Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-03-02
The Sherman Bill.

cSists Ill the NcDcl OthtcS OF Virginia, North
Caronu, South Carolina, Georgia. Albania,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, Tcxus and
Arkansas; and whereas it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced in
said States until loyal and republican State
Governments can be legally established; ..,c,e.
fore.
BE enacted, dc, That said rebel States
shall be divided into military districts, aud
made subject to the military authority of the
United States, as hereinafter prescribed and
tor that purpose Virginia shall constitute the
first district; North Carolina, and South Car
olina the second districtt; Georgia. Alabama
and Florida the third district; Mississppi
and Arkansas the fourth district, and Louis.
lana and Texas the fifth hatrict.
SECTION 9. That it shallbc the duty of the
President to assign to the ,command of each
of said districts an officer af the army not be-
low the rank of Brigadicr General, and to dc,
tai! u sufficient military force to enable such
officer to perform his autas and enforce his
authority within the district 10 which lie is
assigned.
SECTION 3. That it shall be the duty of
each officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all
persons in their rights of Ierson and proper.
ty, to suppress insurrectiob, disorder and vio.
ience, and to punish or cause to be punished
all disturbcrs of the public peace and Grim
mails, and TO this end he n,ay allow local civil
Tribunals to take jurisdiction of and try often
dcrs, or when in his Judgment it may be nee
cssarS for the trial of offenders he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
buna!s for that purpose, and all interference,
under color of State authority, with the cxcr.
else OF military authority under this Act, Shall
shall be null and void
SECTION + That all persons nut under mil
ltary arrest by virtue of this act Shall be tried
without unnecessary delay, end no cruel or
unusual punishment shall be inflicted and no
sentence Of any military. .ce,i,misSion or trbu-
nal hereby authorized. affecting the life or lib
erty OF any person sralE sbStIaxecutcd until it
is approved by tho coiflccr in command OF rb,
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 con-
iiict' with its provisions.
SECTION S. That when the people of any
OF said Rebel States shall have formed u con
stitution Of government in conformity with
the Constitution of the United States. in all
respects. framed by II convention of delegates
elected by She male citizens of said State,
twcnty-onc years old and upward, of whatever
race, color or previous condition, who have
been resident in said State for one year pre-.
rious to the day OF such election, except such
as may be distranchiscd for participation in
the rebellion or for felony at common law;
and when such constitution shall provide that
the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualification herein
stated for election of delegates; and when
such constitution shall DO ratified by major.
lty 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 exami-
nation 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 tho nmcnd
mcnt to the Constitution Of the United States
proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress and
known as article Id, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution
of the United States slall be DECLARED entitled
to representation in Congress, aud Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted there.
from on their taking the oath prescribed by
law, and then aud thereafter the preceding
sections Of this. act shall be imperative in
said State.
MIR. Wilson's amendment:
ProUacd, That no pelson excluded from
the privileges of holding Office by said pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution of the
United States shall be eligible to election as a
member of the convcntionto frame a constitu-
ton foran Of the said rebel States; nor shall
amy such person vote for members of such
convention.
Mr.. Shellabergcrs amendments
And be 1t further enacted, That, until the
people of the said rebel States shall be- by
law, admitted to representation in tho Con
grcss of the United States any civil govern
monts that may exist therein shall be deemed
provisional only, and shall be, in all respects
subject to the paramount authority Of tile Uni
ted States at any time to abolish, modify, con-
troll, or supcrscdc the same; and in all clec
tions to any Office under such provisional oov