Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-02-28
The Constitutional The
Reconstruction Bill.

eAactiy the poSitloH III WHICH Tie people OF
the southern States are placed b. the re-
construction biIl which was finally adopted
by Congress on Wednesday. In order that
they may do So. it is necessary to repro
duce both that bill and the proposed amend
ment The amendment is as follows
AsrscLE XIV.
Section l. All persons born or naturalized in
the United States and subject to the jurisdiction
thereof citizens OF the United States and OF the
State wherein they reside. No State shall make
Or enforce any law which shall abrldge the privi-
ares or immunities Of citizens ofths United States.
shall any State del rive any person Of life lib
erty, property, without due process of law, nor
deny to any person within lis jurisdiction the equal
! protection of the laws.
! SECTION 2. Representatives shall be appssrtion-
ed among the several States according to their re-
spectivc numbers, counting the whole number of
persons il. each State. excluding Indians not tax
ed. But when th:' light to vote at any election for
the choice Of electors or President and Vice Presi
dent Of the United States representatives
| in Congress- executive and judicial officers of
state. or the members OF the Legislature thereof
! is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such
state beng twentvone years OF age and citizens of
| the United States, way abridged EXCEPT
| for participation IN rebellion other crime the
basis OF Representations therein shall be reduced in
the proportion which the number of such male citi-
Zens shall bear To the whole number of make cit
zens twcnty-One years OF age in such state
SECTION 8. No person shall be senator or re-
preventative III Congress. elector of President
and Vlce-Presdent. or hold any office, civil or
military. under the United States or under any
state, who, having previously taken an oath as a
member OF Congress, O.. officer of the United
States, or as member OF any State Legislature or
as an executive Or judicial officer of any state to
support the Constitution of the United States shall
have engaged In lnsurrection or rebellion against
the same, given aid and comfort to the enemies
thereof. But Congress may, by vote al twu-thrds
OF each House. remove such disability. '
SECTION 4. The validity OF the public Il, bt of the
United States authorized by law, including debts
incurred for payment of pensions and bt;nties for
Sci vices IN suppresslng insuircction reb. lon.
shall not be questioned. But neither the United
states nor any state shall assume pay any debt
OF obligation incurred in aid oil nsuirection or
rebellion against the United States, or any claim
for the loss or emancipation of any slave bat all
such debts, obligations, and claims, Shall be held
! illegal and void.
enforce BY appropriate legislation til, provisions
OF this article. g.
The enffunchised class consists of ne
groes The bill provides that whether we
ratify the constitutional amendment on not,
negroes shall hereafter vote for all officers
of the ''provisional government" as our
masters are pleased to term our State gov
eminent. Negroes. however, are not ell
gible to Office
1t is supposed there viii be about double
as many white as black voters in Virginia.
The present Legislature cannot ratify
the amendment 1t must be done by a
Legislature to be elected under constitu-
ton hereafter to be framed -Richaoa!d
Dispatch.
Whereas 10 l:ga state governments or adequate
protection tor lite or property now exists in the
rebel states OF Virginia, North Carolina, Sou1h
Carolina. Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama Loaisi-
ana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas and whereas
it is necessary that peace and good order should
be enforced in said states until oval and repuhli-
can state governments can be legally established
therefore,
Be It enacted BY The Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiues of the United States of America IN tou
gress assembled, That said rebel states shall e d1v
ded into military districts. and made subject to the
military authority OF the United States as herein
after prescribed and for that purpose Virginia
shall constitute the first district North Carolina
and South Carolina the second district Georgia
| Alabama, and Florida the third distsi:t Mssis
sipi and Arkansas the fourth district and Louis-
ana and Texas the fifth district.
| Section 2. And be 1t FURTHER enacted That it
shall be the duty Of the President to assign to the
command of each OF said districts officer of the
army not below the rank OF brigadcr- general and
to detail sufficient military force to enable such
officer to perform his duties and enforce his au-
thority within the district to which he is assigned
| SECrIoS j. And be 1t further enacted, That it
shall be the duty OF each officer signed as aore-
said to protect all persons in their rights OF person
and property, to suppress in.ulrection. disorder,
and violence, and to punish. orcause to be punish
ed, all disturbers OF the public peace, and crl&n
ais; and to this end he may allow local civil tri-
bunas to take jurisdiction of and to try offenders
or, when in his judgment it may be necessary for
| trio ,Fo clon
ganize military commissions tribunals for that
purpose; and all interference under color OF State
authority with the exercise of military authority
under this act shall be null and void.
SECTION 4. And be 1t further enacted. That all
persons put under military arrest BY virtue OF this
act shall be tried without unnecessary delay, and
noscruel or unusual punishment shall be inflicted
and no sentence OF any military commission tri-
bunai hereby authorized. affecting the life or lib
erty Of any person. shall be executed until it is APP
| proved BY the officer in command Of the district
and the laws and regulations for the government
Of the army shall not be affected by this except
in far as they conflict with its provisions Pro-
uided, That no sentence Of death under the pro-
vsionsof this act shall be carried into effect with
out the approval Of the President.
! SECTION 5. And be 1t further enacted, Thatwh
the people Of any OF said rebel states shall have
formed constitution of government in conformi-
ty with the Constitution the United States IN all
respects framed by convention of delegates cleo
ted by the male citizens OF said State twenty-one
years old and upward, Of whatever race, color, Or
previous condition, who have been resident i'll said
state for year previous to the day of such cleo
ton, except such may be DISTINGUISHED tor par
/ ticipatIon in the rebellion or for felony at common
law, and when such constitution shall provide that
the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such
persons have tie qualifications Eercin stated
for election of delegates and when said constitu-
ton shall be ratified by majority of the persons
voting on the question of ratification, who are
qualified as electors for delegates, and when such
constitution shall have been submitted to Congress
for examination aud approval, and Congress shall
/ have approved the same, and when said state. by
a vote OF its Legislature elected under said Con-
stituton, shall have adopted the amendment to the
Contribution OF the United States, proposed by the
Thirty ninth Congress, and known article tour
teen, and when said article shall have become a
part Of the Constitution OF the United States, said
state shall be declared entitled to representation
in Congress, and senator's and representatives shall
be admitted theretrom their taking the oath pre-
scribed by law, and then and thereafter the pre-
of hall l,,