Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-07-12
Stevens Bill.

ton Committee, reported the following bill
to the Lower House of Congress on the 9Th
inst
An Act supplementary to an act entitzed' an
act to prooide for the more efficient govern
maeat Of the rebel States passed March
I'd eighteen hundred and ss:rty- seren, and
the act supplementary thereto, passed
March 23d, eiqhteen huadred and si.rty-
seUen.
Be 1t enacted By the Senate and House Of
Representatives Of the United States Of
america IN Congress assembled, That it is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
and meaning of the acts of March second
and March twenty third eighteen hundred
and sixty seven, to which this act is sup
plement, that the governments then existing
in the rebel States Of Virginia, North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana. Florida, Texas and
Arkansas, were illegal and void; and that
thereafter said governments were to be
continued, subject in all respects to the
military commanders of the respective dis
tricts. and to the authority of Congress
only.
SECTION 2. Ind be itfurther enacted,
That the said acts to which this is supple
ment shall be construed to authorize the Off
Ger assigned to the command Of any military
district under said acts, whenever he shall
deem it necessary to the due performance of
his duties under said acts, to remove or sus-
pend from office any municipal or State Off
Ger, or person exercising authority under or
by virtue of any so-called State government
existing in his district, and to appoint any
other person in the stead Of the officer or
person so removed, if he shall deem proper
so to do, and to authorize the officer assigned
to the command Of any military district un-
der said acts. whenever he may deem it nee
essary as aforesaid, to prohibit, suspend, or
set aside, any act or preceding Of any such
State or municipal government, or any act
or thing done under or by virtue of its au-
thority it being the intention of said act
that during it's continuance the said so-called
State governments of the rebel States shall
be allowed to continue only as subordinate
to, and subject to the control of, the officers
assigned to the military districts aforesaid,
respectively, and to Congress; and all acts
heretofore done by any such officer in accor-
dance herewith shall be decmcd valid
SECTION 3. And be 1t further enacted,
That the boards of registration of the several
military districts established by the acts to
which this is additional shall admit to regis
tration only such persons as they deem enti-
tied to be registered by the acts aforesaid. -
They shall not regard the taking the oath
prescribed in the act Of March %, 1867.
conclusive evidence of the right of the per-
son taking it to be registered, but pri:ma
facie only, and may receive such evidence
under oath relating thereto as they may deem
proper, either from the person applying to
be registered or others, and either of the
members of said boards is hereby authorized
to administer oaths or anirmations and ex-
anime witnesses touching the right Of any
person to be registered. Said boards Of reg
istration may strike from the list Of voters
the name of any one already registered who
in their judgment, improperly took the oath
prescribed in the acts to which this is addi-
tional, or was not entitled by said acts to be
registered, and shall not be bound or gov
erned in their action by any opinion Of any
officer of the United States Government
Record evidence shall not be required by said
boards to prove participation IN the rebellion
| but parole evidence Of the fact Of such par
ticipation shall be deemed by said boards
| sufficient to effect the disfranchisement pro-
vided for by the acts to which this is addi-
| tional.
( SEcr1NN 4. And be 1t further enacted,
That no civil court of the United States, Or
of any State, shall have jurisdiction Of any
action or proceeding, civil or criminal,
against any such district commander. Or
any officer or person acting by his authority
for or on account of any act done by him in
his official capacity under this act or under
the acts to which it is supplementary wit:
the act named in the first section Of this act,
and the act of March twenty three, eighteen
hundred and sixty-sevan, supplementary
thereto.
SECTION S. and be 1T futher enacted, That
no district commander shall be relieved from
the command assigned to him under the afore-
said acts unless the Senate shall have first
advised and consented to his removal or un-
less by sentence of court martial he shall be
.cashiered or dismissed from the army or I'M
less he shall consent to be SO relieved.
SECTION 6. The time for the completion of
the registration Of persons properly qualified
to vote may be extended by order OF any OF
the said district commanders to any day prior
to the LIST day Of October, 1867
Mr.. Stevens accepted the following as an
additional section:
Any person who shall attempt to prevent
the execution Of this act shall be guilty Of
misdemeanor, and on conviction shall be La
BILE to fine of $4,000 or Imprisonment for
one year. The right of any person to regis
ter as legal voter shall in no respect be
changed or affected by the Presidents pardon
for participation in rebellion.
Mr.. Stevens moved the previous question !;
| and the House votes tomorrow at O'Clock.
GOVERNOR WELLS ABOUT TO BRING CoUN-
TER CHARGES AGAINST GENERAL SHERIFF !.
-New Orleans July 5.-Ex-Governor
Wells has prepared counter charges to the
letter Of General Sheridan as regards his dis
honesty, and will at once forward copies to
President johnson and Senator Trumbull,