The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-13
The Reconstruction Act.


The following is a correct copy of the act
"to provide for the more efhclent govern
ment of the rebel States" as itpassed:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade-
uuate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi 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 es'
tablished; therefore,
Be it enacted By the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatives of the United States of america IN Con-
qreSs assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority ofthe United States,
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. Andbe it further enacted, That it 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. 8. Ind 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 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 all interference
under color of State authority with the exer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void
SEC T. And be it farther enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
hicted; 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 as they may conflict
with its provisions Provided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval of the
President
SEC. 5. And be n.further enacted, That when
the people of any ofthe aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution of the |
United States in all respects, framed by a
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 resident in said State |
for one year previous to the day of such election,
except such may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
pationin the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide |
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on the question OF ratification who
are qualified as electors for delegates, and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State, by vote OfitS Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and hnown as article IA, and when said article
shall have become a part OF the Constitution OF
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 proceeding sections OF
IL is act shall be imperative in said State POvi
ded 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 a constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for mem
bers of said convention.
SEC. 6. Ind bel 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 au-
thority of the United States at any time to abOl-
iSh modify, control OF SuperSede the same !; and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are 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 cOnSti
tutional amendment.