The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-05
RECONSTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
cIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS no legal State governments or ade
utate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North-Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas it is necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es-
tablishcd; therefore,
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Repre-
Sentetiges Of tie United Suites Of america IN Con-
gyeSs assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ject to the military authority ofthe United States,
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district North
Carolina and South Carolina the second district !;
Georgia. Alabama and Florida the third district !;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, ana
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district;
SEC. =. And De it further e"0cted That II snail
be the duty of the President TO assign to the com
mand of each of said districts ali officer OF the
army not below the rank OF brigadier general
and to detail sufficient military force TO enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he Is
assigned.
SEC g. Ind be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as aforc
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per
son and property, to suppress Instruction. dis
order, 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 local
offenders, or when i'll his Judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of Offenders, he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tri-
bunals for that purpose and all interference
under color of State authority with the eNer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void
Sec. 4. And be 1t further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue oil
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
tlicted and no sentence OF any military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized affecting
the life liberty of any person, shall be eXecu-
ted until it is approved by the officer III command
of the district; and the laws and regulations for
the government OF the army shall not be affected
by this act, except i'll so far as they may conflict
with its provisions PrOgided, That no sentence
of death under the provisions Of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President"
SEC. .. Ind be h.tauther enacted. That when
the people OF any one of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed constitution OF government
in conformity with the Constitution of the
United States in all respects, framed by a
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty 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 OF such election,
except such as may be DISTINGUISHED for partici-
patton in the rebellion or for felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated for election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by a 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 Sltall have adopted the
amendment 10 the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and i.nown 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 thererom
their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections of
tt is act shall be imperative in said State PrOUi
del, 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 as member of the convention |
to frame constitution for any Of said rebel |
States, nor shall any such person vote for MEN,
bers of said convention.
SEC. q. Ind be 1t FURTHER eadcied, That until !
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law ad-
mitted to representation in the Congress of the |
United States, any civil governments which may |
exist therein snail be deemed provisional only, |
and in all respects subject 10 the paramount au- |
thOrity of the United States at any time to abol-
iSh modify, control OF supcrsede the same ; and |
in all elections to any Office under such provis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who entitled to vote
under the provisions of the filth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
the provisions OF the third article of said consti-
tutiOnal amendment