Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-02-23
Mr. ShcrTnan's Amendment 10 the
Reconstruction Hill OF Nnr.
Stevens.


The following is Mr.. Sherman's amend |
ment to the Military Reconstruction bill, as |
passed by the Senate on the 18th inst:
Whereas, no legal State governments or
adequate protection for life or property now
exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas; and
Whereas, 1t is necessary that peace and
good order should be enforced in said States,
until loyal and republican State governments
can be legally established. Therefore,
BE it enacted, That the said rebel States
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 consti-
tute the first district, North Carolina and
South Carolina the second district, Georgia,
Alabama and Florida the third district, Mis-
sissippi and Arkansas the fourth district,
and Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
Section .. That it shall be the duty OF the
President to assign to the command OF each
of said districts an 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.
Section 8. That it shall be the duty of
each officer assigned as aforesaid to protect
all persons in their rights OF person and pro
perty ; to suppress insurrection, disorder and
| violence, and to punish or cause to be pun
| shed all disturbcrs of the public peace and
| criminals; and to that end he may allow
| local and civil tribunals to take jurisdiction
of and try offenders; or when, in his judg-
ment, it may be necessary for the trial OF
offenders, he shall have power to organize
military commissions 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.
Section T. 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 inflicted
and no sentence of any military commission
or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting the
life or liberty of any person, shall be execu
ted until it is approved by the officer IL
command of the district !; aud the laws ano
regulations for the government of the army
shall not be affected by this act, except in 81
far as they may conflict with its provisions
Section 5. That when the people of an,
one of the said rebel States shall have formed
) constitution for their government in con
formity with the Constitution of the Unitet
States in all respects, framed by convention
, of delegates elected by the male citizens o
said State twenty-one years old and upwards
of whatever race, color or previous condition
who have been resident in said State for or
. year previous to the day of such election
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED TO
= participation in the rebellion or for felony d
. common law; and when such constitutio
l shall provide that the elective franchise sha
: be enjoyed by all such persons as have tn
!, qualifications herein stated for electors {
T.. delegates, and when such constitution sha
be ratified by majority of the persons vo
. ing on the question of ratification who al
|, qualified as electors for delegates, and whe
0 such constitution shall have been submitte
n to Congress for examination and approva
|; and Congress shall have approved the sam
: and when said State, by vote of its Legi
lature, elected under said constitution, sha
have adopted the amendment to the Const
l. tuition of the United States, proposed by IL
:, Thirty ninth Congress, and known as artic
" IA, and when said article shall have becon
, part Of the Constitution of the Unite
= States, said State shall be declared entitle
j to representation in Congress, and Senate
IS and Representatives shall be admitted ther
Y from on their taking the oath prescribed
,r law; and then and thereafter the precedir
section of this act shall be imperative 10 sal
" State.