Nebraska advertiser., 1867-07-25
nj RECONSTRUCTION BILL

a. ~
ed' An act TO provide for the more ell
eiers government Of the rebel States,
passed on the "a Of March. 1867, and the
act supplementary thereto, passed on the
23d day Of March 1867,
Section /, Be j, enacted by the Senate
and House Of Representatives of the
United States Of America in Congress
assembled. That it is hearty declared
10 have been the true intent and meaning
of the act Of the ID of March, 1857, en-
titled" an act to provide for the more
efficient government of the rebel States, .
and of the act Supplementary thereto,
passed on the 23d day of March in the
year 1867 that the governments then ex-
istng in the rebel States Of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Geor-
gia, Mississippi. Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, and Arkansas, were
illegal and void; and that thereafter said
Government, if continued. were TO be
continued subject in all respects to the mil
ilary Commanders of the respective Dis
trcts. and 10 the authority Of Congress.
Sec 2 And be it further enacted, That
the said acts to which this is q supplement
shall be construed to authorize the officer
assigned to the command of any m%iliriry
district under said act, whenever be shall
deem it necessarylto the due performance
of bis duties under said acts 70 remove or
suspend from Office any municipal or
State officer or person exercising autho-
rity under or by virtue of any so-called
State government existing in his district;
AID the said officer so assigned to com
mand as aforesaid is hereby empowered
to appoint an other person In the stead
Of the officer or person so removed, If he
shall deem proper so to do; and, when
ever he may deem 1t necessary as afore-
said, to prohibit, suspend or set aside any
act or proceeding Of any such State or
municipal government, or any act or thing
done under or by virtue of its authority;
and all acts heretofore done by any such
officer In accordance herewith shall be
deemed valid.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That
the Board of Registration of the several
military districts established by the acts
to which this is supplementary shall
admit to registration such persons as they
deem entitled to be registered blythe acts
aforesaid. They shall not regard the
taking of the oath prescribed in the act of
March %, 1867, conclusive evldenc of the
right of the person taking il to be reg
isIered, bat prima facie only, and may re-
ceive such evidence under oath relating
thereto as they may deem proper, either
from the person applying to be registered
or others, and ei.he- of the members of
said Boards is hereby authorized 10 ad-
minister oaths or afirmatins, and exam
inc witnesses touching the right of any
person to be registered. Said Boards of
Registration may strike from the list of
votes the name Of any one already reg
Istered, who, in their judgment, improper
ly took the oath prescribed in the acts to
which this is supplementary, or was not
entitled by said acts to be registered.
Record evidence shall not be required by
said Boards to prove partisipatlon In the
rebellion, but parole evidence shall be su-
to establish such participation; and
said Boards of Registration shall not be
bound or governed in their action by any
Of any officer Of the United States
government; Provided, That the right of
any person to be registered as a legal
voter shall in no respect be changed or
affected by any pardon granted to such
person by the President of the United
States for participation in the rebellion.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted,
That no civil court Of the United States
or any State shall have Jurisdiction of any
action or proceeding, civil or criminal,
any such district commander, or
any officer or person acting by his autho-
for or on account of the dlscharg
of ttR duties imposed upon him by this
act OF the acts to which 1t is supplemental.
~.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted That
no district commander shall be relieved
the command assigned to him under
the aforesaid acts, unless the Senate shall
have first advised and concented thereto,
or unless by sentence of court martial he
shall be cashiered or dismissed from
the army, or in arrest for an offence pun
ishable by DISMISSAL from the army, or
by sickness for the perfOman-
ce of his duties.
Sec. 6, And be it further enacted, That
The time for the completion of the reg
istration of persons properly qualified 10
7ote may be extended by order of the SAID
several district commanders to any day
prior to the first day of October, Ammo
eighteen hundred and sixty
seven.
Sec. z. And be it futher enacted, That
my person or persons who shall prevent
attempt to prevent or obstruct the ex.
scution of this act or either of the acts to
which this act is supplementary, shall DO
ynilty of a misdemeanOr, and on convic-
ion thereof shall be fnedin a sum not ex-
;eeding five thousand dollars, or impris-
,ned one year, or both at the discretion of
be court.
Passed the House of Representatives,
July 9, 1867.
ED. MCPHERSON,
Clerk.