The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-02-19
.,or Sherman's Reconstruction
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THO following is copy Of the substi-
-. snbmitted by Senator Sherman for
". Steyens's bill "to provide for the more
~.;ent government Of the insurrection.
states" as it passed the Senate on
sunday morning;
i. BR to provide for the more efficient 90.
i" va'nment Of The rebel States.
Whereas no legal State governments or
.aeorate protection for life or property
"nr exists in the rebel States Of Virginia.
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia.
alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and
arkansas and whereas il Is necessary
ia, peace and good order should be en-.
creed in said States until loyal and repub.
lean State governments can be legally
established; therefore
Be II enacted, dc, That said rebel States
dali be divided into military districts, and
-adc subject 10 the military authority OF
AeUnited States, as hereinafter prescribed,
md for that purpose Virginia shall consti-
,a,e the first district; North Carolina and
south Carolina the second district; Georgia,
Alabama, and Florida the third district !:
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth dis
.-ict; and Louisiana and Texas the fifth
district.
SECTION 2. That it shall be the duty OF
,he President to assign to the command 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 dis
,rict to which he is assigned.
SECTION 3. That ii shall be the duty Of
each officer assigned as aforesaid to protect
all persons in their rights Of person and
property, TO suppress instruction, disorder,
and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbers Of the public peace
and criminals, and to this end he may al
low local civil tribunals to take iurisdic.
ton Of and try offenders, or when in his
Judgment il may be necessary for the trial
cf offenders he shall have power 10 organ
;ze military commissions or 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.
SECTION 4. 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
Inflicted, and no sentence Of any military
commission or tribunal hereby authorized,
affecting the life or liberty of any person,
shall be executed until it is approved by
the officer in command of the district and
the laws and regulations for the govern
ment Of the army shall not be affected by
this act, except in so far as they may con-
hlct with its provisions.
SECTION ). That when the people Of any
one of said rebel States shall have formed
a 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 up
ward, of whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said
State for one year previous TO the day of
such election, except such as may be dis
fganchsed for participation in the rebel
Ion 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 the
same; and when said State, by vote of
its Legislature elected under said consti-
tuition shall have adopted the amendment
10 the Constitution of the United States
proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress,
and known as article IA, and when said
article shall have become part of the
Constitution of the United States, said
State shall be declared entitled to repre-
sentation in Congress, and senator's and
representatives shall be admitted there
from on their taking the oath prescribed
by law, and then and thereafter the pre-
ceding sections of this act shall be inopera-
tive in said State.
SECTION consists of an amendment
offered by Senator Doolittle to the effect
that the death sentence shall not be exc
cuted without the approval of the Presi-
dent of the United States.