The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1867-04-06
The Military Government Ac
AND THE
Constitutional Amendment.

The military government bill which
passed Congress over the veto of the
President, having become the law OF
the land, we publish it below, together
with the pending constitutional amend.
ment: . ....-
WHEREAS, No legal State govern
ments or adequate protection for life
or property now exist in the rebel
States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi,
Alabama, Louisiana. Florida, Texas
and Arkansas; and whereas, it is nee
essary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said States until
loyal and republican State govern
ments can be legally established
therefore,
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and
House Of Representatives. of the United
States Of America in Congress assem-
| bted, That said rebel States shall be
divided into military districts. and
made subject to the military authority
of the United States, as hereinafter
described, and for that purpose Vir-
| ginia shall constitute the first district:
North and South Carolina the second
district; Georgia, Alabama and Flori-
da the third district; Mississippi and
Arkansas the fourth district; and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
SEC. 2. And be IL further enacted,
That it shall be the duty of the Presi-
dent to assign to the command of each
of said districts an officer of the army
not below the rank of brigadier gener-
al, and to detail sufficient military
force to enable such officer to perform
his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is as
signed.
SEC. 3. Ind be 1t further enacted,
That it shall be the duty of each officer
assigned as aforesaid to protect all
persons in their rights of person and
property to suppress insurrection,
| disorder and violence, and to punish,
or cause to be punished, all disturbers
OF the pnblic peace, and criminals {;
and to this end he may allow local civil
tribunals to take Jurisdiction of and TO
try offenders or, when in his iudg-
ment it may be necessary for the trial
OF offenders, he shall have power to
organize military commissions or tri.
bunals for that purpose and all inter-
ference under color of State authority
with the exercise Of military authority
under this act, shall be null and void.
Sec. 4. And be 1t further enacted,
That all persons put under military
arrest by virtue of this act shall be
tried without unnecessary delay, and
no cruel or unnecessary punishment
shall be inflicted, and no sentence of
any military commission or tribunal
hereby authorized. affecting the life or
liberty Of any person, shall be exc
cuted until it is approved by the officer
in command of the district; and the
laws and regulations for the govern
ment of the army shall not be affected
by this act except in so far as they
conflict with its provisions; Prorided,
That 10 sentence of death under this
act shall be carried into effect without
the approval of the President.
Sec. 5. And be 1t further enacted,
That when the people of any of said
rebel States shall have formed a
constitution of government in con-
formity with the Constitution of the
United States in all respects, framed
by convention of delegates elected
by the male citizens of said State
twenty-one years old and upward, of
whatever race or color, or previous con-
dition, who have been resident in said
State for one year previous to the day
OF such election, except such as NAV
be disfranchised for participation 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 said
constitution shall be ratified by ma
Jority of the persons voting on the
question of ratification, who are ouali-
fed as electors for delegates, and when
0NSi nave Ueen SuO-
mitied to Congress for examination and
approval, and Congress shall have APP
proved the same. and when said State,
by vote Of its Legislature elected un-
der said constitution, shall have adopt
ed the amendment to the constitution
of the United States proposed by the
Thirty-ninth Congress, and known as
article fourteen, and when said article |
shall have become part of the Con-
stitution of the United States, said
State shall be declared entitled to rep
resentation in Congress. and Senators
and representatives shall be admitted |
therefrom on their taking the oath pre-
rcribed by law, and then and there
after the preceding sections of this bill |
shall be imperative in said State !:
Procided, That no person excluded |
from the privilege of holding Office by
said proposed amendment to the Con-
stitution Of the United States shall be |
eligible to election as a member of the |
convention TO frame constitution for
any of said rebel States, nor shall any
such person vote for members of said |
convention.