The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1867-07-17
CONGRESSIONAL.
The New Reconstruction Billso. Called

~ HA'ii ~ - llC ioiio" 10
the text Of the bill as passed both Houses
BE It caoctsdly the Senate and House 81
Representatives. ot'the United States Of Inner
ica an Congress assembled: That it is here
| by declared to have been the true intent and
meaning of the act Of the I'd day Of March,
1867, entitled an act s'to provide for the more
efficient Government of the Rebel States
and Of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the Bird day OF March, in the year 1867,
that the Governments then existing Ill the
Rebel States Of Virginia. North Carolina,
South Carolina Georgia, Mississippi, Ala
bama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas. and Arkan-
sas, were illegal and void, and that thereafter
such Governments, if continued, were to be
continued subject in all respects to the mill
tary commanders Of respective districts, and
to the authority of Congress
Sec 2, That the Commander of any Dis
trlct named in said act, shall have power sub
ject to the approval of the General Of the
Army of the United States, to have effect till
disapproved whenever in the opinion OF such
commander the proper administration OF said
act Shall require tito suspend or remove from
oflcc; or from the performance OF official du-
ties and the exercise of official powers, any
officer or person holding, or exercising, or
protesting to hold or exercise any civil or
military office or duty in such District, under
any power, election, appointment or authorl-
ty, derived from, or granted by, or claimed
under any SO called State, or the Government
thereof, OF any municipal or other division
thereof, and upon such suspension or removal,
such commander, subject to the disapproval
of the General as aforesaid, shall have power
/ to provide from time to time, for the perfor
nance Of said duties of such officer or person.
SO suspended or removed, by the detail Of
some competent officer or soldier of the army,
or by the appointment of some other person
to perform the same and to ell vacancies &C.
casoned by death, resignation or removal.
Sec. 3. That the General Of the army Of
the United States, shall be invested with all
the powers of suspension. removal, appoint
ment 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
exercising the functions Of civil officers, and
appointing others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed: ProuMcd, That any person here
tofore CT hereafter appointed BY any District
Commander to exercise the functions of any
civil office, may be removed either by the
military officers in command of the District,
or by the General Of the Army and it shall
be the duty Of such Commanders to remove
from Offices as aforesaid all persons who are
disloyal to the Government of the United
States, OF who use their official influence in
any mannefsto hinder, delay, prevent OF OBJ
struct the due and proper administration Of
this act, and the acts to which it is supple
mentary.
Sec s. That the Boards of Registration
provided for in the act entitled an act sup
Elementary to an act, entitled an act to pro-
vide for the more efficient government of the
rebel States, passed March End, 1867, and to
facilitate Registration, passed March 23d,
1867, shall have power, and it shall be their
duty, before allowing the registration Of any
person, to ascertain upon such facts or infor-
nation as they can obtain, whether such per
son is entitled to be registered under said act,
and the uath 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 thereto, and such
board shall also have power to examine under
oath, to be administered by any member OF
such board, any one touching the qualifca-
ton Of any person claiming registration, but
in every case Of refusal by the board to reg
lister an applicant, and in every case Of strik
ing his name from the list, as hereinafter
provided, the board shall make note or mem
orandum, which shall be returned with the
registration list to Commanding General of
the District, setting forth the grounds ofsuch
refusal OF such striking from the list : Pro
vided that no person shall be disqualified as
a member of any board Of registration by
/ reason OF race or color.
| Sec. 6 That the true intent and meaning
Of the oath prescribed in said supplementary
act, is among other things, that no person
who has been 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 United States or not, and whether he was
holding such Office at the commencement of
rebellion, or had held it before, and who was
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel
lion against the United States, or given aid
or comfort to the enemies therefore, is entitl-
ed to registered and to vote, and the words
executive or judicial office in any State, in
said oath mentioned shall be construed to in-
clude all civil Offices created by law for the
administration of any general law of State,
or for the administration of justice
Sec. Z. That the time for completing the
original registration provided for in said act
may, in the discretion Of the commander of
any district, be extended to the 1st day of
October, 1867 and the boards of registration
shall have power, and it shall be their duty,
commencing IA days prior to any election un-
der said act, and upon reasonable public no.
tice of the time and place thereof, torevise for
a period Olive 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 persons shall also during the same period
add to such registry the names Of all persons
who at that time possess the qualifications re-
CURED 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 rea-
son OF any executive pardon, or amnesty
for any act or thing which without such par
don or amnesty would disqualify him from
registration Or voting.
Sec. s. That Sec 4, of said last named act,
shall be construed to authorize the command
mo general named therein whenayer he shall