The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-03-09
The Bill as Passed Congress Establish
ing Military Rule n the Sonfh-

-
ing Military Rule n the South.
WHERR6s, No legal State government. or
\ adequate protection for life 0rproperfy povr
exist IN the rebel States of Virginia. North
/ Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Ala
/ bamai Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Ar.
kansas and whereas, It Is necessary that
! peace and GOO order should be enforced in
said states until loyal and republican State
governments can be legally established
therefore,
Be il enacted, etc, That said rebel Srates
shall be divided into military districts, and
made subject TO the military authority of 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 Ala
bama and Florida the third district Missis-
sippi aRd rkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
Sec , That it shall be the duty of the
President to asst IN Go the command of each
Of said districts an officer of the army not
below the rank of brigadier general, and TO
detail a sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and en-
force his authority within the district to
which he is assigned
Sec. g. That it shall be duty Of each officer
assigned aforesaid to protect all persons
In their rights of person and property, to
suppress insurrectiOn, disorder and violence,
and to punish or cause to be pun
ishcd ali disturbers Of the public peace and
criminals, and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take Jurisdiction Of and try
offenders, or, when in his judgment il may be
necessary for the trial of Offenders, he shall
have power to organize military c0mmis-
siOns or tribunals for that purpose and all
interference under color of State authority
with the exercise Of military authority under
this act shall be null and void
Sec. 4That ali persons put under mill
tary uTfest by virtue Of this act shall be tried
without unnecessary delay, and no cruel or
unusual punishment shall be inflicted; and
no sentence of any military commission or
tribunal hereby authorized shall be executed
until it is approved by the officer in COM
mand Of the district and the laws and reg
ulatiOns for the government of the army
shall not be affected by this act. except in so
far as they may conflict with its provisions.
Sec . That when the people of any one Of
the said rebel States shall have formed a
constitution of government in conformity
with the Constitution of the United States,
in all respects, framed by g convention of
delegates elected by the male citizens of said
State twenty-one years old and upward, of
whatever race color OF. previous condition,
who have been resident IN said State for one
year previous to the day of such election, ex-
cept such as may be distranchised for par
ticipation in the rebelliou, or for felony at
cOmmoR la "; 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 a majority of the persons vo-
ting on the questi of ratification who are
qualified as electors for delegates and when
such constitution shall have been submitted
to Congress fer examination and approval,
and Congress shall have approved the same
and when said State, by vote of its Legis-
lsture elected under said constitution, shall
have adopted the amendment to to the Con-
stitution of the United States proposed by
the thirty ninth Congress, and known as
Article il, and when such article shall have
become a part Of the Constitution of the
United States, said State shall be declared
entitled to representation IN Congress-, and
Senators and Representatives shall be ad-
mitted therefrom on their taking the oath
prescribed by law, and then and thereafter
the preceding sections of this act shall be in
operative In said state.