The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-23
RECONSTRUCTION.

| AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
| WHEREAS no legal State governments or ade
| quate protection for life or properly now exists
| in the rebel States of Virginia, Nortn-Caroilna
South- Carolina Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
Florida Texas Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas it 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,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
se,atatiues OF the United States Of america in Con-
gress assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority ofthc 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.
SEC. ,. aud be it further enacted, That it shall
be 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.
SEC. 3. and be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned afore-
said to protect all persons in their rights of per-
son and property, to suppress instruction, 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, 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. 4. Ind be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delays
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
ficted; and no sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
fbp or
ted until it is approved by the officer i'll command
of the district; and the laws and regulations for
the government of the Amy shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions Pioyided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions Of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President"
SEC s. Aud be it further 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 a
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 partic |
patton in the rebellion or for felony ut 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 the question of ratification who |
are qualified electors for delegates, and when I
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 otitS Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the |
amendment to the Constitution OF the United |
Suites proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and r.nOwn as article II, and when said article |
shall have become part of the Constitution of |
the United States said State shall be declared en-
titled representation in Congress and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the preceding sections of
Il is act shall be imperative in said State P,oyi-
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 member of the convention
to frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for mem |
bers of said convention.
SEC. 6. Ind be it further eaiacted That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law ad-
mitted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
and in all respects subject to the paramount all-
thOrty of the United States at any time to abol-
ish modify, control OF supcrsede the same and
in all elections to any office under such provs-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
act and 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 consti-
tutiOnal amendment.