The Van Buren press., 1867-07-26
Explanatory Of the Military Bill.

the Dill. reporter nl thc 'oHicicioo N"''"'
tee by vote Of 81 to G. And the House pass
ed the same bill By vote los to is. The fol-
lowing l. the bill rs passed:
SECTION |. That 1t Is hereby declared to
have been the true intent and meaning OF the
act of March al. 1857. that the governments
then existing in the rebel States Of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia, Mis-
sissippi Alabama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas
and Arkansas we're not legal State Govern
mcnts. and that, Ii continued at all, were 10 be
continued subject i'm all respects, To the mill
tary commanders of respective districts, and
TO the paramount authority of Congress.
SIC. 2. That the commanders ofany district
named in said act shall have power, subject
to the approval of the General OF the army of
the United States. and have effect till disap-
proved, whenever In the opinion of tle COM
Inandcr the proper administration OF said act
shall require ii, Ia suspend or remove from Of
flee or from the performance of official duties
and exercise of official powers any officer or
person holding or exercising or protesting to
hold or exercise any civil or military office or
duty in such district, under any power, cleo
ton appointment or authority derived from
or granted by or claimed under any s0-callcd
State or the Government thereof; and upon
suspension or removal of such commander,
Z
said he shall have the power to provide from
time to time for the performance of said duties
of such officer or person so suspended or re-
moved by detail OF some competent officer or
soldier Of the army, or by the appointment of
some other persons 10 perform the same. and
to ill vacancies occasionsd by death, resigna-
ton or otherwise.
Sic. 3. The General Of the army of the
United States shall be intrustcd with all the
d -
nent. granted in the preceding section to dis
trict commanders.
SEC. 4. That the acts of the officers of the
army already done, in removing in said dis
trictS persons exercising the functions of civil
officers. and appointing Others in their stead,
are hereby confirmed: provided any person
heretofore or hereafter appointed by any dis
I trjct commander to exercise the functions of
any civil office may be removed either by the
military officers in command of the district or
I by the General of the army. and it shall be
/ the duty of such commander to remove from
office as aforesaid all persons who are disloyal
| to the Government of the United States, or
who shall 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 it is supplementary.
! SEC. 5. That the Boards of Registration pro-
vided for in the act entitled An act supple
mentary to an act entitled an act to provide
( for the more efficient government of the rebel
States" passed March I'd, 1867, and to facilitate
registration therein. passed March 23d. 1867,
shall have the power and it shall be their duty
before allowing the registration of any per-
son, to ascertain, upon such facts or infOrma-
ton as they can obtain, whether such persO,
is entitled to be registered under said act. and
the oath required by said act shall not be con-
elusive on such question, and no person shall
be registered unless such Board shall also have
power to examine under oath, to be admins
1 tered by any member of such board, to any
touching the qualification Ofany person claim
ing registration /; but in every case of refusal
by the Board to register an applicant and in
j every case of striking his name from the list
as hereinafter prescribed, the board shall make
IA note or memorandum which shall be re.
turned with the registration list to the Com.
manding General for the ground of such re.
fusal or such striking from the list, provided
no person shall be disqualified as member Of
any board of registration by reason of race
or color
SEC. 6. That the true intent and meaning o.
is, among other thgsa sa'df Chat no person wS1 ~
has been member of the Legislature of an,
State, or has held any executive or judicial of:
flee in any State, or whether he has taken az
oath to support the Constitution OF the United
States or not. and whether he was hOldins
such office at the commencement of the rebel
lion or had held it before, and who was after.
wards engaged in rebellion against the United
States, or giving aid and comfort to the enc
mics thereof, be entitled to be registered OF
vote, and the words " executive or judicial of.
fees in any State" in said oath mentioned
shall be construed to include all civil officers
created by law tor the administration of any
nnnnrol law of Ctafn Or fnro oJ,,,; ,;st, g.
justice. 3
SEC.1. And be it further enacted that the
time for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discretion
of the commander of any district. be extended
to the first day ofOctober, 1867 and the Boards
of Registration shall have power, and it shall
be their duty, commencing fourteen DAYS
prior to any election under said act, and upon
reasonable public notice of the time and place
thereof to revise for period Of five days the
registration lists and, upon being satisfied
that any person not entitled thereto has been
registered. to strike such name from the list
and such person shall not be allowed to vote
and such Board shall also during the same
period add to such register the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualifica-
tOns required by said act who have not al
ready registered, and no persons shall at any
time be entitled to be registered or vote by
reason OF any Executive pardon or amnesty
for any act or thing which without such par
don or amnesty would disqualify him from
registration or voting.
SEC. 5. That all members Of satd B1anI. Of
Registration. and all persons hereafter elected
or appointed to Office In said military district
under any so-callcd State or municipal au.
thority, or by detail or appointment of the
district commander shall be required to take
and subscribe to the oath Of office prescribed
4 by law for the officers of the United States
SEC. 8. That no district commander or menu
Der Of the Board of Registration or any officer
or appontee under them, shall be bound i'm
his action by any opinion of any civil officers
of the United States.
SEC. 10. That section four of said last-named
act shall be construed to authorize the COM
manding general named therein. whenever
he shall deem it needful, to remove any men,
Der ofa Board of Registration appoint another
in his place and MI any vacancy In such board.
| SEc. H. That all provisions of this act. and
of the acts to which this is supplementary.
shall be construed literally to the end that ali
the intent thereof may fully and perfectly be
carried out. =
GB We have upon our table number of
] ftn Ia D..