The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-15
RECONSTRUCTION.
supplementary Reconstruction Bill.

Supplementary reconstructloh oi'i' 90 IL pass
ed both Houses:
SEC. /. Be 1t enacted 6p the Senate ana
House of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States
of America an Congress assembled, That it is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
and meaning of the act OF March "a, "A. u
1867, entitled an act to PROVIDE 1or the more
efficient government OF the renel STATES
and of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the 23d day of March, in the year 1867,
that the governments, then existing in the
rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia. Mississippi, Ala
bama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
sas, were illegal and void, and thereafter the
same governments, if continued, were to be
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
tary Commanders of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress-.
SEC. 2. A7ad be ii further enacted, That the
commander of any district named IN SAID act
shall have power, subject to the approval OF
the General of the armies OF the United
States. to have effect till dlsapprovcd,
whenever in the opinion of such COM
mander the proper administration Of said
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from Office, or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise of official
powers, any officer or person holding or ex-
ercising, 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
by, or claimed under any so-called State or
the government thereof, or any municipal or
other division thereof, and upon such sus-
pension or removal such commander, subject
to the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time to
time fol- 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 APP
pointment of some other person to perform
the same, and to fill vacancies accustomed by
death, resignation or otherwise
SEC. 3. And he 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 detail
granted in the preceding section to district
commanders.
SEC. 4. Aad be it further enacted, That
the acts of the officers of the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
execisino the functions of civil officers and
appointing Others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed; provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions of any
civil office NAV be removed, either by the
military officer in command of the district or
by the General of the army; and 1t shall be
the duty of commanders to remove from Of
fee, as aforesaid, all person who are disloyal
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. 5. And be it further enacted, That
the boards of registration provided for 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 ?. 1867, and to facili
tate restoration" passed March %, 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
ing the qualification of any person claiming
registration. But in every case of refusal
by the board to register an applicant, made
in every case hereinafter provided, the board
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
no person shall be disqualified. as member
of any board of registration, by reason of
race or color.
Sec. 6. And 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
n 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 |
engaged in insurreCtiOn or rebel |
ion againstthe United States, or given aid or |
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to |
be registered or to vote; and the words tex
ecutive or judicial office in any State" in
said oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil offices created by law for the |
of the general law of the
State, or for the administration ofjustice.
Sec. 7. Amd be it further enacted, That the
lime for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may in the discre-
ion of the commander of any district, be
to the 1st day of October, 1867;
md the boards of registration shall have
power, and 1t shall be their duty, commenc-
ng fourteen days prior to any election under
aid act, and upon reasonable public notice
If the time and place thereof, to revise for
period of three days the registration lists
md upon being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, to strike
he name of such person from the list. And
uch board shall also, during the same peri
ID, add to such registry the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualif-
cations required by said act who have not
been already registered, and no person shall
1t any time be entitled to be registered or to
yote by reason Of any executive pardon or
for any act or thing which, with
'ut such pardon or amnesty, would disqual-
fly him from registration or voting.
Sec. 8. Ind be 1t further enacted, That
&c. of the said named act shall be con-
trued to authorize the commanding general
FAMED therein, whenever he shall deem it
leedful, TO remove any member of a board
# registration, and to appoint another per-
on in his stead, and to fill any vacancy in
UGH board.
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