The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1867-08-07
the REcossrRrcrlox ACTS.

For tho information Of our readers, We repub'
lish the several Acts of Congress, bearing on the
subject of the reconstruction Of the South, and
also the proposed Constitutional Amendment re-
ferred to in the original Act.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR TIE aIoEE EFFICIENT Goy-
ERSMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
Whereas no legal State Governments or atic-
ouatc protection for life or property nov cNiS's IL
tGe rebel States of Virginia. North Carolina Souti
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Loulsi-
ana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas; and whereas, IL
is necessary that peace and good order siiottll "
enforced in said States until loyal and lepuD.ic IL
State Governments can be legally estaDhsheu'
Be At enacted by tle Senate and House OF Repre-
sento,iceS If the United &d!es Of An,ertca 90 oc1-
qrcss assembled, That said rcbol States saii DI u
Sidel INTO mil tary districts and made SUBJECT 10
to the military authority OF the United states; us
bercirafter prescribed; and for that purpose W.
ginia shall constitute the first districts North Saro
lima and South Carolina the second alstrict; Hecl
gia, Alabama and Florida the tnirH diStlca, IN sas
sippi and Arkansas tho fourth dstrlcs, anu LOU
isiaua and Texas the fifth district.
Src Q and be II further eRdcted That 1t shall be
the futy of the President to assign to the com
mand of each of said districts an officer OF the
army, not below tho rank 81 =. nahs
such officer to perform his duties and enforce his
authority within the district to which he is as
signed, ,.,.,.u,,
the duty Of each officer assigned as aforesaid 10
protect oil persons in their rights of person and
property to suppress insurrection. disorder ana
violence and TO punish, or cause to De punlsilGu
all disturbeIs Of the public peace and crlmlna'fs
and to this end he may allow local clvll trlDt!lus
to take jurisdiction of and try offenders, or, when
10 his judgment it may bo necessary Tor the trl
of Offenders, .e shall have power to organ&e MILL
tary commissions or tribunals 1or that pui pu3E,
and all interference under color 9f s;ane tbis
with the exercise OF military autnor'y "ao'i LILO
Act shall be null and Soid.
SEC. /, And be ii further enGc'ed Ihat an per- YER
sons put npder military arrest by virtue OF tns uc
shall be tired sitloQt unnecessary 9e!ay haa ~
cruel or unusual pnni shall Do lnn!cseo, ~
iribun Il hereby authorized affecting the life ?r
liberty of any person. shall be executed until ~ 10
approved by the officer in command ot the ms-
trict, and the laws and regulations Tor ths
ment of the army shall not oDscf DC Wb It's pro
visions Provided, That no sentence OF death
under the provisions OF this ast shall be carried
into effect without tie approval OF the President.
SEC. 5. And be u further 6aaete9; Ita1 EoI
States State shall have formed q constitution. of
government in conformity with the ConsSitu'
tion OF the United States in al respects,
framed by convention of delegates elected py the
male citizens Of said Stato tYenty-one years olu
and upward, Of whatever race, color, or previous
condition who have been resident in said stato ior
one wear previous to the day OF such electlon. c.
cent sncb ns NAV be isfranchised for participation
in the rebellion or for felony at common LAYS,
and when suah constitution shall provide
that that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed
" bv ali such persons as have the qualiii "a
tions herein stated for electors " aelegaGes;
and when such constitution shall be ratified
by a majority of tho persons voting g, on N
tho question Of ratification, VINO arc qit, quaiIiieu
L. F..I md
ton shall have been submitted to Congress 10T
examination and approval, and Congress shall
have approved the same, and when SAID state, py
vote OF its Legislature elected under said conatr
tution. shall have adopted the amendment to inc
Constitution of the United States, proposed by the
Thirty. Ninth Congress- and known as article four
teen and when said article shall have become o
part Of the Constitution OF the Untod States salu
State shall be declared entitled to repre- aentauon
in Congress and Senators and Representatives
sball be admitted thereErom on their taking the
oath prescribed by law, an then and Thereafter
the preceding sections Of this Get shall be lnopera-
tive in said State: Prortded, That no person cH,
cuded from the privilege OF holding ottco by s9ld
proposed amendment 10 the CONSTITUTION VI INC
United States shall be eligible to election as q
member OF the convention to frame constitution
for any of said rebel States shall any such per-
SON vote for members of such convention.
Sec 6. And be 1t further enacted, That until the
people of said rebel States shall be by law admit,
ted to representation in the Congress OF the United
States, any civil government which may exist
therein shall be deemed provisional only, and IN
all respects subject to the paramount authority OF
the United States at any Time to abolish, modify
control supersede the same and in all eloC5ofs
ali persons shall be entitled to vote, and none
Others who are entitled to vote under the PROV
visions Of the fifth section Of this act; and no per-
son 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 constitutional amendment
The following is the section Of the constitutional
amendment referred to in the preceding act;
SEE. 8. No person shall be a Senator or Repre-,
sentative in Congress-, elector OF President and
Vice President, or hold any Office, civil or military
under the United States, or under any State, who;
having previously taken an oath as member OF
Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or
as q member of any State Legislature or as an
executive or judicial officer Of any State, to sup,
port the Constitution Of the United States shall
have engaged in insurrection or rebellion AGAINST
the same, or given aid OF comfort to the enemies
thereof: but Congress may. by vote of two-thirds
Of each House, remove such disability.