The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1867-07-24

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THE REcoSsTRucrlos ACT.
| AN ACT 10 provide for the more efficient
government Of the rebel States TPass
ed over the President's Veto, March I'd,
1867
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or
adequate protection for life or property
! now exists In the rebel States Of Virgin.
| Ia, North tarolins, South Carolina, Geor
gin. Mississiop Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, and ArkanSa- and
! whereas. it is necessary that peace and
| good orier should De enforced in such
| States until loya! and Republican State
Governments can be legally established /:
| Therefore.
Be it enacted by the S-na's and House
Of Represent atives Of the United State. of
| America in Congress- assembled. That said
| rebel States shall be divided into mill nrv
| districts and made subject 10 the military
authority Of the United States. NJ herein
nfter prescribed, and for that purpose Vir.
ginia ,hall constitute the first district :;
North Carolina and South Carolina the
second district; Georgia. Alabama and
Florida, the third district; Mississippi and
Arkansas the fourth district; and louisa
ma and Texas the fifth dis rict
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That
| Il shall be the duty Of The President TO n.
| sign TO the command Of each OF Ss;i dis,
trlcts an officer Of the army. not below the
rank Uf Brigadicr general, and to detail a
! sufficient military fnrce to enable such cffi
Ger To perfor n his duties and enforce his
authority within the district in which he is
assigned.
Sec. 8 And be il further enacted, That
it shall be the duty Of each officer assign
| ed M aforesaid To protect all persons in
their rights Of person and property. to sup
press insurrsLtion; disorder and violence.
and to punish or cause to be punished all
disiurbers Of the public peace ard crimi
nails, and TO this end he NAV allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and 10
| try offenders, or, when in his Judgment il
may he necessary for the trial of offenders.
he shall have power to organize military
| commissions or tribunals for that q Irpose,
and all interference. under color Of Stst.
authority with The exercise of military an
| lhority Under this act, shall be null and
void
Sec 4, Ard be il furihet enacted, That
all PERSONS put under milirar" arrest by
virtue OF this nct'shnIl be tried without un
necessary DELAY. and no cruel or unushal
punishment shull be Inflicted and NJ sen
tence IF anv miiiiar. commission or iribu
nal hereby authorized, affecting the liz or
liberty Of any person. shal! be rkrcuted un
tIl it is approved bv the officer iu command
II the district, and the laws aud regulations
OF the government Of the army shall cot
oe effected by this art. except in 40 Ear ~
they conflict In its provisions. Provided
That no sentence Of death, und-r the pro
visions OF this net, shall he carried iuto .f
feet without the approval Of the President
Sec. 8. And be it fur he, enarted, That
When the people Of anv said rebel States
shal, have formed n constitution of ,sovrrn
ment in conformity with the Constitution
of the United States in ali respects, frnmed
by aconve"ti"n of Delegates elected by the
male citizens of said State, twenty one
wears old and upwards, OF W ,atev.r race.
color or prcvi"ns condition. who have bee,
resident In said State FOR one year prev nm.
10 the day Of such election. exrept such ,s
may bo dsf'anchisrd for participation in
the rebellion, or for felony at common Ia~ ;
and when surh constitution shnlI pJ,yid..
that the ELECTIVE franchi-e shall be- .nt0yrd
by all such p-rso ~ as have the on ,ifica
iiuns herein stated for electors nf Delegates;
and when s"ch constitution shalt be- rnii
fled by a mnjurity Of the persons soting on
the question of ratification, who rr. 1uni
fled ~ electors for delegates : and when
such Constitution shall have been submit.
ted TO Congress- for -Saslnai,on md appro
val. and Congress shall have approved the
same and when the said State, by a vote
OF it's Legislature. elected under sad con
sntuton, shal! have adopted the amend
mrnt TO the cnnsiitutiun Of the United
States, proposed by The Thirtv-ninth Con
gress. ard hn""n a8 article fourteen; aud
when snid article shall have becomes a pnrt
Of tie consthution Of The United Stntes.
said Stale shall be DECLARED entitled 10 rep
resen .a:On in Congress, and Senators and
Representatives, shall be admitted there
on, on ihslr taking the oath pre.cribrd by
law and then and thereafter tn. preceding
sections OF this act shall be imperative in
said State. Provided, That no perkon ps
cIuded from The privilege Of holding Office
bv said amendment TO the constitution Of
the United States shall be sliybls 10 cleo
ton a. member Of the convention to
frans n constitution for any OF said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for
members Of such Convention.
Sec. s And be il further enacted. That
until the people Of said rebel States shall
he bv law rdmitted 10 representation in
the Congress Of the United States, any civ
il government which may exist therein
shall be deemed provisional only. and IN all
respects subject TO the paramount authori
~ Of the United States at any time to nbnI
ish. modify. control or -up p'rseds the same !;
and in all elections to any office under such
provisional governments all persons -hall
bo entitled TO vote, and none others. who
are entitled to vote under the provisions of
the fifth section OF this aet and no pers"n
shall be eligible. to any office under such
provi-ionn' governments who would be die,
qualified from holding Office under ihe pro
visions If the third article Of said consrtu. i.
tional amendment
SCHUYLER COLFAX,
Speaker ficnse Of Representatives..
LAFAYETTE \ FOSTER.
President Of the Senate, pro TEN,