Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1867-07-19


In our last, we published Mr.. Stevens
Reconstruction bill, which, together with the
Senate Reconstruction bill, was referred to
joint Committee Of both Houses. The Joint
Committee reported the following bill, which
has passed both Houses and now awaits the
Presidents signature:
Be 1t enacted BY the Senate and House Of
Representatives of the United States OF
America IN Congress assembled: That it
is hereby declared to have been the true in
tent and meaning of the act of the I'd day Of
March, 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
1867, that the Governments then existing
in the Rebel States Of Virginia, North Caro-
lina South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and
Arkansas, were illegal and void, and that
thereafter such Governments, if continued,
we're to be continued subject in all respects
to the military commanders of the respective
districts, and to the authority of Congress.
Sec. g. That the Commander of any Dis
trict named in said act, shall have power
subject to the approval of the General Of the
Army of the United States, to have effect
till disapproved, whenever in the opinion
of such commander the proper administration
Of said act shall require it to suspend or re-
move from office, orsfrom the performance Of
official duties and the exercise of official pow
ers, any officer or person holding, or exerci-
sing, or protesting to hold or exercise any
civil or military office or duty in such Dis
trict, 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
suspension or removal, such commander,
subject to the disapproval Of the General as
aforesaid, shall have power to provide from
time to time, for the performance OF said
duties of such officer or person, so suspended
or removed, by the detail of some competent
officer 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 removal.
Sec. 3 That the General of the army Of
the United States, shall be invested with all
the power Of suspension, removal, appoint
ment and detail, granted in the preceding
section to District Commanders
Sec 4. And be it further enacted, 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 Resozyed, That any person
heretofore or hereafter appointed by any
Distrist Commander to exercise the functions
of any civil office, may be removed either by
the military officers in command Of the Dis
trict, or by the General Of the Army and it
shall be the duty Of such Commanders to re-
move from Offices as aforesaid all persons
who are disloyal to the Government of the
United States, or who use their official influ-
ence in any manner to hinder, delay, pre-
vent, or obstruct the due and proper admin
stration of this act, and the acts to which it
is supplementary.
Sec 5. That the Boards of Registration
provided for in the act entitled an act sup
Elementary to an act, entitled an act to pro-
vide for the more efficient government of the
rebel States, passed March End, 1867, and
to facilitate Registration, passed March 23d,
1867, shall have power and it shall be their
duty, before allowing the registration of any
person, to ascertain upon such facts or infor-
nation 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 thereto, and
such board shall also have power to examine
under oath, to be administered by any mem
Der of such board, any one touching the quail
ifcation of any person claiming registration,
but in every case of a refusal by the board
to register an applicant. and in every case Of
striking his name from the list, as hereinafter
provided, the board shall make note or
memorandum, which shall be returned with
the registration list to the Commanding
General of the District. setting forth the
grounds 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. That the true intent and meaning
of the oath prescribed in said supplementary
act, is, among other things. that no 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 United States or not, and whether he was
holding such Office at the commencement Of
the rebellion, or had held it before, and who
was afterwards engaged in insurrection or re-
belion against the United States, or given aid
or comfort to the enemies thereof, is entitled
to be registered and to vote, and the words
executive or judicial office in any State, in
said oath mentioned shall be construed to in
clude all civil officers created by law for the
administration of any general law of State,
or for the administration Of justice.
Sec. 7. That the time for completing the
original registration provided for in said act
may, in the discretion Of the, commander Of
any district be extended to the LIST day Of
October, 1867, and the boards Of registration
shall have power, and it shall be their duty,
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