The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-05
RECONSTRUCTION.


ed both Houses:
SEC. 1. Be 1t enneted By the Senate and
House of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States
or 4mericz IN Coaqress assembled That it is
hereby declared to have been the true intent
and meaning OF the act of March I'd, A d..
1867. entitled an act to provide for the more
efficient Government of the rebel States,
and of the act supplementary thereto, passed
on the 23d day of March, in the year 1907,
that the governments, then existing IN the
rebel States of Virginia, North-Carollna,
South Carolina Georgia, Mississippi, Ala
bama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Afkan-
sas. were illegal aud void, and thereafter the
same governments, if continued, were 10 De
continued subject in all respects tn the Mill
tary Commanders of the respective Dlstrlcts
and to the authority of Congress
SEC. 2. And be it further o'tacted, That the
commander of any district named in said act
shall have power, subject to the approval OF
the General of the armies of the United
States. to have effect till d1sapproVed,
whenever in the opinion OF such COM
mander the proper administration or SAID
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from olSce or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise OF offlclai
powers, any officer or person holding or eA-
ercising, or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty III such
district under any power, election, appoint
ment or authority derived from or granted
by. or claimed under any so-called State or
the government thereof, or any municipal or
other division thereof, and upon such sus-
pension or removal such commander, subject
to the approval of the General aforesaid,
shall have power to provide from time to
time fol the performance OF the said duties
of such officer or person. so suspended or re-
moved. by the detail OF some competent Of
ficer or soldier of the army or by the ap-
pointment of some other person to perform
the same, and to fill vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. Ind be it further eaacte2, That
the General of the armies of the United
States shall be invested with all the power of
suspension, removal, appointment and detail
granted in the preceding section to district
commanders.
Sec. 4. And be 1t furiber ennstet That
the acts of the officers of the army already
done in removing in said districts persons
exercising the functions OF civil officers and
appointing others in their stead, are hereby
confirmed; provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions of any
civil O Ice may be removed, either by the
military officer in command of the district or
by the General of the army and 1t shall he
the duty of commanders to remove from Of
flee, as aforesaid, all person who are disloyal
to the government of the United States, or
who use their official influence in any manner
to hinder, delay, prevent or obstruct the due
and proper administration of this act, and |
the acts to which this is supplementary.
SEC s. AnG be it further enacted, That
the boards of registration provided for in
no 4 not far To
an act entitled An act to provide tor the |
more efficient government OF the rebel /
States passed March ?. 1867, and to facili-
tate restoration" passed March 23 1867
shall have power and it shall be their duty
before the allowing the registration Of any
person, to ascertain, upon such facts or in
formation as they can obtain. whether such
person is entitled to be registered under
said act, and the oath required by said act
shall not be conclusive on such question,
and no person shall be registered unless such
board shall decide that he is entitled there
to and such board shall also have power to
examine under oath Ito be administered by
any member of such board) any one touch
Ing the qualification of any person claiming
registration. But in every case of refusal
by the board to register an applicant, made
in every case hereinafter provided, the board
shall make a note or memorandum, which
shall be returned with the registration list to
the commanding Generals of the Districts,
setting forth the ground of such refusal, or
such striking from the list: Provided, that
no person shall be disqualified, as member
of any board of registration, by reason of
race or color.
Sec. 6. Ind be 1t further enacted That
the true intent and meaning of the oath pre-
scribed i'll said supplementary act is, (amcng
other things,) that DO person who has been
member Of the Legislature of any State,
or who has held any executive or judicial
office in any State whether he has taken an
oath to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States or not, and whether he was hold
ing such Office ut the commencement of the
rebellion or had held it before. and who has
afterwards engaged in instruction or rebel
lion againstthe United States or given aid or
comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled to
be registered or to vote; and the words eek
ecutive or judicial office in any State in
said oath mentioned shall be construed to
include all civil offices created by law for the
of the general law of the
State, or for the administration of Justice.
Sec. z. Aad be 1t FURTHER enacted, That the
time for completing the original registration
provided for in said act may, in the discre-
ton of the commander of any district, be
extended to the LIST day of October 1867:
and the boards of registration shall have
power, and 1t shall be their duty, commence
ing fourteen days prior to any election under
said act, and upon reasonable public notice
Of the time and place thereof to revise for
period of three days the registration lists
I'd upon being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, to strike
The name of such person from the list. And
such hoard shall also, during the same peri
ID, add to such registry the names of all
persons who at that time possess the qualif-
cations required by said act who have not
been already registered, and no person shall
It any time be entitled to be registered or to
1ote by reason of any executive pardon or
amnesty, for any act or thing which. with
tut such pardon or amnesty, would disoual-
fy him from registration or voting.
Sec. 8. Ind be 1T further enacted That
&C. of the said last-named act shall be con-
trued to authorize the commanding general
famed therein, whenever he shall deem it
leedful, to remove any member of a board
+ registration, and to appoint another per-
On in his stead, and to ill any vacancy in
UGH board.
SEC. g. That all members of said Boards
Registration and all nersons boroo c..