Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-02-16
The House Bill Providing Military
(aOYernmemG for. the south.

The House Bill Providing HiIitar,
Government for the south.
The following is a copy of STEVENS bill
as it passed the House on Wednesday, an,
is now pending in the Senate, providin,
military government for the South:
BILL to provide for the more efficient govern
ment Of the insurrectionary States.
WHEREAS, The pretended State govern
rnents of the late so-called Confederate
States of Virginia, North Carolina, Soutl
Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkansal
were set up without the authority of Con-
gress and without the sanction of the peo'
Die: and whereas said pretended govern
ments afford no adequate protection fol
life or property, but countenance and en-
courage lawlessness and crime; and where.
as it is necessary that peace and good or.
der should be enforced in said sO-called
States until loyal and republican STATE
governments can be legally established
therefore, ...
Be 10 enacted By the Senate and Houst
Of Representatives Of the United States
of America in Congress assembled, That
said so-called States shall be divided
into military districts and made sub
iect to the military authority of the
United States as hereinafter prescribed,
and for that purpose Virginia shall cOnsti-
tute the first district; North Carolina and
South Carolina the second district; Georgia,
Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth dis
trict; and Louisiana and Texas the fifth
district. a1 lc
SEC. 2. And be It further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of the general of the
-, 20 fha IL rf aoah Of
said districts an officer of the regular army,
not below the rank of brigadier general,
and to detail a sufficient military force to
enable such officer to perform his duties
and enforce his authority within the dis
trict to which he Is assigned.
SEC. 3. And be 20 further enacted, That 1t
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 dis
turbers of the public peace and criminals,
and to this end he may allow civil tribu-
mails to take Jurisdiction of and to try Offend
ers, or, when in his Judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall
have power to organize military commits
sions or tribunals for that purpose, any
thing in the Constitution and laws of the
so-called States to the contrary notwith
standing; and all legislative or judicial
proceedings, or processes to prevent or con-
troll the proceedings of said military tri-
bunals, and all interference by said pretend
ed State governments with the exercise of
military authority under this act, shall be
void and of no effect. ,.ts4
SEC. A. And be IL further enacted, That
courts and judicial officers of the United
States shall not issue writs of hdbeds corpus
in behalf of persons In military custody,
unless some commissioned officer on duty
in the district wherein the person Is de-
tanned shall indorse upon said petition a
statement certifying, upon honor, that he
has knowledge, or information, as to the
cause and circumstances of the alleged de-
tention, and that he believes the same to be
wrongful; and further, that he believes
that the Endorsed petition Is preferred in
good faith, and In furtherance OF justice,
and not to hinder or delay the punishment
Of crime. All persons put under military
arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried
without unnecessary delay, and no cruel or
unusual punishment shall be inflicted.
SEC. 5. And be Il further enacted, That no
sentence of any military commission or
tribunal hereby authorized, affecting the
life or liberty of any person, shall be ex-
ecuted until 1t Is approved by the officer in
command of the district, and the laws and
regulations for the government of the ar
my shall not be affected by this act, except
In so far as they conflict with its provisions.