The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1867-07-19
THE EXPLANATORY REOONsTRUO-
- TON BILLS.


The Explanatory Reconstruction bill
reported respectively 10 the United State
Senate and HOuseOf Representatives hav,
already been published The principl
points of the Senate Bill are as follows:
l 1t declares military authority in th,
rebel States paramount, and civil govern
ment subordinate.
2. II empowers the Commander of tie
District TO which any. rebel State belongs,
with the approval of the General of the
Armies of the UGiled States,' at his dis.
erection 10 suspend or remove any civil
officer in tie State, aud to detail for the
discharge of the duties of the Office com
petent officer or soldier of The army.
3. The third section invests General
Grant with all the powers of suspension,
removal, and detail granted to District
Commanders.
&. The acts of District Commanders in
removing officers. and appointing others
TO their place, are confirmed.
The Boards of Registration are en-
powered, and it is made Iheir duty, to in p
Vestigate thoroughly the loyalty of per
sons Offering to take the oath Of voters.
and it is specifically declared that their
oath shall not be conclusive of their right
of registration.
E. Section sixth provides that no per.
son who has been a member of the Leg.
isla'ure, or has held an Executive or Ju
dicIal Office in any State, whether he has
taken an GA b to support the Constitution
OF the United States or not. and who has
afterwards engaged in rebellion, shall be
entitled 10 gistration or to vote.
4. The seventh section extends the
time for registration, at the discretion of
The Commander of the District, to the
LIST of October, aud gives Registration
Boards power to strike off the names of
any persons who they are satisfied are
not entitled to registration. 1t also de-
claTes,that no person otherwise dsquali-
Il d to vote, shall be entitled to registra
ton By virtue Of any Executive pardon.
8. The last section empowers the Com
handing General to remove members of
the Board of Registrations
The following is synopsis of the
House bill reported by Mr. Stevens:
/. Section first declares the govern
ments existing 10 the several rebel States
mentioned in The first Reconstruction act,
Illegal and void.
2 By the secoCd section, the Com
mander OF the District is empowered 10
remove municipal and State officers and
20 sppoint others in their stead; also, to
suspend any act of State or municipal
Governments. and all acts OF, this kind
already performed are declared legal.
5. The Boards of Registration are re
CURED 10 register those persons only who
are entitled to registration, and to this
end may investigate the truth of the state
ments of those Offering to take the oath.
They also have power to strike from the
registry lists the names of any who they
may have reason to believe have been reg
istsred illegally, and they are not to be
bound in their. action by the opinion OF
any official of the United States Govern
ment.
A. No recourse shall be had in any
court of justice against any District Com
mander or other officer on account of du
ties performed under the Reconstruction
acts.
5. No District Commander can be re-
moved from his command. without the
consent of the Senate, except in conse
quence of a sentence by court martial,
or by his own consent,
6. The sixth and last section extends
the time for registration to the first of
October next.