Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-02-19
RECONSTRUCTION.
Passage by the Senate of a Substitute
for stevens Military Plan for Gov
ernlmE the South.

Passage by the Senate of a Substitute
for Stevens Military Plan for Gov.
ernlng the South.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE following
is a synopsis of Mr.. Sherman's substitute
for Mr.. Stevens bill, as itpassed the Senate:
The preamble declares that mo legal State
governments, adequate for the protection of
life or property exists in the Bebel States Of
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, and Arkansas, and that it is
necessary that peace and good order should
be enforced until loyal and republican State
governments can be legally established
The first section divides the States
named into five military districts, as in the
original bill.
Section two makes it the duty of the
President to assign the command of each
district to an officer of the army, not below
the rank Of Major General, and to detail
sufficient military force to enforce his au-
thority in the district.
Section three makes it the duty of such
officer to protect ell persons in their rights
Of person and property, to suppress insur-
rection, disorder or violence, and to punish,
or cause to be punished, all disturbers OF
the public peace and criminals. He may
allow local civil tribunals to try and punish
ottenses, or organize commissions or tribu-
nails for that purpose All interference by
State authority is declared null and void
Section four provides that all persons
arrested shall be tried without unnecessary
delay. No cruel or unusual punishment
shall be inflicted, and no sentence on life or
liberty shall be executed until approved by
the commander of the district.
Section FIVE provides that when the peo-
pie of any one of said States shall have
formed a constitution and government in
conformity to the constitution of the United
States in all respects framed by conven-
ton of delegates elected by the male citi-
zens of said State, for one year previous to
the election, except such as may be dis
tranchised for participation in the rebellion,
or for felony at the common law, and when
such constitution shall provide that the
elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualification
herein stated for the election of dele
gates, and when such constitution shall
be ratified By a majority of persons
voting on the question of ratification,
who are qualified az electors for delegates,
anu SuCh COilhtltutlOu SNAIL nave Deen SUD-
mitted to Congress for examination and
approval, and Congress shall have APP
proved the same, and when said State, by a
vote of its Legislature elected under said
constitution, shall have adopted the amend
ment 10 the constitution of the United
States proposed by the thirty-ninth Con-
gress, and known as article IA, and when
said article shall be declared part of the
constitution of the United States, the said
State shall be declared entitled to repre-
sentation in Congress, and Senators and
Representatives shall be admitted there
from, on taking the oath prescribed by law
Then and thereafter the preceding sections
of this actshall be imperative in said State.
The sixth section provides that sentence
of death under this act shall not be carried
into execution, without the approval of the
praci1apf