Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-07-16
Congressional.

aid and comfort to the rebellion should be al
lowed to be sworn in as members of the
House, but the dislcyalty of the constituents
or illegality of elections should not prevent a
member holding a certificate from being
sworn in: The report was laid on the table
and ordered to be printed.
a resolution calling for the proceedings of
the Cabinet on reconstruction was passed-
ayes, IO3; nays, 26.
Mr.. Butler moved that special committee
OF five, with power to send for persons and
papers, should be appointed to investigate the
assassination of Lincoln, ard that the com,
mittee be empowered to promise the protec-
ton OF the House to accompIices who have
not been tried or sentenced who NAV give
valuable evidence. The rule was suspended.
and the resolution passed.
Mr.. Stevens, from the committee of nine
introduced the following bill:
-Am Act supplementary to an act entitled {" Au
act to ProUide for Me more efficient yovern.
n'ent Ot tie rebel St0tes," passed March
2t, eighteen hundred and slrLy-seyen, and
He act supplementary thereto, passed
March 23d, eighteen hundred and sic a.
Se0eR.
Be 1t enacted by tie Senate and House of
Representatives. OT tie LnHed States of
america iH Congress assembled, That it is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
aud meaning of the acts of March second
aud March twenty third, eighteen hundred
and sixty seven, to which this act is a sun
pIement, that the governments then existing
III this rebel States OF Virginia, North Caro-
lima, south CarUIlna, Georgia. Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas. and Ar
we n .,,I 4
alter SAID governments were to be continued
subject III all respects to the military COM
IanGers Ut the respective districts and to the
authority Of OngreSs only
SECTION ,. ImiLe 1t further enacted. That
the SAID acts to which this is a supplement-
shall be construed TO authorize the officer as
signed To the command of any military dis.
trict under SAID acts, whenever he shall deem
IL necessary to the due performance of his
duties under said acts, to remove ur sIspeDd
from office any municipal or State officer, or
person exercising authority under or by vir-
tue OF any sO-called State government exist
ing III his district, and to appoint another per.
s"n IN the stead of the officer or persOn so
removed, II he shall deem proper SO to do.
aud to authorize the officer assigned to the
command Ot any military district under said
acts, Whenever lac may deem it necessary as
aforesaid, to prohibit, suspend, or set aside,
any act or proceeding Of any such State or
municipal government, or anv act or thing
done under or by virtue Of its authority it
being the intention of said act that during
Its cOnUlnuace the said socalIed State goy-
ernments of the rebel States shall be allowed
to Continue only as subordinate to. and sub
Ject to the control of, the officers assigned to
The military districts aforesaid. respectively.
{ md Ill !
by any such officer in accOruance herewith
shall be deemed valid
SECTION !. AHH be At further enacted. That
tnc boards of registration of the several mill
tary districts established by the acts to which
tins Is additional shall admit to registration only
such persons as they deem entitled to be reg
lstered by the act aforesaid. They shall not
regard the taking the oath prescribed in the
act OF March %, 1867, conclusive evidence
OF the night OF the person taking it to be reg
Istered, but prjnla TGcic only, and NAV re-
ceive such evidence under oath relating there
to as they may deem proper. either from the
person applying to be registered OF others
and either of the members Of said boards is
hereby authorized to administer Oaths or af
hrmatious and examine witnesses touching
the right OF any person to he registered. Said
boards of registration may strike from the
list OF voters the name of any one already
registered who, in their judgment, improper
~ took the oath prescribed in the acts to
which this is additional or was not entitled
by said acts TO be registered and shall not be
bound or governed in their action bv apy
opinion of any officer of the United States
Government. Record evidence shall not he
required by said boards TO prove participa-
ton IN the rebellion, but parole evidence of
the fact OF such participation shall be deem
ell by SAID boards sufficient to effect the dis
1ranchIsement provided for by the acts to
which this is additional.
SECTION +. And be Il fprthey enacted. That
no civil court Of the United States, or of any
State, shall have jurisdiction of anv action or
proceeding. civil ar criminal, against any such
district commander, or any officer or persou
acting by his authority, for or on account of
any act done by him in his official capacity
under this act, or under the acts to which it
is supplementary -to>wit: the act named in
the first section of this act, and the act of
March twenty,three. eighteen hundred and
siXfy-Scven. supplementary thereto.
SECTION 3. ARdL II FURTHER enacted. That
no district commander shall be relieved from
the command assigned to him under the afore
said acts unless the Seuate shall have first
advised and consented to his removal; or un
'cNs W sentence nl court HaTHaI ne snail De
cashiered or dismissed from the army; or un-
less he shall consent to be so relieved
SECTION 6. The time for the completion of
the registration of persons properly qualified
to vote may he extended by order of any of
the said district commanders to any date
prior to the lst day of October. 1867.
Mr.. Stevens accepted the following as an
additional section:
Any person who shall attempt to preyent
the execution of this act shall be guilty. of
misdemeanor. and on conviction shall he liza
BILE to fine of $4,000 or imprisonment for