The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-07-19
THE SUPPLEMENTARY RECON-
STRUOrI0N BILL

enntlo1 IAN octto ptUVfu0 TUT Wo UFVsS
, efficient government Of the rebel States
and Of the act supplementary thereto,
heretofore passed on the Esd Of March
1867, that the governments then existing ia
the rebel States OF Virginia, North Carolina
South Carolina. Georgia, Mississippi, Ala
hama, Louisiana, Florida. Texas and Ark
ansas were not legal State governments
and that thereafter said governments, u
continued, were to b continued subject In
all respects to tho Military Commander oI
the respective districts and to the para
mount authority Of Congress.
| Section 2. That the Commander o
any district named in said oct shall hav,
power. subject to the disapproval OF the
General OF the Amy Of tho United States
and to have effect until disapproved, when
ever in tho opinion Of such Commando
the proper administration Of said act shall
require Il. to suspend or remove from
] Office, or from the official powes, any OH
cor or person holding and exercising, OF
protesting to hold or exercise, any civil OF
military office, or duty, in such district, un'
der any power Of election, appointment OF
claimed under any so.called State, or the
government thereof, or municipal or Other
division thereof; and upon such suspen.
sion Of removal each Commander subject
to the disapproval OF the General as aforc.
said. shall have power to provide from
time to time for tho performance Of the
said duties OF such officer or person 30 sus.
pended or removed, by the detail Of some
competent officer and soldier Of the army,
or by the appointment ofsome other per-
son, TO perform the same, and to fill vacan-
cies occasioned by death, resignation or
otherwise. ..
Section 3. That the General ofthe Army
OF tho United States Is invested with all the
powers Of suspension, removal, appoint
mcnt and detail granted in the preceding
section to the District Commanders. ,..
Section 4. That the acts Of the officers
of the army already done, in removing in
said districts persons exercising the func.
tons of civil officers and appointing others
in their stead, arc hereby confirmed provi-
ded that any person heretofore or hereafter
appointed by any District Commander to
the functions ofany civil officer, may be
removed, either by the military officer in
command OF the district or by the General
of the Army and II should be the duty Of
such Commander to remove from Office, as
aforesaid, all persons who ore disloyal to
the Government of the United States, or
who use their official influence in any man
ner to hinder, delay. prevent or obstrucs
the due and proper administration OF the
act and the acts to which It is supplement.
tary.
Section S. That the Boards Of Registra.
ton provided in the net entitled "An act
supplementary to an act entitled an act to
provide for the more efficient government
OF the rebel Statcs, passed March 2, 1865,
andto hcilitate.'registration, Mar. 70, 1867,
shall have power and il shall be their duty,
before allowing the registration Of any per-
son, to ascertain, upon such facts or inform.
alton as they can obtain. whether such per.
son Is entitled to be registered on said act :
and the oath required by said oct shall not
be conclusive on such question, and no per.
son shall be registered unless such Board
shall decide that he Is entitled thereto and
such Board shall also have power to exam
inc. under the oath to be administered by
any member Of such Board, any one touch.
ing the qualification Of any person claim
ing registration but in every case Of refti.
sal by The Board to register an applicant,
and In every case Of striking his name from
the list, as hereinafter prescribed, the Board
shall make note Of memorandum, which
shall DO returned with tho registration list
to the Commanding General, for the ground
of such refusal or snch striking from the
list. provided that no person shall DO dis.
qualified as a member Of any Board ofReg-
istration by reason Of race or color.
Section Q. That tho true intent and
meaning Of the oath prescribed In said sup
Elementary act is. among other things. that
no person who has been member OF the
Legislature Of any Stnte, 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 no was holding such Office at
the commencement Of the rebellion or had
held il before, and who hns afterward en-.
gagged in rebellion against the United States,
or given aid and comfort to the enemies
thereof, is entitled to be registered or vote,
and the words ''cxecutive or judicial office
in any State" in said oath mentioned, shall
he construed to include oil civil officers
created by law for the administration Of
any general law ola State, or for tho ad'
ministra,ion Of justice.
Section z. That the time for completing
the original registration provided for in
said act may, in the discretion Of the com.
mander Of any district, be extended to the
first day Of October, 1867 and the Board
of Registration shall have power aud it
shall be their duty, commencing IA days
prior to any election under said act, and
upon reasonable public notice OF the time
and place thereof, to revise for period Of
five days the registration lists, and upon
being satisfied that any person not entitled
thereto has becn registered, to strike the
name OF such person from the list, aud such
person shall not be allowed to vote and
such board shnll, also, during the same Pc
Rod, add to such registry the names Of all
persons Who nj that time possess the quail
ifcatious required by said act, who have
not been already registered; and no per-
son shall at any time be entitled to DO reg.
is,crcd, or TO vote, by reason Of any execu-
two pardon, or amnesty, for any net or
thing which, without such pardon or anl-
ncsty, would disquaiily him from rcgis,ra.
ton or voting.
| Section 8. That all members Of said
Board Of Registration, and all persons here.
after elected or appointed to Office in said
military districts under the SO called State
or municipal authority. or by detail or mp.
pointment by tho District Commanders,
shall DO required to take and subscribe to
tho oath Of Office prescribed by law for the
officers Of the United States.
Section o. That no District Commander
or member Of the Board Of Registration,
or any officers or uppointccs acting under
them, shall he bound in his action by any
opinion Of any civil officer Of the United
States,
Section 10. That Section Of said last
named act shall be construed to authorize
the Commanding General named therein,
whenever no shall deem il neediul. to no.
move any member Of Board Of Registra-
ton and to appoint another in his stead,
and IN fill anv vacancy In s,,ch Baand