The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-07-10
The lSccoustr rsc,ion Laws.


TO obtain ucururc copies:
TIE RECONSTRUCTION ACT.
AN ACT to provide for the more efficient
gr,,r Iment OF the rebel States. [Pass.
ei over the Presidents Veto, March I'd,
1857
WusRrAs no legal State government. or
adequate protection for life or property
now EXISTS in the rebel Stnte- of Eirrin
ia, North CaroIina, Soath Carolina, Geor
gs. MisssSiupi, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, ard Arkan.a-; and
whereas. II iN necessary that peace and
gnoi orirr should oe enforced lu snch
States until LOYAL and Republican State
Governments can be leg ,lly established
Therefore,
Re- it enacted hy the Spnn'e md House
Of REPRESENT atives Of the United States If
America in Congress- assembled. That said
rebcl States shall be divided into mil ary
districts and Innde suhjrct to the military
authority Of the United States aS hrr,yn
after prescribed, and for that purpose Vrr-
Giniu .hall constitute the fist district
North Cnrnliua and South Carolina the
second djS'rct; Georgia. Alahumt ard
Florida, tie third district; Mississippi and
Arkansas the fourth district; aud l.Ouislu
na aud Texas the hfh dis rict
SEC. .. And be il further enacted. That
II shalt be the dutt Of tn. President 10 ~
sign to the c"mmprd IF each of ~ais dis,
trctS an Officer Of the army. not below the
rank or NrigAdicr general ami to detail n
sufficient milt,rv free To eurhl" surh chi
Ger To nerforn his duties aud enforce his
authority within The district 10 winch he is
assigned.
See 3 And he it further cnactcd, That
it shall he the duty Of each officer assign
ed ns aforesaid 10 project nli persons in
:k,Nr r,"hts Of person and property to suu
press insure, rr"n, disorder and violence.
ard I" punish or cause To- be punished all
disYIhcrs of the public peace ur d crimr
nnlS. md 10 this eui hr may allow local
civil tribunals to take jnri>dicrion "f and Ia
try offenders. or, when in his Judgment il
may he necrs~Nr, for the trial "f "llrndrrs
hc shall have pon"r I" organize military
commissions or tribunals for That rlrpn-r.
ard all irtcrf.rrnce under color Of S,str
authority, with ,he rA"rri>" Of military au
thority under this act, shall bc null aud
"uii
See i. Ard Be it further enacted, That
nl persons put under military arr.-t bv
virtue Of lis act shall hc tried without nm
n"cr~-arv dcl,v, urd no cruel or unusua!
punishment sHal be- ll.rtrd AID ~ sen
tr"ce e any mii'ar, commi- sion or trihu
nal h"rrb, arrh"rizrG. ah,riirg the li'r or
liberty ur any p"r-uu. sinai! b. rrNryu'ed nm
I'll il - Hprruvcd hy the officer IN command
f TIA" district. ard the laws and rruuliiinn-
of the g"v"rumru, of trc AMY suhl tot
hr ril"r'rd by Ihl~ act. except in - inr n
lh"N conflict In is Ir"'lS'"n" Prov i'lrd
nat u" s"N'"nc" CT h"'In' nnd'r the pr"
Visions "t THIS act, shall h" carried iriD rf
trct without u" approval ot the President.
20 3 Ard h.. it fur. her rnar,.I Th,,
" hen the people of any s,iI r.h.l St,,..
,la}! have rrurd Il constitution of rn,,rn
mrrt in rnu!utnily with the Cnu,iii,Iior
of the Unitri States IN 81. respects. framed
hv Il convection "f dcIrgat"s elected hv the
male cIlIZ of said State. tAeuiy one
Years old ana upwards, OF W ,atcvrr rnrr.
e" or or prrNI"u- condition. vino have h,rr
resident in said Stat" ;nr IN" year prev ions
70 the dnV a. such election. cXrcri such ~
may ho di-ii"nchIS'd for Anticipation in
ih" rvh"iIi"h. or Tor felony ri common lave
""d ""rn 'p'h constitution sh"il prJv,d..
i'h' III" t'rc'I'e I'"h'hl~" shhli be rnIOyCd
bY al NHrh p"ftn"~ - have the Qn,i,ct
"''" '"' ''Y'"'S "I Delegates
''''''" s""" D" raw
- ~ .r ''e PERSONS '""hg on
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nr 49, ~; 'I,',,,. '"'1' Nv 'o'e
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I's amen"
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- of ,,i I'I''.'' nc P'ec'"'ne
ssid G'o,o 10y S''r,, .r, os Iu"Pe'"uVr IN
.,I's,,t S'or, 49,, ,,si'.ii "-' y" pe'Ao" sH