The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-02-28
The MILITARY min.

copy ofthe bill which has passed bot
Houses of Congress to define tn
status and regulate the affairs Of th
Southern States. To aid the reade
in Tie comprehension of it's details, W
avail ourselves Of the subjoined analy
sis of the measure, which is copie,
from the New Orleans Picayune:
4, The, existing civil government
are permitted to continue, but under tn,
character of provisional government
merely, subject to the paramount an
thority of the Federal Government
They are made subject, in all elections
henceforth, to all the conditions il
regard to suffrage and the disfranchise
ments prescribed for the constitutions
permitted to be made hereafter.
I A proviso is added at, the close Of
this section as if to repair an oversight
in the body of it, by which it is order,
ed that no person shall vote for the
Convention, or be a member, who
would be disqualified by the third sec.
ton of the constitutional amendment,
which is not yet ratified. The clause
referred to provides
sss Tho having previously taken an
oath as member of Congress, or as an
officer of the United States, or as a
member of any State Legislature, or
as an executor or judicial officer of any
State, to support the constitution of
the United States. shall have engaged
in instruction or rebellion against
the same, Or given aid or comfort to
the enemies thereof
III another proviso it is subsequent
ly provided, that no person shall be
''eligible' to any Office under the pro-
visional government who would be
disqualified as an elector, under the
same section of the amendment.
2. The ten unrepresented States
are distributed into five military dis
tricts, over which martial law is ex-
tended. The districts are LIST, Virgin
ia; Cd, North Carolina and South
Carolina; Sd, Georgia, Florida and
Alabama; 4th, Mississippi and Ar
kansas; 5th, Louisiana and Texas.
1t is remarkable that in this distribu-
ton, and throughout the bill, the de-
scriptives word Estates is applied
without. qualification. Each of the five
military districts is to be put under
the command of an officer of the Uni
ted States army of rank not under a
brigadier general, to be supported by
an adequate military force, to be de-
tailed for the purpose. The appoint
ments are to be made by the President.
BY reference to the army list we find
the range of selection to which the
President is limited in the assigning
of officers to these commands, to in
clude these names under the Lieuten-
ant General. s ase.r
Major Generals Halleck, Sherman,
Meade, Sheridan, and Geo. L. Thomas
IS. afs#f3 $3.50 fzs<ssf - 47aEf#@s
Brigadier Generals Mcdowell, Rose
Grams, Cooke, Pope, Hooker, Han
cock, Schofeld and Howard-8 Be-
sides these, there are as heads of de-
partments on staff duty at Washington
with the rank of brigadier, Gems. Lo-
renzo, Thomas, Meigs, Eaton, Della
field Dyer and Barnes. We are not
sure whether we fought not to add |
Holt, Judge Advocate General, nor
certain whether any of these last eight |
are within the scope of the act.
These officers are vested with I'M
limited power in all matters which
concern "the protection of life and
and with unlimited discre-
ion in deciding how much OF how
title jurisdiction may be let to civil
courts; and in organizing military
Every interference with
;hem under color of State authority is
expressly forbidden. ALI sentences
,equire the approval of dhe officer in
sentences of death must
also be approved by the President
4. This military government is to
cease in any State, when the following
conditions are accomplished:
The people must choose conven
ion to form new constitution. Il
The people competent to vote for
he convention, or to serve as mem
)ers, are defined to be: the male cit
zens of whatever race, color, or up
wards, who have been residents for
me year previous to the day of cleo
ion, except such as may be disfran-
,hised for participation in the rebel
ion Or felony at common law
The constitution framed by the con-
1ention must prescribe the same quail
fcation for. the elective franchise as
re prescribed by Congress for choos7
ng the convention
1t must then be ratified by a major
ty Of the same electors. Congress
must thus approve Of the same.
A legislature being chosen under
he same must ratify the constitutional
now pending.
When this is all done, and the same
rticle of amendment shall have be-
ONE partof the constitution of the
United States, the State shall be de
Jared entitled to represe ntation in the
congress of the United States.
There is no time appointed for the
lection of convention, and no limit
laced within which it must be held /
ut until it is held, and the State fully I
Omitted as above recited, the military
Nv prevails; and while civil govern
lent is permitted to continue, must be
administered as though the constitu-
onal amendment had been fully adop-
I'd.