The Daily clarion., 1867-05-05
The Milltary Goyernment Blll.

WHEREAS, No legal State governments o.
adeouate protection for life or property now
exists in the rebel States of Virginia, Nortl
Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Missis
sippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas 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 established
ther fore,
Be it enacted, &C., That said rebel States
shall be divided into military districts and
made subjectto the military authority Of the
United States. as hereinafter prescribed; and
for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the
first district, North Carolina and South Caro-
lima the second district, Georgia, Alabama and
Florida the third district Mississippi and AT.
kansas the fourth district, Louisiana and Tex
Sec q That 1t shall be the duty of the Pres
ident to assign to the command Of each Of said
Districts an officer Of the army not below the
rank of brigadier general, and to detail suf-
ficient military force to enable such officer to
perform his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.
Sec. g. That 1t shall be the duty of each off,
Ger assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons
in their rights of person and property, to sup
press insurrection, disorder and violence, and
to punish or causeto be punished all disturb
ers of the peace and criminals, and to this end
he may allow local civil tribunal, to takajuris-
dclioL of and try offenders, or, when in his
Judgment it may be necessary for the trial 0fof-
tenders, he shall have power to organize military
commission or tribunals for that purpose; and
all interference under color of State authority
with the exercise of military authority under
this act shall be null and void. LS.t.I
Sec. A. That all persons put under military
arrest by virtue of this act, shall be tried with
out unnecessary delay, and no cruel or unu-
sual punishment shall be inflicted; and no sem
tcnce of any military commission or tribunal
hereby authorized, effectng the life or liberty
of any person, shall be executed until it is ap
proved by the officer in command of the dis
trict; and the laws and regulations for the gov
ernment of the army shall not be effected by
this act, except in SO far as they may conflict
with its provisions
Sec. g. That when the people of any one of
the said 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-one years old and upward, of
whatever race, color or previous condition,
who have been residents in said State for
one year previous to the day of such cleo
tion, except such as may be disfranchised
for participation in the rebellion, or for felo-
ny at common law; and when such consti-
tutions shall provide that the elective fran
chise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as
have the qualifications herein stated, for
election of delegates /; and when uch con-
shall be ratified by majority of |
the persons voting on the question of ratif- |
cation who are qualified as electors for dele |
gates, and when such constitution shall have |
been submitted to Congress for examination |
and approval and Congress shall have APP
proved the same and when said State, by |
a vote its Legislature elected under said
constitution, shall have adopted the amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty-ninth Con-
gress, and known as article ID, and when
such article shall have become part of the
Constitution of the United States, said State
shall be declared entitled to representation
in Congress- and Senators and Representa-
lives shall be admitted therefrOm, on their
taking the oath prescribedlby law, and then
md thereafter the preceding sections of this
lct shall be imperative. u.
Provided, That no person excluded from
the privilege ofholding Office by said pro-
posed amendment to the Constitution of the
United States, shall be eligible to election as
\ member of the convention to frame con
Jtitution for any of said rebel States, nor
,hall any such person vote for members of
,ad convention.
Sec g. And be it further enacted, That
lntll the people OF Saiu repei oVates snall pe
ly law admitted to representation in the
Congress of the United States, any civil gov
which may exist therein, shall be
leemed provisional only, and in all respects
ubject to the paramount authority of the
United States at any time to abolish, modify,
control or supersede the same and in all
elections to any Office under such provision
Il governments, all persons shall be entitled
o vote undec the provisions of the fifth seo-
ion of this act and no persons shall be eli
,ible to any Office under any such provision
Il government, who would be disqualified
rom holding Office under the provisions of
he third article of said constitutional
amendment. 4