The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-12
RECONSTRUCTION
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade
! quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, Nort1-C Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
| Florida Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas it is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal ana
| republican State governments can De leSally cs-
tablishcd therefore,
Be it enacted By the Senate and House Of Repre-
SendtgcS Of the United Suites Of ADacricd IN Con.
greys assembled That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts and made sub
ject the military authority of the United States,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South-C 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 1t shall
be the duty of the President 10 assign to the COM
mand of each of said districts all officer OF the
army not below the rank of brigadier 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.
SEC. 3. Ind he it further enacted That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned aforc
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress instruction, dls-
order and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbcrs of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and try
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.
SEC. 4. And be it further 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
hicted; and no sentence OF any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
he tp liberty u
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 !; P'Ocided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions Of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the |
President"
SEC. ). Ind be it. further enacted, That when |
the people of any ofthe aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed Il constitution OF government |
in conformity with the Constitution of the |
United States in all respects, framed by
convention of delegates elected by the male |
citizens of said State twenty-one years old and !
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition. who have been resident in said State |
for year previous to the day of such election,
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici- !
patton 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 qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates ; and when such
constitution shall be ratified By majority 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 examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote Gifts Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress- !
and ,-nown article IA, and when said article
shall have becomea 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 their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
tt is act shall be imperative in said State l0vi-
aed, That no person excluded from the privilege
Of holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the United States shall be
eligible to election as member of the convention
TO frame a constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall such person vote for mem
0ers of said convention.
SEC. o. And be 1t further enacted, That until
he people of said rebel States shall be, by law ad-
mitted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which NAV
Exist therein shall be deemed provisional only
md in all respects subject to the paramount all-
hority of the United States at any time to abol-
sh modify, control OF supersede the same and
n all elections to any office under such provis-
onal governments all persons shall be entitled to
'ote and none other, who are entitled to vote
lnder the provisions of the filth section of this 5
ct and no person shall be eligible to any Office
lnder any such provisional governments who /
would be disqualified from holding office under
he provisions of the third article of said cousti-
utiOnal amendment.