Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-03-25
RECONSTRUCTION.


ft Finally Passed.
The following is the Military Recon
struction bill as it was finally passed over
the Presidents veto: sE
WHEREAS, No legal State Government or
adequate protection for life or property now
exists i'm the rebel States of Virginia,
North Carolina, South. Carolina Georgia,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas ami
Arkansas; and whereas, it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced in
said States, until loyal and republican
State Governments eau be legally estab-
lished: therefore,
Be it 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 aud Florida the Third
District; Mississippi and Arkansas the
Fourth District, and Louisiana and Texas
the Fifth District. Ea III rslr
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 armv, not
below the rank of Brigadier General. and
to detail asufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and en-
force his authority within the district to
which he is assigned.
SEC. 8. That it shall be the duty of each
officer assigned as aforesaid, to protect all
persons in their rights of person and prop
erty, to suppress insurrectiOn, disorder and
violence, and to punish or cause to be pun
ished, all disturbers 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 judg-
ment it may be necessary for the trial of
offenders, he shall have power to organize
military commissions or tribunals for that
purpose, and all interference under cover
of State authority with the exercise OF
military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
E SEC. 4. That all persons put under mil
itary arrest by virtue of this act shall be
tried without unnecessary delay, and no
cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
f1ieted, aud no sentence of any military
commission or tribunal hereby authorized,
affecting the life or liberty of any person,
shall be executed until it is approved by
the officer i'll command of the district; and
= the laws of and regu atiOns for the govern
ment of the army shall not be affected by
this act, except in so far as they may con-
hict with It's provisions. 80
SEC. B. That when the people of any
one of said rebel States shall have formed
/, a constitution of 90 ernment III conformity
with the Constitution of the United Sta' es
in all respects, framed by convention of
vote upon the ratification or rejection there
of, as hereinafter provided; aud when said
Constitution, so framed, shall have been
ratified by majority OF the male citizens
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 OH the question OF
Hatifying such Constitution, except such
as may be disfranch ised for participation
in the rebellion or for felony at common
law and when such Constitution shall pro-
vide that the elective franchise shall be
enjoyed by all such persons that have the
qualifications herein stated, and shall have
been submitted to Congress for examina-
tion 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, anC
when said article shall have become part
of the Constitution of the United States
said State shall be restOr3 ed to representa-
tion in Congress, and Senators and Repre-
.sentatives shall be admitted thereto, On TAX
ing the oath prescribed by law, and then
and thereafter the preceding sections o.
this bill shall be imperative in said State
Provided no person excluded from the
privilege of holding Office by said proposi-
ton to amend the Constitution of the Uni
ted States shall be eligible to election as
member of the convention to form consti-
tuition for any of said rebel States, nor shall
any such person vote for members of suci
convention.
SEC. 6. Be it further enacted. That unit
the people of said rebel States shall, by law
be admitted to representation in Congress
of the United States, the civir government
that may exist therein, shalt be deemed
provisional only, and shall be, in all re
spects, subject to the paramount authority
of the United States, which can at any tim
abolish, modify. control and supersede tht
same and in all elections to any office un
der such provisional governments, all per
sons shall be entitled to vote, and none 9th
ers, who are entitled to vote under the 5tl
section of this act; and no person shall b
eligible'to any office under the provisional
governments, who would be disqualified
from holding Office under the provisions o
the third article of said constitutions
amendment.