Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1867-02-21
The Bill for Government of the South.


The following is o copy of the bill reported
| from the Joint Committee on Reconstruction
by Hon. Thaddeus Stevens as it passed the
| House of Representatives on Wednesday 18TH
A Blu to provide for the more efficient go
vernment of the nsurrectionary States.
Whereas the pretended State governments OF
! the late so-caled Confederate States of Virgin
ia. North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
| Mississippi. Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Tex
| as and Arkansas were set up without the au-
thority of Congress and without the sanction of
the people; and whereas said pretended 60
vernments afford no adequate protection for
! life or property, but countenance and encour-
ace lawlessness and crime; and whereas it is
necessary that peace and good order should be
enforced in said so-called States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally
establiShed therefore,
! Be IL enacted BIZ the Senate and House OF
| REPRESENTATIVES of the United States of Ameri-
ca IN CONGRESS assembled, That said late So
called Confederate States shall be divided into
military districts and made subject to the mill
tary authority of the United States as hereinaf-
ter prescribed, and for that purpose Virginia
shall constitute the first district North Caro-
| lima and South Carolina the second district !;
! Georgia, Alabama, Florida the third district !;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district,
and Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
Sec. =. A,,a be II further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of the general of the army to
assign to the command of each of said districts
an officer of tie army, not below the rank Of
brigadier general and to detail a sufficient mil
itary force to enable such officer to perform his
duties and enforce his authority within the dis
tfict to which he is assigned.
Sec. 3. And be IL further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as a.
foresaid to protect all persons in their rights OF
person and property, to suppress lnsurrection,
disorder and violence, and to punish, or cause
to be punished, all dsturbers OF the public
peace aud criminals. and to this end he may al
low local civil tribunals to take jurisdiction Of
and to try Offenders, or, when in his judgment
it may be necessary for the trial of offenders,
| he shall have power to organize military COM
missions or tribunals for that purpose, anything
in the constitution and laws of any of the So
called Confederate States 10 the contrary not
withstandiug: and all legislative or judicial
proceedings or processes to prevent or control
;he proceedings of said military tribunals, and
all interference by said pretended State govern
ments with the exercise of military authority
under this act. shall be void and of no effect.
Sec. A. indie II further enacted, Thatcourts
and judicial officers of the United States shall
not issue wyits of habecs corpus in behalf of
persons in military custody, except in cases in
which the person is held to answer only for
crime or crimes exclusively within the jnrisdic-
ton of the courts of the United States within
said military districts, and indctable therein,
or unless some commissioned officer on duty IN
the district wherein the person Is detained shall
endorse upon said petition statement certify
ing upon honor that he has knowledge or lnior-
nation as to the cause and circumstances OF the
alleged detention, and that he believes the same
to be wrongful and further, that he believes
that the endorsed petition is preferred in good
faith and in furtherance of justice, and not to
hinder or delay the punishment of crime. All
persons put under military arrest by virtue of
this act Shall be tried without unnecessary de-
lay. and no cruel or unusual punishment shall
be inflicted
Sec. 5. and be It further enacted, That no
sentence of any military commission or tribu-
nal hereby authorized affecting the life or lib
erty of any person shall be executed until it Is
approved by the officer in command of the dis
trict, and the laws and regulations for tie 60
vernment of the army shall not be affected by
this act except in so far as the conflict with its
provisions.