The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-07-18
reconstruction ExplanatO-
ry Bill as Reported by the Con-
ference COmmittee-And pass
ed by Both Houses, July 13.

, and meaning of the act of March 2,
1867, that the governments then eX-
isting in the rebel States of Virginia,
North Carolina. South Carolina,
Georgia. Mississippi, Alabama,
4 Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Ar
kansas, were not legal State govern
ments if continued at all, were to be
continued subject in all respects to
the military commanders of their re-
spective. districts, and to the para
mount authority of Congress-,
! Sec. 2 That the commander of any
district named in said act, shall have
power, subject to theanproval of the
General of the army of the United
States, whenever in the opinion of
the commander the proper admins
tration of said act shall require it, to
suspend or remove from .:office or
from the performance of official du-
ties and exercise of official power
any officer or person holding or ex-
ercising, or protesting to hold or ex-
ercise any civil or military office or
duty in such district, under any
power, election, appointment or au-
thority derived from, or granted by,
or claimed under, any so called
State, or the government thereof; :;
and upon such suspension orremov-
al, such commander, subject to the
approval Of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide, from
time to time, for the performance of
said duties of such officer or person
so suspended or removed, by detail
of some competent officer orsoldier
of the army, or by appointment of
some other persons to perform the
same and to fill vacancies occasion
ed by death resignation or other
wise.
..SEc..3. The General of the army
of the United States shall be in
trusted with all powers of suspen-
sion, removal or appointment grant
ed in the preceding section to dis
trict commanders.
"SEc. 4. That the acts Of the Off
GERS of the army already done, in re-
moving in said districts persons eX-
ercising the functions of civil Off
GERS, and appointing others in their
stead, are hereby confirmed; pro
vided ANY person heretofore Or here
after appointed by any district com
mander, to exercise the functions of
any civil Office, may be removed Ell
ther by the military officer in com
mand of the district or by the Gen
eral of the army; and it shall be the
duty of such commander to remove
from office as aforesaid all persons
who are disloyal to the Government
of the United States, Or who use
their official influence in any manner
to hinder, delay, or prevent or OBJ
struct the due and proper admins
tration of this act and the acts to
which it is supplementary.
! SEC. 5. That the boards ofregis-
tration provided for in the act enti-
tied an act supplementary to an act
entitled an act to provide for the
more efficient government of the reb
ell States, passed March 2, 1865, to
facilitate registration, passed March
%, 1867, shall have power, and it
shall be their duty, before allowing
the registration of any person, to
ascertain upon such facts or infor-
nation as they can obtain, whether
such person,is entitled to be regis
tered under said act, and the oath
required by said act shall not be con
elusive on such question, and no
person shall be registered unless
such board shall also have power to
examine, under oath, to be admins
tered by any member ofsuch board.
any one, touching the qualification
of any person claiming registration
but, in every case of refusal by the
Board to register an applicant, and
in every case of striking his name
from the list, as herinafter presbrib-
ed, the Board shall make note or
memorandum, which shall be return
ed with the registration list to the
commanding General, for the ground
of such refusal or such striking from
the list; Provided, that no person
shall be disqualified as a member OF
any board of registration by reason
of race or color.
"SEc. 6. That the true, intent and
meaning of the oath prescribed il
said supplementary act is, among
other things, that no person who
has been member of the Legisla
ture of any State, or has held any
Executive or Judicial office in any
State, whether, he has taken an oath
to support the Constitution of the
; United States or not, and whether
he was holding such office at tht
commencement Of the rebellion, OF
had held before, and who has after
ward engaged in rebellion agains
the United States, or given aid ant
comfort to the enemies thereof, il
t entitled to be registered or vote, ,anc
/ the Executive or Judicial Office il
, any State in said oath mentioned
e shall be construed to include all civi
4 officers created by law for the ad
/, ministratfon of any general law o
e the State or for the administration
r OF justice.
2 SEC. Z. And be it further enacted
: that the time for completing tht
t original registration provided for il
e said act may, in the discretion ofth,
/ commander of any district, be ex
tended to the lst day of October
e 1857, and the boards of registration
shall have power and it shall be the
i duty commencing fourteen days pri
i, or to any election under said act
:, and upon reasonable public motto,
+ of time and place thereof, to revis
f for a period of five days the registra
e ton lists, and upon being satisfied