Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-07-15
THE RECONSTRUCTION BILL.
The following isa copy of the Supplements
Reconstruction bill as it passed both. Houses O


Be it enacted, &C., That it is hereby dcclar-
cd to have been the true intent ana meaning
of tho act Of the second day OF March, one
eight hundred and sxty-seVcn, cntl-
tied. "An act to provide for the moro ethclcnt
government Of the Rebel States, and the act
supplementary thereto, passed Oh the twenty
third day of March, one thousand eight hun
dred and siXty-sevcn, that the Governments
then existing In the Rebel States OF Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas
and Arkansas we're not legal State Govern
mcnts and that thereafter said Governments
If continued, were continued subject 10 all re-
spects 10 the military commanders OF the re-
spectivc districts, and to the paramount au-
thority Ct Congress
9 Thatthe commander of any district named
in said act shall have power, subject to the dis
approval of the General of the Army OF the
United States, and to have effect until dlsap-
proved, whenever in the opinion OF such com
mander the proper administration OF said act
shall REQUIRE it, to suspend or remove from
Office, or from the performance of official duties
and the exercise of official powers, any otheer
or person holding or exercising, or PROCESSING
TO hold or exercise, any civil or military Office
or duty in such district under any power cleo
ton, appointment, or authority derived from,
or granted by, or claimed under, any so-cal'eo
State or the Government thereof, or any mu-
nicipal or other division thereof; and upon
s,1ch suspeusion or removal, such commander,
subject to the disapproval Of the General
aforesaid, shall have power TO provide from
time to time for the performance OF such duties
of such officer or person so suspended or re-
moved, by the detail 0: some competent othcer
or soldier of the army or by the appointment
of some other person to perform the same: and
20 fill vacancies occasioned by death, reslgna-
ton or otherwise.
8. That the General OF the Armies OF The
United States shall be invested with all the
powers OF suspension removal, appointment
and detail granted in the preceding section TO
district commanders.
4 That the acts of the officers OF the army
already done in removing IN said districts per-
SONS exercising the functions OF civil officers
and appointing others in their stead are here
by confirmed provided that any person here
tofore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions OF any
civil office may be removed either by the mill
tarv officer in command of the district or by
The General of the Army. And it shall be the
duty Of such commander to remove from office
IS aforesaid all persons who are disloyal to the
Government Of the United States, or who use
their official influence in any manner to hinder,
delav, prevent, or obstruct the due and proper
administration of this act and the acts to which
it is supplementary. :,
) That the boards Of registration provided
for in the act entitled, ''An act supplementary
to an act entitled An act to provide loc the
more efficient government OF the Rebel States,
passed March two, eighteen hundred and sixty
seven, and 20 facilitate restoration, pa sed
March twenty-three, eighteen hundred and
sixty-seycn, shall have power, and 1T shall be
their duty, before allowing the registration OF
any nerson, to ascertain upon such facts OF IN
formation as they can obtain, whether such
person is entitled to be registered under said
act, and the cath required BY said act shall! not
re conclusive en- such question, and no person
shall be regis cred unless such board shall de
eide that he is entitled thereto; and such board
shall also have power to examine, under, oath,
Ito be administered By any member OF such
board any one touching the qualification OF
any person claiming registration ; but IN every
case of refusal by the board to register the ap-
plicant, and in every case of striking his name
from the list as hereinafter provided, the board
shall make note or memorandum, which shall
be returned with the registration llst to the
commanding general Of the district, setting
forth the ground OF such refusal or such strlk-
ing from the lists Provided, That no person
shall be disqualified as u member OF any board
Of registration by reason Of race or color.
&. That the true intent and meaning OF the
oath prescribed in said supplementary act Is
(smong other things) that no person who has
been member of the Legislature OF any State,
or who has held any executive or judicial office
in any State, whether he has taken an oath to
support the Constitution OF the United Ntates
or not, and who has afterwards engaged III IN:
surrection or rebellion against the United
States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies
thereof is entitled to be registered or to vote,
and the words ''ezecutlve or judicial officers III
any State, in said oath mentioned, shall be
construc to include all civil Offices created by
law for the administration OF any general law
of State, or for the administration OF jusIlce.
7. That the time for completing the original
registration provided for in said act may, In
the discretion Of the commander OF any dis
,r:ct, be extended to the first day OF October,
eighteen hundred and sxty-seven; and the
boards of registration shall have power and II
shall he their duty, commencing fourteen days
prior to any election under said act, and upon
reasonable public notice Of the time and place
CnCfPOl, u ISFlSC, III ~ pClIOu VI ufS WIN
registration lists, and upon icing satisfied that
any person not entitled thereto has been regis
tered, to strike the name of such person from
the list, and such person shall not be allowed
to vote. And such board shall also, duri5ne
the same period, add to such registry the
names of all persons Hho at that time possess
the qualifications required by said act who
have not been already registered; and no per
co., bo1 n INV TINA he entitled To be re piSter.
ed or to vote by reason Of any Executive par
don or amnesty for any act or thing which,
without such pardon or amnesty, would dis
qualify him from such registration or voting.
8. That section four Of said last-named act
shall be construed to authorize the command.
ing General named therein, whenever he shall
deem it needful, to remove any member OF q
board Of registration and 10 appoint another IN
bis stead, and to fill any vacancy IN such board.
9. That al! members of said boards of regis
tratic, and all nerscns hereafter elected or