The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1867-02-20
The Situation.

1ne~Loulslana Territorial bill of Elliot
has passed the House by large major
ity, and is in. the Senate awaiting only
the lapse Of time under the rules of the
body, to be acted upon there; and the
Military bill Of Stevens, the success of
which, two days ago, threw the great
madman into 'spasms of delight, has ta-
ken the same course. AS the latter will
undoubtedly become law, and change
the present condition Of affairs, We lay it
before our readers
BILL TO PROVIDE FOR TIE MORE EFFICIENT
GOVERNMENT OF TIE 1NsURRECTIoNARY
STATES.
Whereas the pretended State Govern
ments of the late so-called Confederate
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansas
were set up without the sanction of the
people and
Whereas, The so pretended Govern
ments afford no adequate protection for
life or property, and countenance and en-
courage lawlcssness and crime and
Whereas, It is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced in the
so-called States, until loyal and Republi-
can State Government can be legally es-
tablished therefore,
Belt enacted BY the Senate and House
of Representatives Of the United States
Of America in Congress assembled, That
the s0-called States shall be divided in
military districts and made subject to
the military authority of the United
States, as hereinafter prescribed; and
for that purpose Virginia shall llconstitute
the lst District; North Carolina and
South Carolina the 2I District; Georgia,
Alabama ard Florida the Sd District !;
Mississippi and Arkansas the 4th Dis
trict, and Louisiana the 5th District.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted,
That it shall be the duty OF the General
Of the Army to assign to the command
of each of said Districts an officer of the
Regular army not below the rank Of
Brigadier General, and to detail sufi-
cient military force to enable such officer
to perform his duties and enforce his au-
thority in the district 20 which he is as
signed.
Sec. 5 And be il further enacted, That
it shall be the duty of each officer as
signed as aforesaid to protect all persons
in their rights of person and property,
10 suppress insurrection, disorder and
violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all disturbers Of the public
peace and criminals .; and to this end he
may allow: civil tribunals to take juris-
diction of and to try offenders, or when.
in his judgment, it may be necessary for
the trial of offenders. he shall have pow
er to organize military commissions or
tribunals for that purpose, anything in
the Constitution and laws of the SO called
States to the contrary Notwithstanding,
and all legislative and judicial proceed
ings or processes to prevent or control
the proceedings of said military tribu-
nails, aad all inter ference by said pretend
ed State Governments with the exercise
of military authority under this Act, shall
be void and ofno effect.
Sec:- 4. And be it further enacted,
That the Courts and judicial officers of
the United States shall not Issue writS of
habeas corpus in behalf of persons in
military custody, unless some Commis,
sioner or person on duty in the district
wherein the person is detained shall en-
dorse upon said petition statement GER
tifYing npon honor, that he has knowl-
edge or information as to the cause and
circumstances of the alleged detention,
and that he believes the same to be wrong
ful, and further, that he believes that the
endorsed petition is preferred in good
faith and in furtherance of justice, and
not to hinder or delay the punishment Of
crime. All persons put under military
arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried
without unnecessary delay, and no cruel
punishment shall be inflicted.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted,
That no sentence of any Military Com
mission, or tribunal, hereby authorized,
affecting the life or liberty of any person,
shall be executed until it is approved by
the superior officer in command of the
Distri:t, and the laws and regulations
for the government cf the army shall
not be affected by this act, except in so
far as they conflict with it's provisions. !"