The Portland daily press., 1867-07-11

TaE HoUsE HE5oSsTRUoTEoN BiLt.-Ihe
following is the text of the bill reported to the
House by Mr. Stevens of the Reconstruction
Committee and passed Oh Tuesday by vote Of
119 to 81:
SEc.1. 1t is hereby declared to have been
the true intent and meaning OF the act OF the
ID day Of March, 1857, entitled An act to pro-
vide for the more efficient government of the
rebel states" and of the act supplementary
thereto passed ON the 23d of March, in the year
1881. that the governments then existing in the
rsbel Ststes-Virginia, North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, louisiana, Flor
ida Texas, and Arkansas-Wero illegal and
void, and that thereafter said governments, if
continued, were to be continued subject in all
spective districts and to the authority of Con-
gress.
SEC. 2. The said acts to which this is a sup
plement shall be construed to authorize the Of
ficer assigned to the command Of any military
district under said acts, whenever he shall
deem it necessary to the due performance Of
his duties under said acts, to remove or sus-
pend from Office any municipal or state officer,
or person exercising authority under or by yir-
tue of any so-called state governments exist
ing in his district; and the said officer so as
signed to command as aforesaid is hereby EN-
powered to appoint another person IN the
stead of the officer Or person so removed, II ne
shall deem proper so to do; and wneh ne tuay
deem it necessary, as aforesaid; 10 Pr0hiDit
suspend or set aside any act or proceeding OF
any one such state or municipal government
OF any act or thing done under or Dy virtue OF
it's authority: and acts heretofore done by such
officer in accordance herewith, shall be deem
SEC. 5. The Boards Of Registration of the
several military districts, established by the
acts to which this is supplementary, shall ad-
nit to registration only such persons as they
deem entitled to be registered by the acts
aforesaid. They shall not regard the taking Of
the oath prescribed in the act of March %
1857, conclusive evidence of the right OF per-
sons taking it to be registered, but prinaa Jacie
only, and may receive such evidence under
oath relating thereto, as they may deem prop
en-, either from the person applying to be reg
of said Board is hereby authorized to admins
ter oaths or afirmations. and examine
| witnesses, touching the right of any
person to be registered. Such Board
| OF Registration may strike from the
the list Of voters the name of any one already
| took the oath prescribed in the acts to which
this is supplementary or was not entitled b,
said acts to DO registered; record evidence shall
not be required by said Boards to prove partic
| ipation in the rebellion, but parole eVidenc
shal! be sufficient to establish the fact Of sucl
participation; and said Boards Of Registratio,
shall not be bound OIL governed in their acton
by any opinion OF any officer Of the Unite'
| states Government.
| SEC. 4. No civil court of the United State
shall have jurisdiction of any action or pro
| eeeding, civil or criminal, against any sucl
district commander, or any officer or persol
acting by his authority, for or on account of til
| discharge OF the duties imposed upon him b.
this act or the act to which it is supplement
tary. r: 1gs
| SEC. 3. No district commander shall be re
| lieved from the command assigned to him un
| der the aforesaid acts unless the Senate shal
| have first advised and consented thereto, o
| unless by sentence of court martial he shall b.
cashiered or dismissed from the army or OF
arrest for an offence punishable by dfsmissa
from the army, or disqualified By sickness froI
the performance Of his duty.
SEC. 6. The time for the completion of tn
registration OF persons properly qualified t
vote. may be extended by orders Of the sal
several district commanders, to any day prio
to the LIST day of October, A. D., 1857. f!
An amendment proposed by Mr.. Wilson Q
Iowa was adopted which provides that an,
person who shall attempt to prevent the oper
alton ofths act shall be deemed guilty of
misdemeanor, and on conviction thereof sha
be subject to the penalty of $4,000 fine, or i'm
prisonment for one year, or both, at the discre
ton of the court. zee a
Also one by Mr.. BENJAMIN providing tina
the right of any person to be registered as
legal voter shall in no respect be changed {
affe sted by virtue of any pardon granted t
such person by the President of the United
States for participation in the rebellion.