The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-12
Government of the Rebel States.

The following is the bill introduced by
Mr.. Stevens, Chairman on the part of the
House of the Joint Committee on Reconstruc-
ton, on Wednesday last:
A BILL TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
GENT GOVERNMENTS OF THE INsURREc-
TIONARY STATES.
WHEREAS, The pretended State govern
ments of the late so-called Confederate States
of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas and Arkansas were set up
without the authority of Congress and with
out the sanction of the people; and whereas
the said pretended governments offer no ade-
quate protection tor life or property, but
countenauce and encourage lawiessness and
crimes; and whereas it is necessary that
peace and good order should be enforced In
! said so-called States, until loyal and republic
can State governments can be legally estab-
! lished: therefore
| REPRESENTATIVES Of tile United Suites Of
| Anaericu in Congress assembled, That the
said so-called 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 constitute the first district;
North Carolina and South Carolina the 2nd
district; Georgia, Alabama and Florida the
Sd district; Mississippi and Arkansas the
4th district, and Louisiana and Texas the 9th
district.
Section 2. And be it further enacted,
That it shall be the duty of the General of
the army to assign to the command of each
of said districts an officer of the regular ar
my not below the rank Of Brigadier General,
and to detail q sufficient military force to
enable such officer to perform his duties and
enforce his authority i'll the district to which
he is assigned.
Sec. 3. Ind be it further enacted That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as
aforesaid, to- protect all persons in their
rights Of person and property, to suppress
Instruction, disorder, violence, and to pun
ish or cause to be punished all disturbers of
the public peace and criminals; and to this
end he may allow civil tribunals to take !ju-
risdiction of and to try offenders, or when in
his judgment it may be necessary for the
trial OF Offenders, he shall have power to Or
ganize military commissions or tribunals for
that purpose, anything in the constitution
and laws of the so called States to the con-
trary notwithstanding and all legislative or
Judicial proceedings or processes to prevent
or control the proceedings of said military
tribunals, and all interference by said pre-
tended state governments WIFI the exercise
of military authority, under this act, shall be
void and of no effect
Sec 4. Ind be it further enacted, That
courts and judicial officers of the United
States shall not issue writs of habeas corpus
in behalf of persons in military custody I'M
less some commissioned officer ON duty in
the district wherein the person is detained
shall endorse upon said petition statement
certifying, upon honor, that he hasknowledge
or information as to the cause and circum-
stances of the alleged detention, and that he
believes the same to be unlawful, and further
that he believes that the endorsed petition
is preferred in good faith and in flrtE erance
of Justice, and not to hinder or delay the
punishment of crime. All persons put under
military arrest by virtue of this act shall be
tried without unnecessary dely, and no cruel
or unnatural punishment shall be inflicted.
Sec. 5. And be it ,tarther enacted, That no
sentence of any military commission or tri-
bunal hereby authorized affecting the life or
liberty of any person, shall be executed until
it is approved by the superior 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 conflict with its provisions.