The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1867-02-08
Congressional.

IGbE4Dud4-
WAsHrsGrox, Feb. 2.-Mr. Williams
presented the following which was referred
to the committee on Reconstruction
bill to provide for more efficient gov
ernments in the insurrectionary States.
WHEREAS, The pretended State Govern
ments Of the la,e so-called Confederate
States. Of Virginia, North Carolina. South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi. Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas,
were set up without authority Of Congress,
and therefore are of no constitutional va
lidity, and they are in the hands and under
control Of the unrepentant leaders of re-
belIion, and afford no adequate protection
of life and property, but countenance and
encourage lawlessness and crimes.
Aud whereas, It is necessary that peace
and good order shall be enforced in the So
called States until a social and republican
form of government can be legally formed,
ETC.:
Sec. /. Each of said so-caIled States
shall constitute a military district, to be
subject to the military authorities Of the
United States. as herein enacted and pre-
scribed.
Sec. Q. That it SHALL be the duty of the
General of the army, under the authority
of the President Of the United States, to
assign to the command of said States an
officer of the regular army, not below the
rank Of Brigader General, and to furnish
such officer with military force sufficient
to enable him to perform his duty and en-
force bis authority, within the district to
which be is assigned
Sec. 3. That it shall be the duty of each
officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all
peaceable and law abiding persons ia their
rights of person and property, to suppress
instruction, disorder and violence, and to
punish, or cause to be punished, all dis
turbers of the public peace and criminals,
and to this end he may allow the loyal tri-
bunals to take jurisdiction and try often
dero, or when, in his judgment, it is neces-
sary for the trial of the offender he shall
have power to organize military commits
sions or tribunals for that purpose, any
thing in the constitution and laws of So
called States to the contrary notwithstand-
ing, and all Legislative and judicial pro-
ceedings of said military tribunals, and all
interference by said pretended government
with the exercise of military authority I'M
der this act, shall be void and of no effect.
Sec. 4. This court and Judicial Offices of
the United States may issue writs ofhabeas
corpus in behalf of prisoners il military
custody, only when some commissioned o.
ticer on duty in the district where :he pc
ttion originated, will endorse in said petit
ton a statement certifying upon honor that
he has knowledge or information as to the
cause and circumstances of the alleged de-
tentiOn, and believes the same to be wrong
fully, and that he believes the endorsed Pc
tition il good faith, and that justice may
be done, and not hinder or delay the pun
ishment of crimes and all persons put
under military arrest by virtue of this act
shall be tried without unnecessary delay,
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall
be inflicted.
Sec. 5. That no sentence of any militia
ry tribunal, efecting the liberty or life of
any person, shall be executed untilapprov-
ed by the officer in command of the proper
district. The laws and regulations for the
government Of the army shall not be affect
by this act, except in SO far as they con
flict with its provisions.