Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-23
RECONsTRuCtION.
The military II EReconstructiOn BiIl a
It Finally Passed the Senate

n
IG Finally Passed the Senate.
WHEREAS, Nolegal State Government or
adeduate prOtectionN for life or property
now exists IN the rebel States of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and
Arkansas; and whereas, it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced
in said States, until loyal and republican
State Governments can be legally estab-
lished; therefore, -zzzsr-as,-s--zs
Bel enacted, &C., That said rebel States
shall be divided into military districts, and
made subject to the military authority of
the United, States, as hereafter prescribed;
and for that purpose, Virginia shall con-
stitute the First District; North Carolina
and South Carolina the Second District;
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the Third
District; Mississippi and Arkansas the
Fourth District, and Louisiana and Texas
the Fifth District.
SEC.%2. That it shall be the duty of the
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 a sufficient military force to
enable such officer to perform his duties
and enforce his authority within the dis
trict to which he is assigned. II ai5sH ruC
SEC. 8. That it shall be the duty of
each officer assigned as aforesaid, to pro-
tect all persons in their rights of person
and property. to suppress insurrection, dis
order and violence. and to punish or cause
to be punished, all disturbers of the public
peace and criminals; and to, this end he
may allow local civil tribunals to take ju-
risdictieh of and try offenders; or when,
| In his judgment it may be necessary for the
| trial of offenders, he shall have power to
organize military commissions or tribu-
nails for that purpose, and all Interference
under cover of State authority with the ex-
ercise of military authority under this act
shall be null and void.
SEC. 4, That all persons put under mill.
tarys 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 commits
sion or tribunal hereby authorized, affect
ing the life or liberty of any person, shall
be executed until it is approved by the off,
Ger in command of the district; and the
laws of and regulations for the government
of the army shall not be affected by this
act, except in. sos.far as they may conflict
with its provisions.
SEC. 8. That when the people ofFany one
of said rebel States shall have formed
constitution of government in conformity
with the Constitution of the United States
in all respects, framed by convention of
delegates elected by the persons who may
vote upon the ratification or rejection
thereof, as hereinafter provided; and when
said Constitution, so framed, shall have been
of said State twenty-one years old and up
ward, of whatever race, color, or previous
condition of servitude, who may have been
resident in said State for one year previous
to the day of voting on the question of
ratifying such Constitution, except such
as may be disfranchised for participation
in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and when such Constitution shall pro-
vide that the elective franchise shall be en-
joyed by all such persons that have the
qualifications herein stated, and shall have
been submitted to Congress for examina-
ton and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same; and when said State
by vote of its Legislature, elected under
said Constitution, shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the uni
ted 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 restored to representa-
ton in Congress, and Senators and Repre-
sentatives shall be admitted thereto, on
taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the preceding sections
of this bill shall be imperative in said
State. Provided no person excluded from
the privilege of holding Office by said prop
osition to amend the CONSTITUTE on of the
United States shall be eligible to election
as a member to the convention to form
Constitution for any of said rebel States,
nor shall any such person vote formembers
of such convention. ~f5s ~
SEC. 6. Be it further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall, by law,
be admitted to representation in Congress
of the United States, the civil governments
that may exist therein, shall be deemed
provisional only, and shall be, in all re-
spects, subject to the paramount authority
of the United States. which can at any time
abolish, modify. control and supersedc the
same; and in all elections to any office un-
der such provisional governments, all per-
sons shall be entitled to vote and none 9TH
Fers, who are entitled to vote under the 9th
section of this act; and no person shall be
-eligible to any office under such provision
al governments, who would be disqualified
from holding Office under the provisions OF
the third article Of said constitutional
amendment. -= eta-s --., ..--.g