The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-23
RECONSTRUCTION.

SEC. 1. Be 1T enacted By the Senate an
House of Representatives Of the United Stntt
of america In Congress assembled, mat IL
hereby declared to have been the true lnten
and meaning of the act OF March "a A. l.
1857. entitled an act to provide for the NOR
efficient government of the rebel States
and of the act supplementary thereto, P asses
on the 23d dav of March, in tue year 100 I
that the governments, then eXistlhg III I'LL
rebel States of Virginia, North. Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia. Mississippi Ala
hama Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan
sas were ILLEGAL and void, and thereafter the
oan,n Governments, if continued, were to ht
continued subject in all respects to the Mil
torr COMMANDERS of the respective Districts
and TO the authority of Congress-
Sac 3. And be it further enacted, That the
commander of any district named IN sald acl
shall have power, subject to the approvai OF
the General of the armies OF the Uniteo
States. to have effect till dlsaPproVeo'
whenever in the opinion OF such com,
mander the proper administration OF said
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from Office. or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise Oh oihclai
mowers. anv officer or person holding or eX-
ercisino. or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty III such
district under any power, election, appoint,
ment or authority derived from or granted
by. or claimed under any so-calie't o!ale vi
the Government thereof, or any municipal or
orher division thereof, and upon such sus-
nension or removal such commander, sunlect
to the approval of the General aforesaid
shall have power to provide from time 10
time fol the performance OF the sald duties
of such officer or person, so suspended or re-
moved, by the detail Of some competent Oh
ficer or soldier of the army or by the APP
pointment OF some other person to perform
the same. and to fill vacancies occasloned by
death. resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. 1nd be it further ehactet, mat
the General of the armies OF the United
States shall be invested with all the power OF
suspension, removal, appointment and detail
granted in the preceding section to district
commanders.
SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That
the acts of the officers OF the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
exercising the functions or CIVIL ofncers ana
appointino Others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed: provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions of any
civil office may be removed, either by the
military officer in command OF the district or
bv the General of the army and 1t shall he
the duty of commanders to remove from OF
flee, rs aforesaid, all person who are dlsloyal
to the government of the United States. or
who use their official influence in any manner
to hinder, delay, prevent or obstruct the due
and proper administration of this act, and
the acts to which this is supplementary.
SEC. 5. Ind be it turker enacted, That
the boards of registration provided tor in
the act entitled An act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide tor the
more efficient government Of the rebel
States passed March 2, 1867, and to facili
tate restoration" passed March %, 1867,
shall have power, and it shall be their duty |
before the allowing the registration Of any
person, to ascertain, upon such facts or in
formation as they can obtain, whether such |
person is entitled to be registered under !
said act, and the oath required by said act
shall not be conclusive on such question, |
and no person shall be registered unless such |
board shall decide that he is entitled there
to; and such board shall also have power to |
examine under oath Ito be administered by |
any member of such boardD any one touch |
ing the qualification of any person claiming |
registration. But in every case of refusal
by the board to register an applicant, made |
in every case hereinafter provided, the board |
shall make a note or memorandum, which |
shall be returned with the registration list to |
the commanding Generals of the Districts, |
setting forth the ground of such refusal, or
such striking from the list: Provided, that
no person shall be disqualified as a member !
of any board of registration, by reason of
race or color.
SEC. 6. And be 1t further enacted, That
the true intent and meaning of the oath pre-
scribed in said supplementary act is, (amcng
other things,) that no person who has been
q member of the Legislature Of any State,
Or who has held any executive or judicial |
office in any State, whether he has taken an
path to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States or not, and whether he was hold
ng such office at the commencement of the
'ebelion or had held it before, and who has
afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebel
ion againstthe United States, or given aid or
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to
De registered or to vote and the words tex
cutive or judicial office in any State" in
aid oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil offices created by law for the
of the general law of the
State, or for the administration of justice.
Sec. Z. And be al. further enacted, That the
line for completing the original registration
provided for said act may, in the tliscre-
ion OF the cOhmmander OF any district, be
to the list day of October, 1867:
md the boards of registration shall have
power, and 1t shall be their duty, commenc-
ng fourteen days prior to any election under
aid act and upon reasonable public notice
If the time and place thereof, to revise for
period of three days the registration lists
md upon being satisfied that any person not
untitled thereto has been registered, to strike
he name of such person from the list. And
UGH hoard shall also, during the same peri
I'd. add to such registry the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualifi
;ations required by said act who have not
,een already registered, and no person shall
It any time be entitled to be registered or to
'ote by reason of any executive pardon or
for any act or thing which, with
ut such pardon or amnesty would disqual-
fy him from registration or voting.
SEC. 8. Ind be 1T further enacted, That
&c. 4 of the said last-named act shall be con-
trued to authorize the commanding general
AIMED therein, whenever he shall deem it
eedful, TO remove any member of board
f registration, and to appoint another per-
On in his stead, and to fill any vacancy in
UGH board.
Sec. 8. That all members of said Boards
Registration and all persons hereafter