The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-21
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 81, 1867.
Final Passage of the Military Recon-
structiOn Bill.

bbIuCblOu Dill
CONGRESS- resumed its consideration of the bill
for the government of the Rebel States yester-
day, ,..and finally passed it with amendments.
We have followed the course of this bill
from its introduction to the present time but
a brief review of its history may serve to give
our readers clearer idea of it.
The bill, as originally introduced by Mr..
Stevens, was merely police bill, dividing the
Rebel States into five military districts, and
subecting them to the military authority of
the United States. 1t made it the duty of the
General of the army to assign the commanders
to these districts, and restricted the power of
the judicial authorities of the United States to
grant writs of habeas corpus in behalf of per-
sons in military custody. In this shape the
bill passed the House of Representatives Mr..
Blaine having vainly endeavored to attach to
it a scheme of quasi reconstruction.
The bill, after consideration in the Senate,
was passed by that body, with amendments
giving to the President the assignment of
commanders for the Military Districts pro-
vided for in the bill, dropping the section in
regard to the habeas corpus, providing that
no sentence of death should be executed with
out the approval of the President and adding
a scheme of reconstruction essentially similar
to that offered by Mr.. Blaine in the House.
The bill was now returned to the House,
where a motion to concur in the Senate's
amendments was voted down. majority of the
Republicans voting to concur, but being out
voted by the united votes of the Democrats
a &c cd l,xyN Mr.
Stevens. The House then voted to non-con-
cur in the Senate's amendments, and asked
committee of conference.
The Senate again took up the BILL adhered
to it's amendments, and refused a committee
of conference.
The bill was again returned to the House,
but so much time had now been consumed,
that but few hours remained in which a bill
could be sent to the President, and not en-
counter the liability of being killed by pocket
veto. The Democrats began to flibuster to
consume these few hours, and the House ad-
journed to yesterday. The consideration Of
the bill was resumed yesterday, and the Senate
amendments were concurred in, with the fol-
lowing additional amendment by the House,
viding-
THAT no person excluded from the privilege
of holding Office by the said proposed amend
ment to the Constitution of the United states,
shall be eligible to election as IA member o! the
convention to frame a constitution TOR any OF
the said Rebel States; nor shall any such,perSon
vote for members of such convention"
And new section enacting-
'Ihat, until the leople of the said Rebel States
shall be by law admitted TO representation IN
the Congress of the United States, any civil
governments that may exist therein shall be
deemed provisional only, and shall be in all
respects subject TO the paramount authority OF
the United States at any time toabolish, modify,
control or supersede the same, and in all elec-
tions TO any office under such provisional
governments, all persons shall be entitled to
vote and none Others who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of the fifth section OF this
act; and no person shall be eligible TO any office
undersuch provisional governments who would
be disqualified from holding office under the
provisions of the third article of said Constitu-
tioral amendment"
The bill, as thus amended, passed the House
by a strict party vote of 125 yeas to Al nays.
The Senate Immediately took it up, and con-
CURED in the amendments of the House by a
vote of 35 yeas to nays, Reverdy Johnson, o.
Maryland, voting for it on the ground that he
saw in it mode of rescuing the country from
the perils that now threaten it, not because he
approved of it in any particular.
The bill now goes to the President for his
action. AS there are not ten days, exclusive
of Sundays, between the passage of the bill
and the expiration of the session, he can xii
the bill by neglectng to sign it; or he can vetC
and return it Immediately, which would
allow of its being repassed over his veto or he
can veto it near the close of the session. when
by filibustering, action upon the veto could be
STAYED off until the expiration of the session
We think the President will pocket the bill.