The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-20
RECONSTRUCTION.


Supplementary reconstruction bill, as 1t pass
ed both Houses
Sac /. Be at enacted By the Senate and
House of REPRESENTATIVES Of the United States
of A,ner;ea an Congress 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 1867,
that the governments, then existing IN the
rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, MISSISSIPPI Ala
bama. Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
sas were illegal and void and thereafter the
same Governments, if continued, were to, be
continued subject in all respects to the Mill
tary Commanders of the respective Districts
and to the authority of Congress-.
SEC. Q. and be it further enacted, 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 disapproved,
whenever in the opinion of such COM
mander the proper administration OF said
act shall require it, to suspend or re-
move from olSce, or from the performance
of official duties and the exercise OF official
powers, any officer or person holding or ex-
ercising. or protesting to hold or exercise
any civil or military office, or duty in such
district under any power, election, appoint
mept 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
fcer or soldier of the army or by the APP
pointment of some other person to perform
the same. and to fill vacancies occasioned by
death, resignation or otherwise.
SEC. 3. Ind be 1t further enacted, 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. Ind 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; provided that any person hereto
fore or hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions OF any
civil office may be removed, either by the
military officer in command OF the district or
by the General of the army and 1t shall be
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. 8. Ind be at further enacted, That
the boards of registration provided for in
the act entitled can act supplementary to
an act entitled An act to provide for the
more efficient government of the rebel
States passed March 2. 1867, and to facili-
tate restoration,' passed March %, 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 u refusal
by the board to register an applicant, made
in every case hereinafter provided, the board
shall make 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 in said supplementary act is (amcng
other things,) that no person who has been
a member of the Legislature of any State,
or who has held any executive or judicial
office in any State, whether lie has taken an
oath to support the Constitution of the Uni
ted States or not, and whether he was hold
ing such office at 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
administration of the general law of the |
State, or for the administration of justice.
Sec. Z. Ind 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 1st day of October, 1867;
and the boards of registration shall have
power, and it 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 q
period of three days the registration lists;
and upon being satisfied that any person not
entitled thereto has been registered, to strike
the name of such person from the list. And |
such board shall also, during the same peri
cd, add to such registry the names of all |
persons who at that time possess the qualifi-
cations required by said act who have not |
been already registered, and no person shall
at any time be entitled to be registered or to
vote by reason of any executive pardon or
amnesty, for any act or thing which, with
out such pardon or amnesty, would disqual-
ify him from registration or voting
Sec. 8. and be 1t further enacted, That
sec. of the said last-named act shall be con-
strued to authorize the commanding general
named therein, whenever he shall deem it
needful, to remove any member of board |
of registration, and to appoint another per-
son in his stead, and to fill any vacancy in
such board.