The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-16
The Reconstruction Act.


The following is a correct copy of the act
"to provide for the more efficient govern
ment Of the rebel States" as it passed:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOV ERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade
quatc protection for life property now exists
IN the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas 1T is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es.
tabished; therefore,
scntatives OF the United States of Anerica in Con-
gTe$S assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made SUBJ
)ect TO the military authority Ofthe United States
as 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. 2. And be it, FURTHER enacted That If shall
be the duty OF the President to assign to the COM
mand of each of said districts an 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
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, 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 ali 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 oil
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay,
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
hictcd; and no sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or 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 they may conflict
with its provisions ProUided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval of the
President.
SEC ). And be it further enacted, That when
the people of any 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 years old and
upward, of whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
Tor one year previous TO the day OF SUCH election
except such 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 al
such persons have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when suct
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on the question of ratification who
are qualified rs electors for delegates, and when
such constitution shall have been submitted tC
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote ofits Legislature elect
cd under said constitution shall have dopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and fnown article IA, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution oil
the United States, said State shall be declared en-
titled to 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 Ptovi-
dcd, 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 MEN,
bers of said convention
SEC. g. And belt further enacted, 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 an
thority of the United States Mt any time to abol-
ish modify, control OF supersedc the same; and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
lonal governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who 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-
tutiOna1 amendment