The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-02-26
The MILITARY IsiII.

atCb oHhtt bNhS ChNNb lblAl NNuN " At' 49,
age.
Approved, July a5 1905.
The Military Hill.
We publish in another column a
copy of the bill which has passed both
Houses of Congress to define the
status and regulate the affairs Of the
Southern States. To aid the reader
in the comprehension of its details, we
avail ourselves Of the subjoined analy
sis Of the measure, which is copied
from tho Now Orleans Picayune:
/. The existing civil governments
are permitted to continue, but under the
character Of provisional governments
merely, subject to the paramount au-
thority of the Federal Government.
They are made subject, in all elections
henceforth, to all the conditions in
regard to suffrage and the disfranchise-
ments prescribed for the constitutions
permitted to be made hereafter.
A proviso is added at the close OF
this section as if to repair an oversight
in the body of it, by which it is order
ed that no person shall vote for the
Convention, or be member, who
would be disqualified by the third sec
ton of the constitutional amendment,
which is not yet ratified. The clause
referred to provides:
ssWho having previously taken an
oath as member of Congress, or as an
officer of the United States, or as q
member Of any State Legislature, or
as an executor or judicial officer ofany
State, to support the constitution of
the United States. shall have engaged
in instruction or rebellion against
the same, or given aid or comfort'to
the enemies thereof"
Iu another proviso it is subsequent
ly provided, that no person shall be
"eligible'' to any Office under the pro
visional government who would be
disqualified as an elector, under the
same section of the amendment
2. The ten unrepresented States
are distributed into five military dis
tricts, over which martial law is ex-
tended. The districts are LIST, Virgin
la; I'd, North Carolina and South
Carolina; Sd, Georgia, Florida and
Alabama; 4th, Mississippi and Ar
kansas; 9th, Louisiana and Texas.
1t is remarkable that in this distribu
ton, and throughout the bill, the de-
scriptive word estates" is applied
without qualification. Each Of the five
military districts is to be put under
the command of an officer of the Uni
ted States army of a rank not under a
brigadier general, to be supported by
an ADEQUATE military force, to be de-
tailed for the purpose. The appoint
monte arc to be made by the President.
BY reference to the army list we find
the range Of selection to which the
President is limited in the assigning
Of officers to these commands, to in
clude these names under the Lieuten-
ant General.
Major Generals Halleck, Sherman,
Meade, Sheridan, and Geo. L. Thomas
IS.
Brigadier Generals Mcdowell, Rose
Grams, Cooke, Pope, Hooker, Han
cock, Scholield and Howard--8 Be
sides these, there are as heads of de-
partments on staff duty at Washington
with the rank of brigadier, Gems Lo-
renzo, Thomas, Meigs, Eaton, Della
field Dyer and Barnes. We are not
sure whether we ought not to add
Holt, Judge Advocate General, nor
certain whether any of these last eight
are within the scope of the act
These officers are vested with I'M
limited power in all matters which
concern "the protection of life and
property" and with unlimited discre-
ton in deciding how much or how
little jurisdiction may be let to civil |
courts; and in organizing military
commissions. Every interference with
them under color of State authority is
expressly forbidden. All sentences
require the approval of the officer in
sentences of death must
also be approved by the President.
A. This military government is to
cease in any State, when the following
are accomplished
The people must choose a conven-
ton to form new constitution.
The 'people" competent to vote for
the convention, or to serve as men,
bers, are defined to be: the male cit
liens of whatever race, color, or up
wards, who have been residents for
one year previous to the day of cleo
ton, "except such as may be disfran-
chised for participation in the rebel
Iionor felony at common law"
The constitution framed by the con-
vention must prescribe the same quail
for the elective franchise as
ire prescribed by Congress for choos-
ng the convention. ss~,sl
1t must then be ratified by major
ty of the same electors. Congress
must thus approve of the same.
A Legislature being chosen under
he same must ratify the constitutional
now pending.
When this is all done, and the same
rticle of amendment shall have be-
ONE a part of the constitution of the
United States, the State shall be de
Jared entitled to representation in the
congress Of the United States.
There is no time appointed for the 7
lection of a convention, and no limit
laced within which it must be held !
ut until il is held, and the State fully J
Omitted as above recited, the military =
w prevails; and while civil govern 7
Ient is permitted to continue, must be :
administered as though the constitu-
onal amendment had been fully adop- Il
d. clFf- :