The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-19
RECONSTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
cIENr GoyERNMENToF THE REBEL STATES.


AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
Client GOVERNMENTS THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS. no legal State governments or ade
auate protection for life or property now exist:
! in the rebel States of Virginia, North-Carolna
| South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas ano
whereas itis necessary that peace ana good ofdei
should be enforced in said States until loyal ana
republican State governments can be legally es
tablished therefore,
BE ii enacted by inc Senate ana rouse IH 4n
Sesatatyes OF the United States Of Ame1'tca IN Con,
1reSs assembled That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, ana maze SUP
iect to the military authority otthc Untea otates,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the second district
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district |;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, ana
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
SEC = And6e it further enacted, That 1t shall
be the duty of the President 10 assign to the com
mand of each of said districts ali officer OF the
army not below the rank OF bri%adier general,
and to detail sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he Is
assigned. -,
SEC B., And be it Further enacted, That it
shall be the duty Of each officer assigned as Glfore
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per-
son and property, to suppress instruction, dis
order and violence and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbcrs of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and try
offenders or when in his Judgment II may be
necessary for the trial OF offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
bunals for that purpose; aud all interference
under color of State authority with the eNer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void
SEC t. And be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delays
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be IN
ficted; and sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life liberty of any person, shall be eNccu-
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district and the laws and regulations 1or
the government OF the army shall not be affected
BY this act, except in far as they may conflict
with its provisions Popded, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President"
SEC. 5. Ind be it further enacted, That when
the people OF any of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution of the
United States in all respects, framed by a
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty-o one years old and
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day of such election,
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or Tor felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons us have the qualifications herein
stated for election OF delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by ma jolity of the
persons voting on the question of ratification who |
are qualified as electors for delegates. and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote Ofits Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress, !
and .nown article II, and when said article /
shall have become part of the Constitution OF !
hp shall ~ declared on
titled to representation in Congress. and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted ti.ereirom |
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and |
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF |
Il is act shall be imperative in said State: IrOVi
d5G, That no person excluded from the privilege |
of holding office by said proposed amendment to !
the Constitution of the United States shall be |
eligible to election Il member OF the convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel !
States, nor shall any such person vote for men,
beers of said convention.
SEC =. IHd be it further endcted That until |
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law ad-
mtted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
and in all respects subject to the paramount au-
thority of the United States at any time to abol-
iSh modify, control OF SuperSede the same !; and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
the provisions of the third article of said const
tutional amendment.