The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-10-19
RECONSTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
cIpNr aovERNmENT OF THE REBE Ell STATES

81
cIENT GoyERNMEN1, OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHpRE,s, o1eea, state governments or ade-
ouatrTprutection forfife or property now exists
in the Rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Loulslan,,
Florida Texas Mississippi aud Arkansas, ana
whereas il is necessary that peace and good ordeT
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
+, publican State governments can be legally es
tablishcd; therefore, ..-- ..-. .
Be it enacted by the Senate aud Hoatse Of Repre-
sentatiees OF tie United States Of ADle'icu IN Con-
g,ess assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ect tothe military authority OF the nited states,
as lsprescribed, and for that purpose.
Virginia shall constitute the frstdistrct y nth
Carolina and South-Carolina the second district;
Georgia Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SEC. 2. .4ndbe 1t further enacted, That it shall
he the duty of the President to assign to the COM
mand of each of said districts ali 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 ~ :,
shall be the duty OF each officer ass gned as afore-
said to protect ALI persons in their rights OF per-
son and property, to suppress nsurrcction, dis
order and violence, and 10 punish or cause TO DC
punished all disturbers ofsth public peace and
criminals and TO this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and try
offenders, or when in hi Judgment 1t may be-
necessary fer the trial OF offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
bunais for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the eNer-
else of military authority under tits act shall be
null and void. "a 81. -.,.. -.
SEC T. And be it .finfAe' enacted, That al
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
fictcd and no sentence OF any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
Ia If il he IL
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district and the laws and regulations for
the government OF the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in SO far as they may conflict
with its provisions POridc3, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carrie, into effect without. the approval OF the
President. r. ---
SEC 3. And be H.tuy91tcr enacted, That when
the people of any one OF the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution OF the
United States in all respects, framed by
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty-One Years old and
upward, OF whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who nave been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day OF such election
except such Us may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on the question OF ratification who
qualified lis electors for delegates, and when
SUCH constitution snail have been submitted to
Congress for examination and APPROVAL and
Congress shall have approved the salne; and
when said State, by vote offs Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment TO the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and I.nOWn as article II, and when said article
shall have become a part OF the Constitution OF
the United States, said State shall be declared en-
and Representatives shall be admitted theretrom
on theiI taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF
Il is act shall he imperative in said State POyi
ded, That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the United States shall be
eligible to election as a member of the convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall anV such person vote tor menl-
bers of said convention.
SEC. =. Ina belt .T'tthrr e1acted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law adj
mittcd TO representation il the Congress of the
r. United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall DE deemed provisional only
and in all respects subject to the paramount al-
thority of the United States at any time to abo-
ish modify, control OF superscdc the same; and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote |
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act +; and no person shall be eligible to any office
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
the provisions of the third article of said const
tutional amendment.