The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-03-14
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY
GENERAL OFFICE.
WAsHIyGToy, March III, 1901.


VI |. The following Act Of Congress Is publish.
ed for the information and government OF all con
cerned: -
An act to provide for the more efficient govern
ment OF the Rebel States.
Whereas no legal State governments or adequate
protection for life or property now exists IL .ne
rebel states Of ssSna Lo9s
ana Florida, Texas and Arkansas; ana whereas
II is necessary that peace and good order sh3uio
be enforced in said States until loyal and repuoii-
can State governments can be legally estapilshed
tn erefore
Be il enacted bv the Senate and House Of Repre-
ssntdttres c United Sss q Aertca 10 iot he
divided into military districts and made subject to
the military authority OF the United States as
ginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the SECOND disrict !,
wississipnni and Arkansas the fourth district; and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district. ,
Section. And be ii Lurttsr enacted, Itat J., II
sh All be The duty Of the President TO assign TO tue
command of each of said districts an officer Oh the
army not below the rank OF brigadier- genera,
and to detail sufficient military iolee ~ ensoie
such officer to perform his duties ald enforce MS
authority within the district to which ne IL as
signed. .., ,,o,.5 That .,
shall be the duty of each officer assigned a. sfofe-
ION and property to suppress insurrection, dlsor-
m abs 70 he pnS and
rrrirninsis: and TO this end he may allow local
civil tribunals TO take jurisdiction OF and to try
offenders or when in his judgment 1t may be ne
cesssry for the trial of offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tribu-
mails for that purPose and al lnteriertnee, unaer
tarv authority under this act shall be null and
void. -,
persons nut under military arrest by virtue OF this
act shall be tried without unnecessary delay, ana
no cruel or unusual punishment shall be inflicted ,
tribunal hereby authorized affecting the life or
liberty Of any person. shall be executed until II Is
approved by the officer in command OF the district
of the army shall not be affected by this act, ex
cent in so far as they conflict with It's provisions
Provided That no sentence of DEATH, under the
nrovisons of this act shall be carried into effect
without the approval OF the President.
SECTION S. And be IL further endcteds That when When
have formed a constitution of government In con-
formity " it'll the Constitution of the United states
in all respects, framed by convention o, gee
twenty one years old and upward. OF whatever
race color, or previous condition, who have been
resident in said state for one year previous to the
fr for participation In the rebeil0n OF
at b aT b sn eesSe
be enjoyed by all such persons az have the quall.
fcations herein stated for electors OF delegates
and when such Constitution shall be ratihed by
ma ority Of the persons voting on the question OF
ratification who are qualified as electors for dele
patas and when sucn JOnblllutioH sudil nave
been submitted to Congress for examination
and approval, and Congress shall have ap-
proved the same and when said state, by
Toe OF its Legislature elected under said Constitu
ton, sh III have adopted the amendment to the
Constitution OF the United States proposed by the
Thirty. ninth CO. gress and known as article
fourteen and when said article shall have be,
come part of the Constitution OF the united
States said State shall be declared entitled to re-
pressntation in Congress, and senators and repre-
sentatiyes shall be admitted therefrom on their
taking the oath prescribed by law; and then and
thereafter the preceding sections OF this act snail
be imperative in said State: PrOCtded, That no
parson excluded from the privilege OF holding
office by said proposed amendment TO the Consti-
tuition Of the United States shall be eligible to
Cont itution for any Of said rebel states, nor
shall any such person vote for members Of such
convention. 80,
SECTION g. and be ii further enacted, That until
the people Of said rebel States shall be by law ad.
mitted to representation in the Congress or the
United States any civil government which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
and in all respects subject to the paramount au
thoriiy of the United States at any time TO abolish,
modify, CONTROL or supersede the same and In all
elections to any otice under such provisional go
yernment all persons shall be entitled TO vo,e,
and none othe r. who entitled to vote under the
provisions of the fifth section OF this act; and no
person shall be eligible TO any office under any
such provisional governments who would be dis
oualihed from holding office under the provisions
OF the third article OF said constitutional amend
nent. SCHUYLER COLFAX,
Speaker Of the House of Representatives..
LAFAYETTE s. FOSTER,
President of the Senate pro tempOre