The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-07
RECONSTRUCTION.

ed both Houses:
SEC. 1. Be It enacted By the Senate anC
'Y3use Of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United State
of dperict IN Congress assembled, That 1t l;
hereby declared to have been the true lnten'
and meaning of the act of March 2d, A u
1867. entitled an act to provide for the more
efficient government of the rebel states
and of the act supplementary thereto passe.
on the Odd dav of March, in the year loo''
that the governments, then eX1stlng ID lhe
rebel States of Virginia, Mort h-Carolila'
South Carolina, Georgia. MISSISSIPPI Ala
bama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas ana arKiii-
sas, were illegal and void, and thereafter the
same Governments, if continued, were 10 De
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
tarv COMMANDERS of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress-.
SEC. 2. Ind be ii, turtlter e~acted, That the
commander of any district named in sad act
shall have power, subject to the approval OF
the General of the armies of the United
States, to have effect till disapproved,
whenever in the opinion OF such com,
mander the proper administration OF salu
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from olice, or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise OF oflclal
powers, any officer or person holding OF eA-
ercising, or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty Iii 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-
Dension or removal such commander, SUBJECT
TO the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time TO
time fo1 the performance of the sad duties
of such officer or person, so suspended or re-
moved, by the detail of some competent Oh
ticer or soldier of the army or by the APP
pointment of some other person to perform
the same and to fill vacancies occasloned by
death. resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. and be it JUrther eadeted, mat
the General of the armies of the United
States shall be invested with al! the power OF
suspension, removal, appointment 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; provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions OF any
civil ice may he removed, either 10y the
military officer III command OF the district or
by the General of the army and It shall be
the duty of commanders to remove from Oh
flee, as aforesaid, all person who are dlsloyal
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 s. ind be it FURTHER edacted, That
the boards OF registration provided for in
the act entitled An act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide for the
more efficient government OF the rebel
States passed March ,, 1867, and to facii-
tate restoration, passed March %, 1867,
shall have power and it shall be their duty
before the allowing tue 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 he administered by
any member of such board) 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 a member
of any board Of registration, by reason of
race or color.
Gro -t.I h L.,
the true intent and meaning of the oath pre-
scrlbed IN said supplementary act is. (amcng
other things,) that no person who has been
4 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
ed States not. and whether lie was hold
ng such office at the commencement of the
'ebelliOn or had held it 'efore. and who has
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel
ION agalnstthe United States. or given all or
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to
'e registered or to vote; and the words .ex-
cutlve or judicial Office in any State in |
aid oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil Offices created by law for the
administration of the general law of the
state, or for the administration of justice.
Sec. Z. 11nI he ii. FURTHER enacted, That the
inc for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discre-
ION OF the commander of any district. be
xtended to the 1st day of October. 1867:
nd the boards of registration shall have
'ower, and 1t shall be their duty, commenc-
ne fourteen days prior to any election under
aid act, and upon reasonable public notice
f the time and place thereof, to revise for
eriod OF three days the registration lists :.
nd upon being satisfied that any person not
ntltled thereto has been registered, to strike
ne name OF such person from the list. And
UGH board shall also, during the same peri
d, add to such registry the names of all
ersons who at that time possess the otialif-
atlons required by said act who have not
cen already registered, and no person shall
any time be entitled to be registered or to
ote by reason OF any executive pardon or
nnesty, for any act or thing which. with
ut such pardon or amnesty, would disonaI-
him from registration or voting.
DEC. .. Aad be it .further enacted That
C. a OF the said last-named act shall be con-
rued to authorize the COMMANDING General
lmed therein, whenever he shall deem it.
,edful, TO remove any member of a board
registration, and to appoint another ner.
N In his stead, and to ill any vacancy in
CHI board III
Sec. 9. That all members of said Boards
Registration and all persons bereoft
'cted or appointed to office in said mi;