The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1867-07-20
The Reconstruction Bill,

The explanatory Reconstruction bill was
reported in both Houses On Saturday from
the Conference Committee, and pissed in
each House by Il two. thirds vote. In the
| Senate the vote was ayes 81, nays d, Senator
Johnson voting with the majority. In the
House the vote was yeas 10, nays 90.
This bill declares that when Congress
| passed the acts OF last March. it then con.
| sidcred the governments existing in certain
Rebel States as illegal, and that they were,
| if continued, to be subject in all respects
| to 1.-THE military commanders OF the rcspec
| tive ''distiicts, and to the paramount author.
| ily ''of Congress-" ! his is certainly plain
enough for the most thick skulled head.
| Section second empowers the commander
| Of any district, subject to the disapproval OF
General Grant. to remove or suspend for
! cause, any official acting under these govern.
| ments. and TO detail some competent officer
Or soldier oil the army, or appoint some
other person to perform the duties of the
office vacated.
Section third invests the General of the
! armies of the United States with all the
powers oisnspension. removal, appointment
and detaching granted the district comman.
ders
! Section fourth confirms the action ofGen.
erals Sheridan, Sickles, Pope, Schofield
and Ord III all that they have already done
in removing disobedient, factiouS and rebel.
lious officials, and it makes it their impera,
tive duty to remove all who are disluyal, or
who shall use their influence to thwart the
purpose Of the acts Of reconstruction. In
this S'anbery's " opinion y has not bcne-
flied his friends to very LARGE extent. IN
the remaining sections it is provided that no
person shall lie registered unless the regis,
leriHg board shall decide him entitled there.
to; Also that no person who held any exc.
cu;ive. judicial or civil Office prior to, or n,
the conlmrn"rnient o! tbs Rebellion. and
who afterwards engaged in it, or gave il aid
or comfort, is entitled 10 he registered or to
| vote. ! Ii" time for registration IS extended
10 the first OF October, and the boards are
required TO assemble fourteen days before
any election, to revise and purge their lists
! Of i'll persons who may have been mnruner.
" registered.
1t is also explicitly stated that no person
shalt at any time be entitled to vote or re,
glstration nn pardon or amnesty obtained
from the President, the simple fact Of his
having such II document or documents in
his pocket being irretragable proof that he
is utterly disqualified by reason of faint
| his will 20 hard with Toombs, and others
OF his i|k, who are hoping to rest,rrect their
old party.
Had j. not been Cor the encouragement
given the rebellious heart, still beating
strongly in the South, by the President and
his Attorney General. the progress of re-
construction would not have been retarded,
nor would 1t have proven necessary ior Con.
gress to rcasscmhc this month. AS it was.
the opinion of Mr.. Stanbery made it al
absolute necessity that Congress should con
vene and settle the matter, by explaining,
to the satistac'ion of loyalists and the dis.
comfture Of the dsloyal, the true meaning
of its acts as passed in March In doing
this, it has laid down the law in manner
which cannot be misapprehcnde and it is
probable that NJ. Slanbery will not be
troubled by the President, or by suei. dis
placed Rebel officials as Governor Wells and
Mayor Monroe, for an "opinon'' respecting
its true intentions.