The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-21
RECONSTRUCTION.


AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
cIENr GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS, no legal State governments ade-
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia. North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama Louisiana,
Florida Texas Mississippi and Arkansas, and
Whereas it is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es-
tablishcd; therefore,
Se1tatireS OF Tie United Suites Of AnleIica III CoM-
GresS assembled That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority ofthe United States,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South CaroliDa the second district;
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana. and Texas the fifth district.
SEC. , aud be it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the President to assign to the COM
mand OF each of said Districts ali officer OF the
army not below the rank OF Drigadier general,
and to detail Il sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he is
assigned.
SEC g. A?,G be it further essacted That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned afore
said to protect all persons i'll their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress iDsurrection, dis
order, and violence and to punish or cause TO be
punished all disturbcrs of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and try
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
bunais for that purpose and all interference
under color of State authority with the eXer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
Sec. 4. Ind be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary deayS
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
ficted; ana no sentence OF any military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized affecting
Ji,,a.tV n a. III
ted until it is approved BY the officer i'll command
Of the district; and the laws and regulations for
the government OF the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far rs they may conflict
with its provisions !; P'0Vided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President"
SEC 5. And be it fs,f1er enacted, That when
the people of any ofthe aforesaid rebel States
snail have formed Il constitution OF government !
i'll conformity with the Constitution Of the |
United States in I'll respects, framed by a |
convention of delegates elected by the male |
citizens of said State twenty-one years old and |
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous !
condition, who have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day Of such election
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; 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 majority of the
persons voting the question of ratification who
qualified us electors for delegates and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and /
when said State, bya vote ofits Legislature elect
cd under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress- !
and r.uown rs article II, and when said article
shall have become Il part of the Constitution of
the United States, said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation i'll Congress. and Senators
and Representatives shall DC admitted thcrefrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law and !
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
Il Is act shall be imperative in said State PUgi-
ded That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding Office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the United States shall be
eligible 10 election us member OF the convention
TO frame constitution for any OF said rebel
States, nor Shall any such person vote Tor mem
bers of said convention.
SEC. g. Ind BE- It further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law Id-
mtted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which NAV
exist therein shall be deemed provisional ONLY
and in all respects subject to the paramount ai1-
thority of the United States at any time TO abOl-
ish modify control o. supersedc the same and
in all elections TO any office under such proyis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled TO
vote, and none other, who entitled to vote
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding Office under
the provisions of the third article of said cOsti-
tutiOnul amendment