Maryland free press. [volume] (Hagerstown [Md.]) 1862-18??, 1867-02-28
The Military Government Bill.

ES-The Bill passed by Congress es-
tablishing Military Governments in the
Southern States is as follows:
Whereas no legal State governments or ade-
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
! South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas; and
whereas il is necessary that peace and good or
der should be enforced in said States until loyal
and republican States governments can be legal
ly established; therefore
Be ii en- Icted 5y the Stn1te and House of Repre-
sentatiuss Of The United States of america in Con-
gress assembled That said rebel States shall be
divided ipto military districts 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 the second dis
| trict; Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third
district; Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth
district and Louisiana and Texas the fifth dis.
trict.
Sec. 2. And be IL further enacted, 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 gen.
eral, and to detail a sufficient military force to
enable such officer to perform his duties and en-
fierce his authority within the district to which
| he is assigned.
|
besthe duty of each officer assigned rs aforesaid
to protect in their rights of person and property,
| TO suppress insurrection, disorder and violence,
| and punish, or cause to be punished, all distur-
bers of the public peace and criminals, and to
this eud he may allow local civil tribunals to
take jurisdiction of and try offenders, or, when
in his judgement il may he necessary for the tri-
al of offenders, he shall have power to organize
military commissions or tribunals for that pur-
pose: and all interference under color of State
authoity with the exercise of military authority
under this act shall he null and void
Sec. 4. And de Il further enacted That all per.
sons put under military arrest by virtue of this
act shall he tried without unnecessary delay, and
no cruel or unusual punishment shall be inflicted
and no sentence of any military commission or
tribunal hereby authorized affecting the life or
liberty of any person, shall be executed until il
is approved by the officer in command of the dis
trict, and the laws and regulations for the gov
eminent of the army shall not be affected by this
act except in so far as they conflict with its pro-
visions: Provided, that no sentence of death I'M
der the provisions of this act shall he carried
into effect without the approval ofthe President.
Sec. 8. And be IL further enacted, That when
! the people ofany one of said rebel States shall
have formed q 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
|
whatever race. color, or previous condition, who
have been resident in said State for one year
previous to the day fsuch election, except such
may be DISTINGUISHED for participation in the re-
bsllion or for felony at common law, and when
such constitution shall provide that the elective
franchise shall be enjoyed by al! such personf as
have thequaifications herein stated for election o.
delegates and when such constitution shall be rat
flied by majority of the persons voting on the
question of ratification, who are qualified as cleo
tors for delegates and when such constitution
shall have been submitted to Congress for exam
ination and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same, and when said State, by a
vote of its Legislature elected under said con.
stitHton shall have adopted the amendment |,
the constitution of the United States, PROPOSED
by the thirty-ninth Congress, and known as ar.
ticle IA, and when said article shall have bccom,
part of the constitution of the United States
srid State shall be declared entitled TO Rcpresen
tation in Congress, and Senators and Represen
tatlves Shell bc admitted thcrefrom on their ia
king the oath prescribed by law, and then ani
| thereafter the preceding sections of this bill
shall be asinoperative in said States Provided
That no person excluded from the privilege oil
holding office by said proposed amendment (,
the constitution OF the United States shall be eli
giblc TO election as member of tho convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel State
nor shall any such person vote ior members o
said convention.
Sec. G. And be il further enacted That unit
the people of said rebel States shall be by Law
admitted to representation in the Congress of tn
United States any civil government which maj
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only
and in all respects subject to the paramount an
thority of the United States at any time to abol
ish, modify, control or supersede the same; anC
in all elections to any office under such provi
sional governments all persons shall be entitled
to vote, none 9TH r, who are entitled to vote un
der the provisions of the fifth section of this act
and no person shall eligible to any office unde
any such provisional governments who woult
be disqualified from holding Office under the pro
visions of the third article of said constitutions
| amendment