The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-18
complementary Reconstruction Bill,

supplementary Reconstruction Bill.
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THE following is the text of the Senate
complementary reconstruction bill, as it pass
ed both Houses
Gro I Be 1T enacted 6v the Senate and
,z,uze of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States
~ Iner;ea in Congress assembled, That it is
Soreby declared to have been the true intent
n,d meaning of the act of March I'd, A. D.
ses7 entitled an act to provide for the more
Efficient government of the rebel States,
o o of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the Esd day of March, in the year 1857,
that the governments, then existing in the
rnbel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Ala
hama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
s O were illegal and void, and thereafter the
samc Governments, if continued, were to be
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
torv Commanders of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress.
SEC. 2. An6 be at further enacted, That the
commander of any district named in said act
shall have power, subject to the approval of
tbe General of the armies of the United
States. to have effect till disapproved,
Uheneyer in the opinion of such COM
wander the proper administration of said
oct shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from Office, or from the performance
If official duties and the exercise of official
,owers, any officer or person holding or ex-
rercising, or protesting to hold or exercise
onv civil or military Office, or duty in such
district under any power, election, appoint
ment or authority derived from or granted
nv. or claimed under any so-called State or
the government thereof, or any municipal or
other division thereof, and upon such sus-
nension or removal such commander, subject
r. the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time to
time fol the performance of the said duties
of such officer or person, so suspended or re-
moved. by the detail of some competent of
fcer or soldier of the army or by the APP
nointment of some other person to perform
the same, and to fill vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. And be 1t further enacted, That
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
execising the functions of civil officers and
amounting 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
by the General of the army and it shall be
the duty of commanders to remove from Of
flee, as aforesaid, all person who are disloyal
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. And be 1T further enacted, That
the boards of registration provided for in
the act entitled IAN act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide for 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 board) 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 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 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
a member of the Legislature of any State,
or who has held any executive or judicial
Office in any State, whether he has taken an
oath to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States or not, and whether he was hold
ing such Office at the commencement of the
rebellion or had held it before, and who has
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel
lion againstthe United States, or given aid or
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to
be registered or to vote; and the words tex
ecutive or judicial Office in any State" in
said oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil offices created by law for the
administration of the general law of the
State, or for the administration of justice.
Sec. z. Ind be 1t. further enacted, That the
time for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discre-
ton of the commander of any district, be
extended to the list day of October, 1867;
and the boards of registration shall have
power, and it shall be their duty, commenc-
ing fourteen days prior to any election under
said act, and upon reasonable public notice
of the time and place thereof to revise for
period of three days the registration lists;
and upon being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, to strike
the name of such person from the list. And
such hoard shall also, during the same peri
cd, add to such registry the names Of all
persons who at that time possess the qualif-
cations required by said act who have not
been already registered, and no person shall
at any time be entitled to be registered or to
vote by reason of any executive pardon or
amnesty, for any act or thing which, with
out Of such pardon or amnesty, would disqual-
ny MN from registration or voting.
Sec. 8. And be 1t further enacted, That