The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-09-10
RECONSTRUCTION.

4 s 3 14
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE ,EFFI-
cIENT GovERNadENToF THE REBEL STATES.
a WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade-
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
| Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas lit is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State, governments can be legally es'
tablished; therefore, s...5...:,.s. -
sentatioes of the United States Of Ane,cd IN Con-
| gyess assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority of the United States,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall 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
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district:
SEQ. g. Amd6 be it further enacted That it shall
be the duty of the President to assign to the COM
mand of each of said district an officer OF the
army not below the rank OF brigadier general,
and to detail a sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which ne is
assigned.
SEC. 3. and be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as afore-
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per-
son and property, to suppress lnsurrection, DIS
order, and violence and to punish or cause TO be
punished all disturbers of the 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 commissions or tri-
bunals for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the eXer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SEC f. And be it further enacted That all
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
ofa Of 70 0n111.
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life liberty of any person, shall be execu-
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 /; P'Ovided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval of the
President.
SEC 5. Ind be it. further enacted, That when
the people Of any of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed q constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution of the
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 have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day of such election
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and wiIe s;.ch constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on the question of ratification who
are qualified as electors for delegates, and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote ofitS Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty-Ninth Congress,
Ind Lnown as article IA, and when said article
shall have becomes part of the Constitution of
he United States, said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress. and Senators
md Representatives shall be admitted thcrerom
IN their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
hen and thereafter the preceding sections of
lis act shall be imperative in said State Pr0Ui-
led, That no person excluded from the privilege
If holding Office by said proposed amendment to
he Constitution of the United States shall be
ligible to election as member of the convention
o frame constitution for any of said rebel
tates, nor shall any such person vote for men,
ers Of said convention.
SEC. &. Ind be it further enacted That until
he people of said rebel States shall be- by law ad-
litted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which may
Xist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
nd in all respects subject to the paramount al-
nority of the United States at any time to abol-
lI modify, control OF supcrsede the same; and
all elections to any office under such provis-
,nal governments all persons shall be entitled to
ote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
nder the provisions of the fifth section of this
ct and no person shall be eligible to any Office
nder any such provisional governments who |
oud be disqualified from holding Office under |
provisions of the third article of said consti-
ltional amendment.