The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-06-06
The Reconstruction Act.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR TILE MORE EFF /
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATE

/ : -
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFF /
GENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATE
WHEREAS, no legal State governments or adj
quate protection for life or property now eXls
in the rebel States of Virginia, North CAROLYN
| South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Louisian
whereas, tits necessary that peace and good ord
should be enforced in said States until loyal III
republican State governments can be legally e
Be it enacted By tie Senate and House Of Repr
sezatatiaes of the United States Of america in Co.
gress assembled, That said rebel States sha
be divided into military districts, and made sui
ject to the military authority ofthe United State
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpos
Virginia shall constitute the first district; Mort
Carolina and South Carolina the second district
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, all
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district.
SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That it sha
be the duty OF the President to assign to the con-
mand of each of said Districts an officer of II. !
army not below the rank OF brigadier genera
and to detail a sufficient military force to enab
such officer to perform his duties and enfort
his authority within the district to which he
assigned.
SEC 3. Amd be it, further enacted, That
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as afor,
said to protect all persons in their rights of pc
son and property, to suppress Instruction, di!
order, and violence, and to punish or cause to |
punished all disturbers of the public peace AL
criminals ana 10 ILLS emu lie may allow lOci
civil tribunals to take Jurisdiction of and II |
offenders, or when in hi- judgment it may
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall hay
power to organize military commissions or TT !
bunals for that purpose and all interference 4
under color of State authority with the exei =
else of military authority under this act shall b !
null and void.
SEC. f. And be it further enacted, That al
persons put under military arrest by virtue [
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay
hall
ficted; and no sentence of any military con
mission tribunal hereby authorized, atfectin; !
the life or liberty of any person, shall be eXecu
ted until it is approved by the officer in comman
of the district; and the laws and regulations 70 |
the government of the army shall not be affectet
by this act except in so far as they may confic |
with its provisions PfOvided, That no sentenc.
of death under the provisions of this act shall b.
carried into effect without the approval of TIL !
President.
Sec. 5. And be 1t further enacted, That when
the people of any the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed 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-one 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 he 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 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 4 vote its 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 ,.nown as article IA, 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 therefrom
on their taking the oath prescribed by law, and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections OF
ii is act shall be imperative in said State Povi-
ded, That no person excluded from the privilege
the Constitution of the United States shall be
eligible to election as member of the convention
TO frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for men,
bers of said convention.
SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That until
the people of said rebel States shall be, by law ad
mittcd 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 au-
thority of the United States at any time to abol-
sh modify, control OF supersede the same and
IN all elections to any Office under such provis-
onal governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions of the filth section of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
lnder any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding office under
HE provisions of the third article of said consti-
utiOnal amendment.