The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-19
RECONSTRUCTION.

SEC |. BE at enacted bu the Senate an
House of Representatives Of the United Sta':
of 4nericl IN Congress assembled, That 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, paSseI
on the 23d day of March, in the year lo0'
that the governments, then existing IN IN
rebel States of Virginia, North -Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia. Mississippi. Ala
hama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan
sas were illegal and void, and thereafter TIT
same governments, if continued, were TO OF
continued subject in all respects to the MIN
tarv Commanders of the respective Dlstrct'
and to the authority OF Congress.
SEC. 2. A,sd be it further eaacted, Ihat the
commander OF any district named IN SAID acl
shall have power, subject to the appfovai o,
the General of the armies of the United
States. to have effect till disapproved
whenever in the opinion OF such com.
wander the proper administration of said
.. act shall require it, to suspend OF re-
move from oiSce, or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise OF official
powers, any officer or person holding or cX-
ercisng, or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty IN such
district under any power, election, appoint
ment or authority derived from or granted
bv, or claimed under any so-catled state or
the Government thereof, or any munlclpal or
other division thereof, and upon SUCH sus-
pension or removal such commander. subIect
to the anDroyal of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time TO
time fo1 the performance of the said duties
of such officer or person., so suspended or re-
moved by the detail Of some competent OF
ficer or soldier of the army or by the ap-
pointment of some other person to perform
the same, and to fill vacancies occasloned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
SEC 3. 'A,sd be it further enacted, That
the General of the armies OF the United
States shall be invested with all the power OF
suspension, removal, appointment and detaii
granted in the preceding section to dstfict
commanders.
SEC. 4. Ind be it further enacted, That
the acts of the officers of the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
execisinp the functions of civil officers and
appointinc others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed crowded that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions of any
civil ice 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 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. 3. Ind be it Tu"ther eIacted, 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 tacili-
tate restoration passed March 3D. 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
my the qualification OF any person claiming
registration. But in every case of Il refusal
BY the board to register an applicant, made
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 !
10 person shall he disqualified. as member /
of any board of registration, by reason of
race or color.
SEC. g. 1nd 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 'ex-
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. And be 1t further enacted, That the
time for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discre-
lion OF the commander of any district be
extended to the 1st day of October, 1867
and the boards of registration shall have
power, and 1t 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 a
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
od. add to such registry the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualifi-
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
for any act or thing which, with
out such pardon or amnesty, would disqual
ify him from registration or voting.
Sec. s. Ind be it further endcted, That
sec. of the said last-named act shall be con-
strued to authorize the commanding general
named therein, whenever he shall deem it
needful, TO remove any member of board
Of registration, and to appoint another per-
ION in his stead, and to fill any vacancy in
such board.
Sec. 8. That all members of said Boards
If Registration and all persons hereafter
elected or appointed to Office in said mill
airy districts, under any so-called State or
-.