The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-05-01
The Reconstruction Act.


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, Alabama Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas, itis necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es
tablished; therefore,
Be 1t enacted By the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatipes Of the United States Of America in Con-
gress assembled That said rebel States shall
BIZ divided into military districts, and made sub
ect to the military authority 1.-THE United States,
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, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
Sec. Q. And be it Further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the President to assign to thecom
mand of each of said districts an officer of the
army not below the rank OF bTigadier 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. a..,, .., g.- 49,
SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty Of each officer assigned as afore
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress resurrection, dis
order, and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbers of the public peace and
criminals and to this end lie may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction Of and try
offenders, or when in hi judgment it may be
necessary for the trial OF offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
bunals for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the exer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void. w. e 3 t-,i,- .lsI. 81. 4I,si'
Sec. f. And be it fauther enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue Of
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
ficted; and no sentence OF any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life liberty Of any person, shall be exeeu-
ted until it is approved 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 may conflict
with its provisions Provided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions Of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President.
SEC. 5. and be afs,ther enacted, That when
the people of any one 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 twcnty-one years old and
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
for one year previous to the day of such election,
except such us may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion o. fer felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
CONSTITUTE on shall be ratified by majority of the
persons yoting on the question OF ratification who
are quail fed 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 OF its Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
a. L to- I. n1.u
and hnown as article "A, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution OF
the United States said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress, and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrom
on theii taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF
ii is act shall be imperative in said State POvi-
ded, That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States shall be
to frame a constitution for any Of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for MEM
bers of said convention.
SEC. g. Aad be 1t further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law, adj
mitted to representation in the Congress OF the
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
and in all res poets subject to the paramount au-
thOrity of the United States at any time to abol-
ish modify, control OF sapersede the same and
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions Of the fifth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any Office
would be disc ualified from holding office under
the provisions of the third article Of said const
tutional amen ,dment.
Consti tutional Amendment.
The following is the Constitutional Amend
ment, common lily called the Howard Amendment:
ARTICLE XIV.
Section l. II persons born or naturalized in
the United Sta ties and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof are citi Zens of the United States and OF
the State whe rein they reside No State shall
make or enfort ,e any Law which shall abridge the
privileges il nmunities of citizens Of the United
States; nor ST all any State deprive any person OF
life, liberty or property without due process oil
law, nor deny 20 any person within its jurisdic-
ton the equal protection Of the laws
Sec q Repr, ,sentatives shall be apportioned
among the seI eral States according to their re-
spcctive numbs srs counting the whole number OF
persons in each State excluding Indians not tax
ed. But when the right to vote at any election
for the choice electors for President and vice.
President OF the United States, representatives in
Congress- execU tive and judicial officers OF State
or the members of the Legislature thereof, is de-
MED to any of he male Inhabitants of such State
United States, Or in any way abridged except for
participation in rebellion or other crime, the basis
of representatio therein shall be reduced in the
proportion Whit Ii the number of such male citi-
zens shall bear o the whole number OF male citi-
zens twenty one years Of age in such State.
Sec. 8. No pc rson shall be Senator or Repre-
sentative in Cor gress elector OF President and
Vive-President, or hold any Office, civil OF mill
tary, under the United States or under any State,
who, having pr eviOusy taken an oath as MEM
Der of Congress s, or IS an officer of the United
States or as I member of any State Legislature,
or as execut' i've or judicial officer of any State,
to support the Constitution OF the United States.
shall have eng aged IN insuTrection or rebellion
against the san he, or given aid and comfort to the
enemies therec II. But Congressmay, bya vote OF
two-thirds CT ach House, remove such disability.
Sec f. The ralidity Of the public debt of the
United States; authorized by law, including debts
incurred for p; ayment Of pensions and bounties
for services in suppressng Instruction or rebel
lion, shall not be questioned But neither the
United States nor any State shall assume or pay
any debt or o litigation incurred in aid of insur
rection or rebt ion against the United States, Of
| any claim for the loss or emancipation of any
slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims
| shall be held Illegal and void.
| Sec 5. The Congress shall have power to en-
force BY appro pirate legislation the provisions
/ this article.
An Act to Prescribe an Oath Of Ofics
! and for Other Purposes. ahy
The follow .ng is the oath (tiron-clad Of Of
| fee referred % in the Reconstruction and Sup
Elemental A., It's: l..4. & .spr t.,,.. 1.
Be aenactetE, That hereafter any person electe,
| or appointed to any office Of honor or profit nm
| der the govei nme0t OF the United States, eithe
in the civil n Military or naval department of tn