The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-11-28
RECONSTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF 4
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF
! GENT CONFERENCE.-THE of THE REBEL STATES
/ Is WHEREAS, no legal State governments or ade
| quate protection for life or property now EXIST
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Caroilna
| South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana,
! Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas it is necessary that peace and good ordet
should be enforced in said States until loyai anu
republican State governments can DC leSiiiy 90
tablished therefore, %.
Be it cnocted 6y the Senate and House Of Repre-
Sc,tati0es ot the U.tited SateS Of 4"c,''c" !" L"M
greSS assembled, That said rebel states sh'ii
be divided into military districts, ana lllitdc sun
ject to the military authority ofthe United states,
us hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first distrct Norlu-
Carolina and SOuthCarolIila inc second Gistiict !,
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district !;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourt district and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district;
SEC ,. Andbe uT"rthG' e,tacte", Ihat IL silaii
be the duty of the President to assign to the com
mand of each of said Districts al 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 ana enforce
his authority within the district to winch he Is
SEC B. Aud be it .t,other enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as ifore-
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per
son and property, to suppress insurrection, dis
order, and violence, and to punish or cause TO be
punished all disturbcrs of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take jurisdiction OF and try
offenders, or when in his Judgment it may be
necessary for the trial OF offenders, he snail have
power to organize military commissions o z 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 t. Ind be it further enacted, That all
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delayS
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
ficted; and no sentence of any military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty OF any person, shall be eXecu-
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district and the laws and regulations for
the government of the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions P0Udcd, That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President"
SEC. 5. Ind be H.t",fher enacted, That when
the people of any Of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed Il constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution of the
United States in all respects framed by
convention of delegates elected by the male
citizens of said State twenty-o Years old and
upward, of whatever race, color or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
for 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 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 Gifts Legislature elect
ed under said constitution shall have adopted the
amendment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed by the Thirty Ninth Congress,
and i-nown article Il, 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 thcrerom
their taking the oath prescribed by law and
then and thereafter the preceding sections OF
Il is act shall be imperative in said State Poyi-
Ged, That person excluded from the privilege
OF holding office by said proposed amendment to
the Constitution OF the United States shall he !
eligible to election 4 member of the convention
to frame a constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote ior mem |
bcrS of said convention.
SEC. &. -iati Ge 1t FURTHER e.,1cte3l That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law add
mitted to representation in the Congress of the !
United States, any civil governments which may !
exist therein shall be deemed provisional only, |
and in all respects subject to the paramount aIl-
thority of the United States at any time to abol-
ish modify, control OF supcrscde 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 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.