The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-08
The Reconstruction Act.
AN s.cr ITO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
Client GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATE

4 ~ !. ,r s,o pRoy1DE FOR THE MORE EFF
CLIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL sTATE'
WHEREAS, no legal State governments OF aa,
| in the rebel States of Virginia, North-Caronn
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisia an
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and AIkallsas, al:
| whereas it is necessary that peace anu goou 1iu.
| should be enforced in said States until loyaI az
republican State governments can De legaliy Ct
tablishcd; therefore, 11,o, ~ z2.
se,tntipes of the United States Of Aneracd IN Co
oress assembled, That said rebel States shIii
Be divided into military districts, and MADE SUP
ect to the military authority OF Inc United oteo,
as hereinafter prescribed and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the nrsl oistrlcI No
Carolina and South Carolina the second distfict.
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district |;
Mississippi and Arkansas Inc l1atrh ais'iie'' anu
SEC @ Andbe it further enacted, mat IL snail
be the duty of the President to assign to the com
mand of each of said Districts an ofhcer OF Inc
| army not below the rank OF brigadier general,
and to detail sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties ana enforce
his authority within the district to when ne Is
| assigned. MI. :.
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as aore-
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per-
son and property, to suppress lnsurrectlon, u.s.
order, and violence, and to punish or cause 10 De
punished all disturbers of the public peace ana
/
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction OF and try
offenders, or when in hi Judgment IL may De
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or TIL
bunals for that purpose and all interference
under color of State authority with the eXer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void.
SEC. 4. Ind be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
al nh iSh in
ficted; and no sentence of any military COM
mission or tribunal hereby authorized affecting
the life or liberty of any person, shall be execu-
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district and the laws and regulations for
the government of the army shall not be affected
by this act except in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions Pfo0ided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President.
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That when
the people of any of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed a constitution OF government
United States in all respects framed by
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty-one years old and
upward, of whatever race, color, or previous
condition, who have been resident IN said State
for one year previous to the day o such election,
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and when sucn constitution snail provide
that the elective franchise stall De enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on the question OF ratification who
are qualified as electors for delegates, and when
such constitution shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination and approval, and
Congress shall have approved the same; and
when said State by vote ofits Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution OF the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and inown article IA, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution of
the United States said State shall be declared en-
titled to representation in Congress- and Senators
and Representatives shall be admitted therefrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF
IL is act shall be imperative in said State: P0vi-
1ed That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States shall be
eligible to election member OF the convention
to frame constitution for any Of said rebel
States, nor shall such person vote for men,
bcrs of said convention.
SEC 6. And be it further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law, ad
mtted to representation in the Congress of the
United States, any civil governments which may
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only,
md in all respects subject to the paramount au-
thority of the United States at any time to abol-
sh modify, control OF supersede the same and
IN all elections to any office under such provis-
onal governments all persons shall be entitled to
rote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of the fifth section of this
lnder any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
The provisions of the third article OF said consti-
utional amendment.