The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1867-02-28
ReconstructIOnI

4 -
Houses of Congress:
Whereas, No legal State governments
or adequate protection for life or property
now exist in the rebel States of Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida,
Texas, and Arkansas and schereas, it is
necessary that peace aud good order
should be enforced IN said States until
! loyal and republican State governments
can be legally established therefore
Be 1t enacted. &C., That said rebel
States shall be divided into military dis
tricts aud made subject to the military
authority of the United States, as herein
after mentioned aud for that purpose,
Virginia shall constitute the First District,
North Carolina and South Carolina the
Second District, Georgia, Alabams aad
Florida the Third District, Mississippi
and Arkansas the Fourth District, and
Louisiana aud Texas the Fifth District
SEC. 2. That it shall DE the duty of the
President to assign to the command of
each of said. districts an officer of the
army not below the rank of Brigadier
General, and to detail sufficient military
force to enable such officer to perform his
duties and enforce his authority within
the district to which he is assigned.
SEC. 3. That it shall be the duty Of
each officer assigned as aforesaid to protect
all persons in their rights of person aud
property, to suppress insurrection, disor-
de: and violence, and to punish or cause
TO be punished all 6isturbers Of she public
peace and criminals and to this end he
may allow local civil tribunals to take
jurisdiction of and try offenders, or, when
in his judgment it may be necessary for
the trial of offenders, he shall have power
to organize military committees or tTibu-
aals fer that purpose and all interference
under color Of State authority with the
exercise of military authority under this
act shall be null aud void.
SEC. 4. That all persons put under mil
itary arrest by virtue of this net shall be
tried without unnecessary delay, and no
cruel or unusual punishment shall be
Inflicted, and no sentence of any military
commission or tribunal hereby authorized
affecting the life or liberty of any person
shall be executed until it is approved By
the officer in commend of the district
| and the laws and regulations for the gov
ernment of the army shall not be affected
by this act, except In SO far as they may
coDfiict with it's provisions. Provided,
That o sentence of death under this act
shall be carried into execution without the
approval of the President a., ~
SEC. 5. When the people of any one Of
said rebel States shall have formed
constitution and government in conformity
with the Constitution Of the United States
in all respects, framed by a convention Of
delegates elected BY the male citizens Of
said State 81 years old and upward,
OF whatever race, color, or previous condi-
ton, who have been resident in said State
:or one year previous to the day of such
election, except such as may be disfran-
ohised for participation in the rebellion
or for felony at common law, and when
such constitution shall provide that the
elective' franchise shall De enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications
herein stated for electors of delegates, and
when such constitution shall be ratified by
Q majority of persons voting on the ques-
tion of ratification who are qualified as
electors for delegates, and when such con-
stitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval,
aud Congress shall have approved the
same, and when said State by vote OF
its Legislature elected under said Coutti-
tuition shall have adopted the amendment
to the Constitution of the United States
proposed by the XXXIXth Congress, and
known rs Article IA, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution
of the United States, said State shall be
declared entitled to representation in Con.
gress, aud Senators and Representatives
shall be admitted therefrom on their
taking the oath prescribed by Law, and
then and thereafter the preceding sections
of this act shall be imperative in said
State. Provided, That no person excluded
from the privilege of holding Office by
said proposed amendment to the Consti-
tuition of the United States shall be eligi-
bic to election as . member of the Con-
vention TO frame q constitution for any of
said rebel States, nor ehall any such per-
son vote for members of such Convention
SEc.i g.. And be At further enacted, That
until the people of the said rebel States
shall BY law be admitted to representation
to the Congress of the Uuited States, all
civil governments that may exist therein
shall be deemed provisional only, aud shall
be in sllrespects subject to the paramount
authority of the United States, at any
time to abolish, modify, control, and
supersede the same, aud in all elections to-
any Office under such provisional govern
ments all persons shall be entitled to vote
under the provisions of the fifth section of
this act And no person shall be eligible
to any Office under such provisional gov
ernmsnts who would be disqualified from