Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-16

Repert Of the Resonstrustion Committee

Report Of the Reconstruction Committee
Hon. Thaddeus Stevens. in the House
of Representatives, on the 9th, repor-
ted the following from the Reconstruc-
ton Committee:
A bill to provide for the more eff
cient government of insurrectionary
states.
WHEREAS, The pretended govern
ments of the late so-calied Confederate
States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas,
and Arkansas were set up without the
authority of Congress. and without the
sanction of her people, and
WHEREAS, The said pretended gov
ernments afford no adequate protection
for life or property, and encourage law
lessness and crime, and
WHEREAS, 1t is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced in
the so-called states until loyal govern
ments can be legally established.
Therefore belt enacted by the Sen
ate and House of Representatives, that
the so-called states shall be divided in
| TO military districts, and made subject
to the military authority of the United
States, as hereinafter prescribed, and
for that purpose Virginia shall consti-
tute the LIST district, North Carolina and
South Carolina I'd, Georgia, Alabama
and Florida Sd, Mississippi and Arkan-
sas 4th ana Louisiana and Texas the
9th district.
Sec. 2. That it shall be the duty of
the General of the army to assign 10
| the command of each of said districts
an officer of the regular army not be-
low the rank of Brigadier General, and
to detail a military force sufficient to
enable such officer TO perform his duty
aud enforce his authority la the district
to which he is assigned.
SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of
each officer assigned as aforesaid, to
protect all persons in their rights OF
person aud property, to suppress in
surrection 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 civil tribunals
to take jurisdiction and try offenders,
and when in his judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, he
shall have power to organize military
: commissions, or tribunals, for thai
purpose, anything in the constitution
and laws of the so-called states to the
contrary Notwithstanding, and all legis
lative or judicial proceedings, or pro
cesses, to prevent or control the pro
ceedings of said military tribunals, anC
all interference of said pretended stat
governments with the exercise of mil
itary authority under the act, shall bi
void and of no effect.
SEC. 4. That courts and judicial of
: ficers of the United States shall no
; issue vrits of habeas corpus in behal
of persons in military custody, unles
some commissioner or officer on dut.
&C the district wherein the person is de
= iained, shall indorse upon said petition
: statement certifying upon honor tina
he has knowledge or information as t.
: the causes and circumstances of the al
legged detention, and that he believe
the same TO be wrongful; and further
that he believes the endorsed petition
is preferred in good faith in further
ance of justice, and not TO hinder o
delay the punishment of crime. Al
persons put under military arrest b,
virtue of this act shall be tried withou
unnecessary delay, and no cruel or I'm
usual punishment be inflicted.
SEC. 5. No sentence of any militar,
commission or tribunal hereby author
lied, affecting the life or liberty of AM
person, shall be executed until ap
proved by the superior officer com
mauding the district; and the laws anc
regulations for the government of tbs
army shall not be affected by this act
except in SO far as they conflict with it,
provisions.
The bill was read three times anG
ordered printed.