The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-16

Important action by Congress !---Pas-
sage of stringent Supplementary Act
...The States to be organized on q
thoroughly loyal Basis.
We give below the supplementary act
which is said to have passed Congress. The
Sentinel, from which we copy the dispatch,
is not certain the bill has passed the Senate,
but fears that the Senate has concurred with
the House. So far as we are concerned, as
our readers well know, zoe are aoith the Con-
gress. We have looked with confidence to
that body to act, and we rejoice that it has
acted. Every good citizen will at once defer
to the law-making power of the country,
and accommodate himself to the action of
that power.
The act is stringent, but whom have we
to blame for it but those Southern leaders
who have heretofore CONTEMPORARY rejec-
ted every plan of reconstruction
We copy below the comments of the senti-
mel on this act, showing that the organ Of
Gov. Worth has deliberately set itself against
the law of the land, by advising the people
to vote against a Convention. The Sentinel
is, therefore, avowedly q disunion paper
We have expected this all along. That jour
nal was simply playing the hypocrite in pre-
tending to be for Convention.
The Sentinel has declared, up to the pas
sage of this act, that the iron-clads" are
the only really loyal people among US, and
that all other Unionists are no sounder or
truer than the leaders of its party; but now,
when Congress declares that none but "iron-
clads" shall hold Office, the Sentinel turns
round and declares that it will have no re-
construction if none but the d" iron-clads" are
to be trusted.
Congress has responded nobly to the ex-
pectations of the country in providing that
the present rebel State organizations shall at
once cease to exist. We can not doubt that
the District Commanders, under the direc-
ton of Gen. Grant, will promptly exercise
the power with which they have been in
vested.
Supplementary Reconstruction Bill as
passed by both Houses of Congress-.
WASHINGTON, July IA.
The following is the text of the Senate
Supplementary reconstruction bill, as it pass
ed both Houses:
SEC. 1. Be at enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives. Of the United States
OF america an Congress assembled, That it is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
and meaning of the act of March I'd, A. D.
1867 entitled an act to provide for the more
efficient nf the rebel States
and of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the 23d day Of March, in the year 1867,
that the governments, then existing in the
rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia. Mississippi, Ala
bama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
sas, were illegal and void, and thereafter the
same governments, if continued, were to be
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
tary Commanders of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress.
Sec. g. And Be Il further enacted, That the
commander of any district named in said act
shall have power, subject to the approval of
the General of the armies of the United
States, to have effect till disapproved,
whenever in the opinion of such COM
mander the proper administration of said
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from Office, from the performance
of official duties and the exercise of official
poWcIS, any OtAISi vi PClSOh Va
ercising, or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military Office, or duty in such
district under any power, election, appoint
ment or authority derived from or granted
by, or claimed under any so-called State or
the government thereof, or any municipal or
other division thereof, and upon such sus-
pension or removal such commander, subject
to the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time to
time fol the performance of the said duties
of such officer or person, so suspended or re-
moved, by the detail OF some competent of
fcer or soldier of the army or by the ap-
pointment of some other person to perform
the same, and to fill vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
Sec 8. Ind be 1t further enacted, That
the General of the armies of the United
States shall be invested with all the power of
suspension, removal, appointment and detail
granted in the preceding section to district
commanders,
Sec. 4. Ind be 1t further enacted, That
the acts of the officers of the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
exercising the functions of civil officers and
appointing others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions of any
civil office may be removed, either by the
military officer in command of the district or
by the General of the army and it shall be
the duty of commanders to remove from Of
fee, as aforesaid, all person who are disloyal
to the government of the United States, or
who use their official influence in any manner
to hinder, delay, prevent or obstruct the due
and proper administration of this act, and
the acts to which this is supplementary.
SEC. s. Ind be it further enacted, That
the boards of registration provided for in
the act entitled IAN act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide for the
more efficient government of the rebel
States passed March 2, 1867, and to facili-
tate restoration" passed March 90, 1867,
shall have power, and it shall be their duty
before the allowing the registration of any
person, to ascertain, Hpon such facts or in
formation as they can obtain, whether such
person is entitled to be registered under
said act, and the oath required by said act
shall not be conclusive ON such question,
and no person shall be registered unless such
board shall decide that he is entitled there
to; and such board shall also have power to
examine under oath Ito be administered by