
da the third district; Mississippi and
= Arkansas the fourth districts; and
e Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
, SEC. 2. And be 1t further enacted,
That it shall be the duty of the Presi
e dent to assign to the command of each
+ of said districts an officer of the army
not below the rank of brigadier gener-
l, al, 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 as
/ signed.
i SEC. 3. Ind be 1t further enacted
That it shall be the duty of each officer
t. assigned as aforesaid to protect al
s persons in their rights of person anG
property, to suppress instruction
E, disorder and violence, and to punish
d or cause to be punished, all disturber!
of the public peace, and criminals
) and to this end he may allow local civ
r tribunals to take jurisdiction of and tt
, try offenders or, when in his judg
Ill ment it may be necessary for the tria
" of offenders, he shall have power t,
organize military commissions or tri
III bunals for that purpose; and all inter
id ference under color of State authority
- with the exercise of military authority
" under this act. shall he null and void
y Sec. 4. And be 1t further enacted
Re That all persons put under military
arrest by virtue of this act shall b.
le tried without unnecessary delay, an,
er no cruel or unnecessary punishment
, shall be inflicted and no sentence o
I'LL any military commission or tribuna
VI hereby authorized, affecting the life o
49, liberty of any person, shall be exc
I'll cuted until it is approved by the office
as in command of the district; and til
&c laws and regulations for the govern
VI ment of the army shall not be atfecte
by this act except in so far as the
conflict with its provisions; Provided
ms That no sentence of death under thi
act shall be carried into effect withou
the approval of the President.
Sec. 5. And be 1t further enactco
L; That when the people of any of sal
er rebel States shall have formed
40 constitution of government in cor
To- formity with the Constitution of tn
to United States in all respects, frame
90 by convention of delegates electe
- by the male citizens of said Stat
nd twenty-one years old and upward, {
IFS whatever race or color, or previous cor
= dition, who have been resident in sal
lie State for one year previous to the da
ms of such election, except such as ma
be disfranchised for participation
az the rebellion or for felony at commo
M law, and when such constitution sha
provide that the elective franchise sha
lis be enjoyed by all such persons as hay
nd the qualifications herein stated fl
election of delegates; and when sal
u: constitution shall be ratified by m,
)m jority of the persons voting on ii
- question of ratification, who are quail
el' fed as electors for delegates, and whe
10, such constitution shall have been sui
,,,, mitted to Congress for examination ar
approval, and Congress shall have al
IS, proved the same, and when said Stat
ro by vote of its Legislature elected vi
W der said constitution, shall have adop
OF ed the amendment to the constitute
MT of the United States proposed by IL
Thirty-ninth Congress, and known
Lne article fourteen, and when said artic
k" shall have become a part of the Co
-, stitution of the United States, sa
''n- State shall be declared entitled to re
of resentation in Congress, and Senate
+1o and representatives shall be admitt
''i0 therefrom on their taking the oath pr
RS rcribed by law, and then and Their
,b+ after the preceding sections of this b
shall be imperative in said State
ess Provided, That no person exclud
or from the privilege of holding office
said proposed amendment to the Co
s. stitution of the United States shall
mi eligible to election as a member of Il
convention TO frame a constitution f
H.