American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1867-03-02
MILITARY DESPCTIsM.


A bill to provide for the more eff,
cient government of the iISurrec.
tionary States.
WHEREAS, The pretended State
governments OF the late SO-called
Confederate States of Virginia. North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Flo
rida, Texas and Arkansas were set
up without the authority OF Congress
and without the sanction of the peo-
pie; and
Whereas, The so pretended gov
ernments afford no adequate protec-
ton for life or property. and cOunte-
nance and encourage lawleSSneSS and
crime; and
Whereas. 1t is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced
in the so-called States, until the loyal
and republican State governments
can be established therefore
Be it enacted By the Senate and
House of Representatives Of the Uni
ted States of america in Congress as
sembled, That the SO-called Conteder-
ate States shall be divided into mill
tarv districts and made subject to
the military authorities Of the United
States, as hereinafter prescribed
and for that purpose Virginia shall
constitute the LIST district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the lid
district Georgia, Alabama and Flo
rida, the lid district; Mississippi
and Arkansas, the WITH district, and
Louisiana and Texas the With diStric+.
Sec. >. And be it .fWtier enacted,
That it shall be the duty Of the gen
eral of the army to assign to the com
mand OF each OF said districts an off
Ger of the regular army. not below
the rank of a brigadier general, and
to detail a sufficient military force to
enable such officer to perform his
duties and enforce his authority in
the district to which he is assigned.
Sec. 3. And be it FURTHER enacted,
That it shall be the duty of each Off
Ger, assigned as aforesaid, to protect
all persons in their rights OF person
and property, to suppress insurrec
ton, disorder and violence, and TO
punish. or cause to be punished. all
diSturbers Of the public peace and
criminals: aud ia This end he NAV
allow local civil tribunals to take iu-
risdictiOn of and to try offenders. or
when. in his Judgment. it may be ne
cessarv for the trial Of offenders. he
shall have power to organize military
commissions or tribunals for that pur-
pose. ANYTHING in the constitution or
laws of the so-callcd States to the
contrary Notwithstanding and all
legislative aud judicial proceedings
and processes to prevent OF control
the proceedings Of said military tri-
bunalS, and all interference by said
pretended State governments with
the exercise of military authority I'M
der this act. Shall be void and of no
effect.
Sec. 1. AMI be it FURTHER eaactcd.
That the courts and judicial officers
of the United States Shall not issue
writs of habeas corpus in behalf of
persons in military custody. except
in cases i'm which the person is held
to answer only for crime or crimes
exclusively within the jurisdiction Of
the courts of the United States with
in said military districts therein. or
unless some commissioner or officer
on daty in the district where the per
son is detained. shall indOrSe upon
said petition a statement certifying,
upon honor, that he mas knowledge
VI lhloiin'''''' aS ~ ne GUS, I ]',''
tior anJ tho+ no hn1iavax fLe e,wcto
he wrongful: and. further. that he
believes that the indOrSed petition Is
preferred III good laIth' ana IN ll'l-
'uei"ilIo VI .Stioe an2i lio' " ',',','
All persons nnt nnder observation-disclosures
by virtue of this act shall be tried
without unnecessary delay, and no
cruel or unusual punishment snail ne
' So .nJho :. f,...lo,. ,na,..,7
That no sentence Of any military com,
mission, or tribunal. hereby author
lied, affecting the life or liberty OF
any peISon' SlI"Il Te eAecu'e" e oiI'il
~ OJ % H. 49, All tLa
laws and reruIations of fine govern
ment of the ARMY shall not be affected
hC II :