The tri-weekly standard., 1867-02-21
Senator sherman,s Recanst-u...-

Senator Sherman's Reconstruction Riu
The following is a copy of the substitute
submitted by Senator Sherman for Mr. Sto
yens' bill ito provide for the more effic;ent
government OF the insurrectionary States -
as it passed the Senate on Sunday morninS.
A BILL to provide for the more efficient povorn
ment of the rebel States
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ado
quate protection for life or property now " !e ue
in the rebel States of Virginia North CarolDas e4oas
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama Louisinn"''
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas ana,
whereas it is necessary that peace and rood ,5 LIN
should be enforced in said States uutiI IoyaI nrd
republican State governments can be legally nu a.
tabishcd therefore, e! es'
Be it enacted &C., That said rebel States s,o,,
be divided into military districts, and mado si
Ject TO the military authority of the United States
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that pnrn"Ss,
Virginia shall constitute the first district W"
Carolina and South-Carolina the second Si-tuian u
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district MA
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district y '''u
SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the pres;
dent to assign to the command of each of 60,
districts an officer of the army not below tba S
of brigadier general and to detail sufo;nk f6 iank
military force to enable such officer TO perforn
his duties and enforce his authority within thn I'm
district to which he is assigned. o
SEC. 3. That it shall be the duty of each on
Ger assigned as aforesaid to protect all persnnS ~
their rights ofperson and property, to surprena IA
nsurrection, disorder, and Violence and To NM
ish or cause to be punished all dsturbers NJ IN
public peace and criminals ; and to this end ho
may allow local civil tribunals to take iuriSdin
ton of and try offenders, or when in hi iudr.
ment it may be necessary for the trial ot of2r3
crs, he shall have power to Organize miI;tn'n
commissions or tribunals for that purpose o55
all interference under color of State autbor;tI
with the exercise of military authority nndnr ~
act shall be null and void. A''
SEC. 4. That all persons put under militor,,
arrest by virtue OF this act shall be tried wthnnt
unnecessary delay, and no cruel or unsual nm
lshment Shall be inflicted; and no sentence NJ
any military commission or tribunal hereby an.
thorized, affecting the life or liberty of any nrr
son, shall be executed until it is approved 6y the
o1hcer IN command OF the district; and the laws
and regulations for the government of the ormy
shall not be affected by this act except in so far
as they may conflict with its provisions.
SEC. 8. That when the people of any one of
SAID rebel States shall have formed a constitution
OF government in conformity with the Constitu
tion 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 preyions
condition, who have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day of such election
except such as may be disfranchised 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 tile 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 becomea 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 proceeding sections of
IL is act shall be imperative in said State.
Section 6 consists of an amendment offered by
Senator Doolittle, to the effect that the death
sentence shall not he executed without the ap-
proval of the President of the United States