Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1867-02-22
Reconstruction - The Stevens-ShermaI
Bill.

Tie bill which passed the Senate Sunday
morning, after an all night session, is a
substitute fer the Stevens bill for military
governments IN the Southern States it pro-
yides that whereas no legal State govern
ments or adequate protection for life or
property exist in the ten States specified,
they shall be divided into five military dis
tricts, Virginia the first district. \. Carolina
and South Carolina the second district, GeoTg-
ia, Alabama and Florida the third district,
Mississippi and Arkansas, the fourth dis
trict, and Louisiana and Texas the fifth dis
t-ict. The President shall assign to CON-
mand Of each an army officer, with sufficient
military force who shall protect all persons
in their rights Of person and property.
suppress instruction, disorder and violence,
aud punish Or cause TO be punished all
distuIbers Of the public peace and criminals;
and TO this eni he may allow i.asl civil tri
bunals To lake jurisdiction Of .uJ q offend
eTs. or, when m .is judgement i may be
necessary tor the trial Of offenders, he shall
have power 70 organize military committees
Or tribunals for Jhat purpose; and Il inter
ference under color Of State authority with
tbe exercise Of military authority under this
act shall be null and void"
This act shall cease 10 operate in any State
when a constitution and government in con-
forni;y with the constitution of the United
States has bean formed andadopted-all NAL,
citizens being voters without regard to race
or color, except those DISTINGUISHED for rc-
bellion or ielony-and approved Of by Con
gress,aud when said State has. by legislatur,
elected under said constitution, adopted tn,
constitutional amendment; and then sail
State shall be entitled to representation il
Congress.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Sherman wa.
brought forward in caucus of the Repub
lean Senators on Saturday afternoon, by {
committee Of seven, previously appointed fol
the purpose. The unqualified establishment
of negro suffrage was objected to, and tn,
report of the committee was adopted by only
one majority in the caucus, but having
adopted it, the Republicans resisted all IL,
efforts Of the Democrats to tire them out
and were nearly all in their seats when tn,
bill finally passed at half past six o'clOcl
Sunday morning.
The bill differs from Mr. Stevens bill il
giving the President the appointment OF the
military commanders instead of Gen. Grant
in allowing L. 5. Judges to issue writs d
ha5eGs corpus in the rebel states, and in con,
tanning substantially the amendment of Mr.
Blaine which was voted down in the IousC
on Friday and as was to be expected, wher
the bill came back from the Senate, strong
fight was made against it. Mr.. Stevens,
Mr.. Boutwell,, and others declared that nc
such measure, giving any opportunity for
reconstruction on a disloyal basis, ought to
be adopted. The vote on ordering the main
uUGsAlUu, EMIL tAI 4AOASN NNA-NNA hAN4 e--S
Senate, was lO3 to 60. Mr.. Stevens then
closed the debate, In opposition TO the bill.
After very long debate, the House refused to
accept the bill as amended by the Senate,
and committee Of conference is called for.
This seals the fate Of the measure for this
session, probably.
That the President would sign such bill
if passed has been confidently affirmed for
some days by those claiming to know his
views and wishes and if be should prompt
ly carry out the provisions Of the bill, there
would be an end to talk Of impeachment.
But last evening, it was asserted, the prOba-
bilities were strong that the President would
not sign this bill, despite his late apparent
willingness but would prove as stubbor
in UNFOLDING his own pet policy as ever be-
fore