The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-02-28
The Reconstruction Bill

cd both Houses OF Congress last week
and ss 1t will become law. The first.
second, third and fourth sections are
the Stevens portion Of the bill tho
9Th section is the Sherman amend
ment providing for reconstruction
and giving a pledge TO the South; aud
the sixth section is the Shellabarger
amendment. Those interested in the
effect Of this bill aud the progress oi
reconstruction under il, will do vel
to preserve q. copy of IL. u is the
most important bill passed by Con
gress since the beginning of the re-
bellion
WHEREAS, No legal State govern.
ments or adequate protection for lift
or property do exist in the rcbel
States OF Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Ar
kansas aud whereas, IL is necessary
that peace aud good order should BE-
enforced 10 said States until loys
and Republican State governments
can be legally established; therefore
BE "a enacted. &C., That tho said
rebel States shall be divided into mil
itary districts aud made subject to the
military authority Of the United
States, as hereinafter prescribed, and
for that purpose Virginia shall con
stitute the First District North Car
olina and South Carolina the Second
District Georgia, Alabama and Flor
ida, the Third District Mississippi
and Arkansas, tho Fourth District,
and Texas the Fifth District.
SEC. 2. That IL shall be tho duty
Of the President to assign to the
command Of each Of said districts, an
officer of the army, not below tho
rank of brigadier general, and to de-
tail sufficient military force to cna-
bic such officer TO perform his duties
and enforce his authority within the
district to which he is assigned.
sro. Q. That It shall be tho duty
Of each officer asst ,ued as aforesaid to
protect all persons in 'heir rights of
person and property; to ,uppress in.
disorder, and yioleucc, aud
10 punish, or cause to be punished,
all disturbors Of the public peace and
and to this end he may al
low local civil tribunals to take juris-
diction o? and try offenders or whou
in his Judgment, il may be necessary
for the trial of offenders, he shall nave
power TO organize military commits
sions or tribunals for that purpose [;
and all interference, under cover Of
State authority, with the exercise OF
authority under this act,
shall be null aud void.
SEC. 4. That all persons put under
arrest by virtue of this act
shall be tried, WITHOUT unnecessary
delay, and no cruel or u6nsual pun
ishment shall be inflicted, nd NO
sentence of any military commissiJp
or tribunal hereby authorized, affect
ing the life OF liberty Of any person
shall be executed until it is approved
by tho officer IN command Of the dis
trict; aud the laws and regulation,
for the government of the army shall
not bo affected by this act except in
so far ae they may conflict with It's
provisions.
SEC, b. Thatwhcn the people of
any ono of the said rebel States shall
have formed a Constitution for their
in conformity with the
Constitution Of the United States in
all respects, framed by convention
Of delegates elected by the male citi
Eeus of said States, twenty one years
old and upwards. of whatever race,
color, or previous condition, who
have been residents in said State for
one year previous to tho day of such
election, except such as may be dis.
tranchiscd for participation in the ro.
bellion, or for felony at common law !;
aud when such Constitution shall
provide that the elective franchise
shall be enjoyed by all such persons
IS have the qualifications herein stat
ID for electors Of delegates aud when
iuch Constitution shall be ratified by
! majority of tho persona voting on
Tho question of ratification, who are
qualified as electors for delegates and
whom such Constitution shall have
been submitted to Congress for ex.
animation aud approval, aud Con.
gress shall have approved the same !;
aud when said State by vote Of its
Legislature, elected under said Con
stitution, shall have adopted tho
amendment to the Constitution Of the
United States, proposed by the Thir.
ty'ninth Congress, and known as ar
ticle II; aud when said article shall
become part of the Constitution Of
the United States, said State shall be
declared entitled to Representation
in Cougkess, aud Senators aud Rep.
resentatives shall be admitted there
from, on their taking the oath pre-.
scribed by law, aud then and theroaf.
tor the proceeding sectioas OF this act
shall be imperative in said State,
Prprjcicd, That no person excluded
from tho privileges OF holding Office
by said proposition of amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States
shall be eligible to election as mem.
bor of the Convention to form o Con
stltution for any of said rebel States /;
nor shall any such person vote for
members OF such Convention.
SIC, 6, And be i, further enacted
that until the people of said rebel
States, by law, be admitted to repre-
sentation to the Congress of tho Unit.
cd States, the civil governments that
may exist therein Shall bo deemed
Prorision0l only, aud shall be, in all
respects, subject to the paramount
authorities of the United States.
which at any time may abolish, mod
ity, control aud superoedo tho same,
A nn in III nl,.es..a a., ..... 4