The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-05-11
Tho Military Government Bill. az
Passed by Congress.

WHEREAS, No legal State Govern
ment, or adequate protection for life
or property, now exists in the rebel
States Of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
Louisiana, Florida, Texas and Arkan-
sas (; and
WHEREAS, 1t is necessary that peace
and good order should be enforced in
said States until loyal and republican
Site governments a be established
therefore,
Be 1t enacted, etc., That said rebel
States shall be divided into military
districts and made subject to the mill
tary authority Of the United States,
as hereafter prescribed, and for that
purpose Virginia will constitute the
first district; North Carolina and
South CoroliTra the second district /:
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the
third district; Mississippi and Arkan-
sas the fourth district Louisiana and
Texas the fifth district.
SIC. 2. That it shall be the duty of
the President to assign to the command
Of each of said districts an officer of
the army, not below the rank of Brig
adler General, and to detail a sufficient
military force to enable such officer to
perform his duties and enforce his au-
thority within the district to which he
is assigned,
SEC. 3. That it shall be- the duty of
such officer assigned, II aforesaid, to
protect all persons in their rights OF
person and property, to suppress in
%surreetioB, disorder and violence, and
to'pupish, or cause to be punished, all
disturbers Of the public peace, and
criminals and to this end he may al.
low loyal civil tribunals to take igris.
diction Of and try offenders, or, when
in hts judgment it may be necessary
for the trial of offenders, he shall have
power TO organize military commits
sions' or tribunals for that purpose
and all interference under color d
State authority with the exercise ot
military authority under this act. shall
be null and void.
SIC. 4. That all persons put under
military arrest by virtue of this act
shall be tried without unnecessary de
lay, and n0fcrucl or unusual punish
ment shall bc'inficted, and no sentence
Of any military commission or tribu
nal, hereby authorized, affecting thu
life or property of any person, shall
be executed until it is approved by
the officer in command of the district
and the laws and regulations for thu
~government of the army shall not b.
affected by this act, except in so IA
as thoy may conflict With its prpYi
sions.
SEC. 5. That when the PEOPLE o
any one of said rebel States shan hay,
formed a constitutional government
in conformity with tire Constitution
of the United Stat6sin all Ill respects
Trained by a oohveiition of delegate
elected by the persons who may vot,
upon the ratification or rejection there
Of, as hereinafter provided and wheI
said constitution, so framed, shall hay,
been ratified by a majority ofthe NAL,
citizens of said State, Il years old ant
upward, of whatever race, color o
previous condition of scrvitade, VIII,
may have been resident in said Stat,
for one year previous to the day of vo
ting on the question of ratifying sucl
constitution, except such as may b
disfranchised for participating in tn
rebellion or for felony at common Jaw
and when such constitution shall pre-
vide that tho elective Franchise shal
be enjoyed by all such persons tina
have. the qualifications herein stated
and shall have been submitted to Cor
; gress for examination, and Congress
shall have approved the same; an
when said State, by a vote of its Les
! islaturc elected under said constitl
ton, shall have adopted the amdent
ment to the Constitution ofthe Unite
States, proposed by the thirty-nint
Congress, and known as article IL, an
) when said article shall have become
part of the Constitution of the Unite
States, said States shall be declared el
!, titled 70 representation in Congress
! and Senators and Representative.
! shall be admitted ~theTeupon, on the.
G taking the oath prescribed by the law
Q and then and thereafter the precedin
sections ofthTs bfh shall be ipoperatiy
). in said State.
! WILSON'S AMENDMENT.
n.l Na e