The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-02-21

aid III his power 10 lne lmpeacnineuo VI
Mr.. johnson so?soon as he thinks that the
majority Of his parity favor it. -.
Stevens Bill.
The following is the bill introduced by
Thad. Stevens for territorializing the
South, and adopted by the House on Mon
day last:
Whereas the pretended State govern
mcnts of the late so:callcd Confederate
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas
were set up without the authority OF Con-
nress and without the sanction of the peo-
ple: and whereas the said pretended gov
ernments afford no adequate protection Tor
life or property, but countenance and en-
courage lawlessncss and crime and where,
as it is necessary that peace and good
order should be enforced in the said So
called States until loyal and republican
State governments can be legally estao-
lished; therefore, -
BE it enacted by the. Senate and House
of Representative OF the United States OF
America in Congress assembled, That the
-so-called States shall be divided into mill
tarv Districts, and made subject to the
military authority of the United States,
as hereinafter prescribed; and, for that
purpose. Virginia shall constitute the 1st
district; North Carolina and South Caro-
lima tho 81 district; Georgia, Alabama and
Florida the Sd district; Mississippi and
Arkansas the 4th district, and Louisiana
and Texas the 5th district.
SECTION 2. And be it further enacted,
That it shall be the duty of the General
of the army to assign to the command OF
each of the said districts an officer of the
regular army; not below the rank of Briga-
der General; and to detail q sufficient
military force to enable such officer to per-
form his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.
. SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That
it shall be the duty Of each officer assigned
as aforesaid to protect all persons in their
rights of person and property, to suppress
instruction; disorder Ind violence, ind
to punish, or cause to be punished, all dis
turbers of the public peace and criminals ;
and to this end he may allow civil tribu-
mails to take jurisdiction of and try often
ders, OF when in his judgment it may be
necessary for the trial Of offenders, he shall
have power to organize military commits.
sions or tribunals for that purpose, any
thing in Tie constitutions and laws of the
so called States to the contrary notwith-
standing and all legislative or judicial
proceedings or processes to prevent or
contest.the proceedings Of said military
tribunals, and all interference by said pre-
tended State governments with the exer-
else of military authority under this act,
shall be void and. of no effect.
SEC. A. And be it further enacted, That
courts and judicial officers of the United
States shall not issue writs Of habedS cor
pus in behalf Of persons in military Gus
tody unless some commissioned officer on
duty in the district wherein the person is
.detaincd shall endorse upon said petition
a statement certifying upon honor that he
has knowledge or informatioa~'as to the
cause and circumstances of the alleged
detention, and that he believes the same
to be wrongful; and further, that he be-
lives that the endorsed petition is prefer
red in good faith and in furtherance Of
Justice, and not to hinder or delay the
punishment of crime. All persons put TN
der military arrest by virtue of this act
shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall
be inflicted -, 80
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That
no sentence of any military commission OF
tribunal hereby authorized affecting the
life or liberty of any person shall be exc
cuted until it is approved by the superior
officer ii command of the district, and the
laws and regulations for the government
of the army shall not be affected by this
act, except in SO far as they conflict with
its provisions ...
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