The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-02-18
MILITARY GOVERNMENTS IN THE
SOUTHERN STATES.

The following is copy Of the Bill reported from
the Joint Committee on Reconstruction by Hon.
THADDEUs STEVENS, as it passed the House Of Re-
representatives. on Wednesday: sls - ii
BILL TO PROVIDE FOB TIE MORE EFFICIENT GOV
ERNNENT OF THE NsuRREoT1oNARY STATES.
!, Whereas the pretended State Governments of the
Carolina, South Carolina Georgia, MIssissippi.
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas.
were set up without the authority Of Congress- and
without the sanction Of the people: and whereas
said pretended governments afford no adequate
protection for lie or property, but countenance
It Is necessary that peace and good order should
be enforced in said so-called States until loyal ard
Republican State governments can be legally cs-
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatves Of the United States Of America in Con-
gress assembled, Sc That said late so-called Com
tederate States shall be divided into military dis
tricts and made subject to the military authority
OF the United States as hereinafter prescribed and
for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the first
district; North Carolina and South Carolina tho
second district; Georgia, Alabama and Florida the
third district; mississippi and Arkansas the fourth
district, and Louisiana and Texas tho nth
district. ri t'''5. ---1 n An :,
. Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty Of the General Of the army to assign to
the army not below lbe ran of az oSer Of
raj and to detail sufficient military force to en-
able such officer to perform his duties aud enforce
MS authority in the district to which he is as
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted That it shall
be the duty or each officer assigned as aforesaid to
protect all persons in their rights Of person and
property, to suppress insurrec6on, disorder and
all disturbers Of the Sdblic peace and Criminals,
and to this end he NY allow local civil tribunals
to take Jurisdiction OF and to try offenders or
when IN his Judgment 4 may be necessary for the
trial nal Of Offenders lie shall havePower to organize
military commissions tribunals for that purpose
anything in the Constitution and laws Of any Of the
so-caled Confederate States to the contrary not
wlthstanding; and all Legislative or Judicial pro-
proceedings Of said military tribunals, and all in
reference by said pretended State Governments
with the exercise of military authority under this
Act. shall be void and Of no effect.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted That courts
and Judicial officers Of the United States shau not
issue writs Of habeas corpus in behalf Of persars:
IN military custody, except in cases in which t5aE
person IS teld to answer for q crime or crimes en-
clusiyely within the jurisdiction of the courts O.
the United States within the said military district
stoned officer ON duty in the district wherein the
person ls detaned shall endorse upon said petition
9 statement certifying upon honour that he has
knowledge or information as to the cause and cir
ieves the same to be wrongful; and further that
he believes that the endorsed petition is preferred
IN good faith and in furtherence of Justice and
not to hinder OF delay the punishment of crime,
this act, shall be tried without unnecessary de-
lay. and no cruel or unusual punishment shall
be inflicted. --z' ~ -
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That no SEN
tence OF any military commission or tribunal
hereby authorized, affecting the life or liberty of
by the officer in command Of the district; and the
laws and regulations for the government of the
army shall not be affected by this act except in so
far as they conflict with its provisions.