The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-01-05

Reorganization.
Civil Government in NOrth.CarOlina.
Mr. Stevens (Rep., Pa. introduced bill on the
18th inst, reinstating Civil Government in North
Carolina, to enable it to resume its former rela
lions as one of the constituent States of the
American Union. He stated that he did so at the
request of several gentlemen from North Caro-
Ina Read twice, referred to the Committee on
Territories, and ordered to be printed.
The following is the bill:
A Bill to establish civil government in
North Carolina, and enable it to resume
its former relations as one of the con.
stituent States of the American Union.
WHEREAS, On the Goth day of May, 1861 the
citizens of North Carolina, one of the United
ment of the United States, and on the said Goth
day of May and thereafter did violently set aside
and destroy the organized Constitutional Govern
ment OF the said State and did engage with Others
in armed hostility and warfare to maintain their
said action; and
WHEREAS, After the lapse of more than four
years the United States by force of arms, having
succeeded in queling said rebellion and disarm-
ing such insurgent citizens, did find in said dis
trict formerly comprising the State of North
Carolina, no government organized or officers
qualified according to the requirements of the
Constitution of the United States; and
WHEREAS, The President of the United States
by virtue of his power as Commander-in-Chiefo of
the Army and Navy under the operation of mar
tial law, for the purpose of preserving peace and
from executing the details of civil regulations
in the several and widely separated localities in
the district did, under forms and rules by him
prescribed, authorize certain citizens of the dis
trict to assume the execution of said purpose of
preserving peace and order under the protection
and sanction of the military authority; and
WHEREAS, 1t is the duty of the Congress of
and the loyal citizens thereof, one of the Uni
ted States of America, and by law to cause to be
organized therein a government republican in
form, based on the civil and law making power
of the nation; therefore,
Be it enacted etc., That on the Goth day of May
1867, at the hour of IL o'clock, meridian, there
shall be assembled at the State House in the city of
Raleigh, Convention ofthe loyal citizens of the
district formerly comprising the State of North
Carolina, composed of 120 delegates, to be chosen
by voters qualified as hereinafter provided; and
each county in said district shall be entitled to
send to said Convention the same number of del
egates that it entitled to send members to the
House of Commons of the State of North Carroll
prior to the Goth day of May, 1861; and ma
jority of the delegates elected to said Convention
shall constitute quorum, and be invested with
the sovereign power of the people of the district
to frame State Constitution, which shall be
submitted to the Congress of the United States
for approval, modification or rejection, prepare
tory to the re-esablishment of the said State and
the reinvesting its loyal citizens with all of the
rights, privileges and immunities appertaining to
the citizens of the other States OF the Union
and the said Convention shall have power and au-
thority to do all other acts which by the recog-
nized principles of republican government SOW
ereign Conventions of the people of the States
may of right do; provided that in case no quorum
shall assemble on the said Goth day of May, any
less number of delegates assembled may adjourn
from day to day until such time as quorum may
assemble for the transaction of business.
Second: That in the election of delegates to
said Convention there shall be allowed to vote all
male resident citizens of the district formerly
comprising the State of North Carolina, of the
age of twenty-One years, without distinction of
race or color, who can read or write, or may own
in fee real estate of the assessed value of $780,
more: Provided That no one who has heretofore
exercised the right of suffrage in said district
shall be disqualified from voting in said election.
Third: That the qualifications for the dele
gates to the said Convention shall be the same
were required for members of the House of Com
mons of the State of North Carolina, immediate
ly previous to the Goth of May, 1861, upon the
taking and subscribing, before the Judge of the
District Court of the United States for the Dis
trfct of North Carolina, some other officer of
the United States authorized to administer oaths,
the following oath, to wit:
do solemnly swear on the Holy Evangelists of
Almighty God Cor affirm as the case may beg, that
the fourth day of March, 1864, and at all times
thereafter, would willingly have complied with
the requirements of the Proclamation of the Pre-
sident of the United States issued the eighth
day of December, 1868, had a safe opportunity of
doing SO been afforded me- That on the said
fourth day of March, 1864 and at all times there
after, l was opposed to the continuance of the
Rebellion and to the establishment Of the social
led Confederate Government, and voluntarily gave
no aid or encouragement thereto, but earnestly
desired the success of the Union and the suppress
sion OF all armed resistance to the Government of
the United States; and that will henceforth faith
fully support the Constitution of the United
States, and the Union of the States Hereunder.
And no person shall be allowed to sit or act as
adelegate in said Convention, or hold any office
or appointment Hereunder, until he shall
have taken and subscribed the above oath in the
manner and form as above provided.
Fourth: That it shall be the duty of the Judge
of the District Court or other officer before whom
such oath is proposed to be taken, Whenever he
may suspect it is about to be taken falsely by any
person, to put to such person any question under
OATH and to hear any other evidence that may
tend to satisfy him as to the propriety of admin
istering it. And if, in his Judgment, the person
cannot truthfully take the oath, he may refuse to
administer it. And should any person falsely take
said oath, he shall be indicted and prosecuted in
the Circuit Court of the United States held in the
district in which the offense may be committed
for the crime of perjury, and upon conviction
thereof shall be sentenced to and receive such
punishment as now attaches to the crime of ner-
jury. And in the trial ofsuch indictment, no per
son shall be qualified to sit npon the jury until
he shall have taken said oath, and the Court may
require any juror to take it, unless he shall swear
that he cannot truthfully do SO.
Fifth: That it shall be the duty of the Presi-
dent of the United States to direct and require
the United States Marshal for the District of
North Carolina TO appoint 1or each county in said
distfict one Deputy Marshal, and the Deputy Mar
shall SO appointed shall, each in his respective
county, appoint keepers and inspectors Of polls
Of MAY, 1857, the said Deputy Marshals shall each
open polls in their respective counties for the
election of delegates to said Convention at such
places, and shall conduct the election and give
certifcates of election under such rules and reg.
ulations, except as herein otherwise provided, as
were prescribed for the election of members OF
of North Carolina ediately previous to the 10th
day Of May, 1851 and any person who shall be
appointed Deputy Marshal, or Inspector, or In,
spector, Keeper of the Polls as aforesaid, ana
rennired of him under this act, shall be guilty