The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-07-11
Another Reeon,truction Act.

The following is the full text of the Bill
agreed upon by the House Judiciary Commit
tee, and offered by Mr.. STEVENS on Monday
last: ..t..-.. :
AN ACT supplementary to an Act entitled an
Act to provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States, passed March 2,
1867, and the Act supplementary thereto,
passed March 23 1867. $50
Be nenactea By The Senate and House of Repre-
sentatucs of the United States of america, in Con-
gress assembled, That it is hereby declared to
have been the true intent and meaning of the
Acts of March 2 and March %, 1867, to which
this Act is supplement. that governments
then existing in the rebel States of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas
and Arkansas, were illegal, and void, and that
thereafter said governments were; to be con-
tinued Subject in all respects to the military
commanders Of the respective districts and to
the authority of Congress only.
: Sec. 2. Andbe ii further enacted, That said
acts, to which this is a supplement, shall be
construed to authorize the officer assigned to
the command of any military district under
said acts, whenever he shall deem it necessary
to the due performance of his duties under
said acts, to remove or suspend from office any
municipal or State officer, or person exercising
authority under or by virtue Of any so-called
State Government existing in his district and
to appoint another person instead of the officer
or person, so removed, if he shall deem proper
SO to do, and to authorize the officer assigned
to the command Of any military district under
said acts, whenever he may deem it necessary
as aforesaid, TO prohibit, suspend or set aside,
any asts or proceeding Of any such State or
municipal government, or any act or thing
done under or by virtue of its authority; it
being the intention of said ctthat during its
continuance, said so-called State Governments
of the Rebel States shall be allowed to continue
only as subordinate to, and subject to the con-
troll of the officers assigned to the military dis
tricts aforesaid respectively, and to Congress; J;
and oil acts heretofore done by any such Of
fcer in accordance herewith shall be deemed
valid.
Sec 3. .And be it further enacted, That the
boards of registration of the several military
districts, established by the acts to which this
is additional, shall admit to registration only
such persons as they deem entitled to be regis
tered by the acts aforesaid. They shall not re-
gard the taking of the oath prescribed in the
act of March 90, 1867, conclusive evidence Of
the right of the person taking it to be register
ed, but prima tacie only; and may receive such
evidence under oath, relating thereto as they
may deem proper, either from the person ap-
plying to be registered or others, and either of
the members of said boards are hereby author
lied to administer oaths or afirmations, and
examine witnesses touching the right Of any
person to be registered. Said boards of regis
tration may strike from the list of voters the
name of any one already mentioned who, in
their judgment, improperly took the oath pre-
scribed in The act, to which this is additional,
or was not entitled by said acts to be register
ed, and shall not be bound or governed in their
action by any opinion of any officer of the Unit
cd States Government Record evidence shall
not be required by said boards to prove parti-
cipation in the rebellion, but parole evidence
of fact of such participation shall be deemed by
said boards sufficient to effect the disfranchise
ment provided for by the acts to which this is
additional.
Sec. 4. And 5e it further enacted, That no
civil court of the United States, or of any State,
shall have jurisdiction Of any action or pro-
ceeding, civil or criminal; against any such
District Commander, or any officer or person
acting by his authority, for or on account of
any act done by him in his official capacity
under this act, or under the acts to which it is
supplementary, to wit, the act named in the
stsection Of this act, and the act of March
2S 1867, supplementary thereto.
SEC. g. And be 1t further enacted, That NO
District Commander shall be relieved from the
command assigned TO him under the aforesaid
acts unless the Senate shall have first advised
and consented to his removal, or unless by SEN
tence of court-martial he shall be cashiered OF
dismissed from the army, or unless he shall
consent to be so relieved.