The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-14

Passage of the Military District Bill.
The House of Representatives yesterday,
under the lead of Thaddeus Stevens, passed the
bill for the more efficient government of the in
surrectionary States by vote of 55 to 1O9.
Mr.. Stevens, in urging the passage of the
bill, said it was not intended as recOnstruc-
ton bill, but simply as police BILL to protect
the loyal men of the South from anarchy and
murder and rapine, until Congress took
little more time to establish civil governments
there; and if gentlemen choose to introduce
tomorrow Joint resolution making the Loui-
siana bill applicable to all the other Rebel
States, it might pass both Houses in two hours.
lie reminded Congress that the whole country
was alive to the necessity of action, while they
appeared to sit in supineness and did nothing
to meet the great occasion. Several Republi-
cans were against the bill, who will doubtless
vote for it should it be necessary to pass it
over the Presidents veto. We append the
bill in full as amended and passed. 1t is by
far the most important measure of the session.
fnSuTTectiOndry States.
Whereas, The pretended State Governments of the
late so-called Confederate states of Virginia, North
SSaG0pa SSSm GaFTha Fopd and Ala
without the authority of Congress and without
Whereas, The so pretended Governments afford no
adequate protection for life or property but counte-
nance and encourage lawlessness and crime: and
WheTeas IL is necessary that peace and good order
States until loyal and republican State Governments
can be legally established therefore,
tatves of the United States Of America in Congress
Ss % nie ae @ states
tect to the military authority of the United
shall constitute first district: North Carolina and
South Carolina the SECOND district Georgia, Alaoama
Arkansas the fourth district and Louisiana aud Texas
Section And be it further enacted That it shall be
the duty of the General of the Army to assign to the
regular army, not below the rank
ana 70 Detail snihGent military force 70 enable such
in the district to wi which 4. A., he Is assigned
the duty of each officer assigned aforesaid pro-
tect all persons n their rights OF person and pro
ana to punish or cause 70 be punished all disur6ers
ofthe public peace and criminals and to this end he
may allow local cIvil tribunals to take Jurisdiction OF
and TO try Offenders or when, in his Judgment, may
power to orsanize military commissions or tribunals
Sws iST of & esd ae On he o cOrary hha
standing: and all legislative or judicial proceedings
said military tribunals and ali Interference by said
pretended state Governments with the exercise OF
military authority under this act, shall be void and
Section 4 And be it further enacted That and
Judicial officers of the United States shall not issue
wris Of hRbsas corpus in behalf of persons In military
custody except in In which the Is held TO
answer only for crime crimes exclusively within
the jurisdiction OF the Courts of the United States
within said military district and indctabe therein"
unless commissioned officer on duty in the dis
tric wherein the person detained shall ndorse upon
said petition statement certifying upon honor that
he has knowledge Information as 70 the cause and
circumstances the alleged detention, and that he
believes the same to be wrongful and further that he
believes that the indorsed petition is preferred in good
faith and in furtherance Justice and not to hinder
delay the punishment of crime. All persons put
under military arrest by virtue OF this act shall be
tried without Unnecessary delay and no cruel or un-
usual punishment shall be inflicted,
Section And be IL further enacted, That no sen.
of any military commission or tribunal hereby
authorized affecting the life or liberty of any per
son. shall be executed until it is approved by the
superior officer in command OF the district and the
laws and regulations for the government of the army
shall be affected by this act except In so tar as
they conflict with its provisions.