The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-02
The Reconstruction Act.

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The following is a correct copy of the act
/" to provide for the more efficient govern
ment of the rebel States" rs it passed: -
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE Eff
CIENr GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ado
quate 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 eniorcedin said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally
tabshcd; therefore,
BE it enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
scntatiues Of the United States Of 4,nerica in Con
greSS assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made SUBJ
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. p Ahd6e it further enacted, That it shall
be the duty of the President TO assign to the COM
mand Of each of said Districts 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 farther enacted That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned afore
said to protect all persons in their rights Of per-
son and property, to suppress insnrrection, dis
order, and violence and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbcrs 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 tri-
bunals for that purpose; and all interference
under color of State authority with the eIer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SHc. 4. And be it further 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 cxecu-
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 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 it further enacted, That when
the people of any fthe aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed a constitution of government
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 as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici
patton i'll 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 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 rs 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 article II, and when said article
shall have becomes part of the Constitution of
the United States, said State shall be declared
titled to representation in Congress- and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted thercfrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law and
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
ills act shall be imperative in said State Provi-
ded, That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution of the United States shall be
to frame constitution for any Of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for MEM
bers of said convention.
SEC. 6. And be it 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 all
thority of the United States at any time to abol
ish modify, control OF superscde the same and
in all elections to any Office under such provs-
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 consi
tutional amendment.
Supplementary Reconstruction Bill.
The following is copy Of the bill as it |
finally passed both Houses:
an act supplemental to an act entitled an oct |
to proride for the more efficient government
of the rebel States, passed March 2, 1867,
and to facilitate restoration
BE it enacted, DC. That before the 1st day |
of September, 1867, the commanding general !
in each district defined by an act entitled |
An act to provide for the more efficient gov
eminent of the rebel States" approved |
March second, eighteen hundred and sixty
seven, shall cause registration to be made |
of the male citizens of the United States
twenty-one years of age and upwards, resi-
dent in each county or parish, in the State
or States included in his district, which reg
istration will include only those persons who
are qualified to vote for delegate, by the
i, l.