Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-03-02
The Reconstruction Bill.
Summary Of its Provisions.
From the Wisconsin State Journal.

From the w isconsln State Journal
The Reconstruction Bill. as finally con-
CURED in by both Houses of Congress
and now awaiting the Executive veto,
or quietly smothering in the Executive
pocket, begins by declaring that "no
legal State government or adequate pre-
lection for life or property now exists in
the rebel States of Virginia, North Car
dina, South Carolina, Georgis, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida,
Texas, and Arkansas" 1t then pro-
ceeds to provide that until loyal and re-
publican State Governments shall be re-
stored, these States shall be divided into
military districts, Virginia to constitute
the first district; North and South Caro-
lima the second; Georgia, Alabama and
Florida the third; Mississippi and Ar
kansas the fourth, and Louisiana and
Texas the fifth. The President shall as
sign an officer of the army, not below
the rank of Brigadier General, to COM
mand each Of these districts. Such dis
trict commander shall "protect all per-
sons 10 their rights of person and proper
ty," suppress disturbance, and punish
crime through military commissioners
and tribunals, whore the "local civil tri-
bunals" cannot in his judgment, be
trusted. There shall be no unnecessary
delay in bringing offenders to trial, and
no sentence, effecting life or liberty, shall
be executed until approved by the dis
trict commander and the President.
When the people of any one of these
rebel States shall have formed State
constitution, in conformity with the Con-
stitution of the United States, which
shall furthermore provide for suffrage ir-
respective of color, race, or previous con-
dition of servitude; when such coustitu-
tion has been ratified by vote of the
people as aforesaid, and shall have been
approved by Congress; and when such
State shall, by legislature elected under
such constitution, ratify the pending
Constitutional Amendment, and athat
amendment has become q part of the
Constitution of the United States, then
such State shall bo entitled TO representa-
ton in Congress. The qualifications for
suffrage in such rebel States are thus de-
fined Every male citizen twenty one
years old ard upwards, of whatever
race, color or previous condition of servi-
tude, who may have been resident in
said State for one year previous to the
day of voting, except such rs may bs
disfrancbissd for participating in the re-
bellion. or for felony at common law.
Until the rebel States are thus restor
ed to their practical relations in the Un-
ion, all governments therein--actual or
proposed-shall be regarded as provis-
ional only, and subject at all times to be
modified, abolished or superseded by the
Federal Government.
Such is the final plan of reconstruc-
ton adopted by the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress. 1t is comprehensive and just.
The friends of liberty and union will gen.
orally give it cordial endorsement. Re-
ports from Washington allege that the
President will not take advantage of the
opportunity which its passage so near
the close of the session gives TO pocket it,
but will return it to Congress with his
veto. In that event it will, without
doubt, be promptly passed over the veto.
If, however, he pockets it, the Fortieth
Congress, which meets on the fourth of
March, will in all probability take it up
and adopt it.