The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1868-06-26
: Reeonstruet1o2 y MlsastDtsa
~ Congress.
Act Of Thirty. Ninth Cengfso.

1 se~h ~ 80 ~ ~A8eA OV1As
| IA Aci 10 Prvr;dk fer Ae users ~
csraa Government VI tAe Rebel
,Natss.
Whereas no legal State governments
or adequate protection for life or prop
erss now exist in the rebel States Of
Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Mis-.
sissilp1, AlabmMA, l.ossisiAsa, Rlsrida-
Tsxss, and Arkansas: nsd whereas !. IL
, necessary that peace and good order
=hend be enforced in said states until
| loyal aud republican state governments
can ss legally established Therefore
BE IL enacted, ETC, That said rebel
States shall be divided into military dis
trica. ami made -absess 70 the military
authority of the United States, as here
inaiter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first dis
,rict North Carolina and South Caro-.
lima the second district Georgia, Ala
bains, ard Florisss ths third district.
Mississippi and Arkansas the foarth
district and Louisiana aud Texas the
iiith district
sgc. . That it shall be the duty OF ths
President 10 assign to the command Of
each Of said districts an officer Of the
army, not below die rank Of brigndicr-
gessrAl, aud u detail sufficient mill
isry force to enable sach ctscar to per.
form HE duties ani enforce his authsr-
ity within the district TO which he ia
assigned
SIC 3 That it shall be the duty Of
each officer assigned rs Aforesaid TO pro
.cct all persons IN their rights Of person
and property, TO suppress instruction,
disorder and violence, and to punish, or
cause to be punished, all disturbers Of
tho public peace and criminals, and 10
this end he mny allow local civil tribu-
mails 10 take jurisdiction Of and 10 try Of
tenders, or, when in his judgment II may
be necessary for the trial Of offenders,
he shall have power to Organize military
mmissions or tribunals for that pur-
pese and Sli interference under color
Of State authority with the exercise of
military authority under this act shall
be null and void
Ssc I That all persons pat under
military arrest by virtue ofthis act shall
be tried without unnecessary delay, and
no cruel or unusual 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 executed until it
is approved by the officer in command
Of the district. and the laws aud rcgula-
tons for the government Of the army
shall not be affected by this act, except
in so far as they conflict with 1t proyis
ions Frorided, That no sentence Of
death under the provisions OF this act
shah be carried into effect without the
approval Of the President
SEC g. That when the people of any
one Of said rebel States shall have form.
ed constitution Of government in con-
formiiy with the Constitution Of the
United States in all respects, framed by
convention Of delegates elected by the
male citizens Of said State twenty.onc
years old and upward, Of whatever race,
color, or previous condition, who have
been resident in said State for one year
previous to the day Of such election, cs-
cspt such as may be disfranchised for
participation in the rebellion, or for fel-
ony at common law, aud when such
consultation shall provide that the elect
i've franchise shal! be enjoyed by all
such persons ~ have the qualifications
herein stated FOR electors OF delegates,
and when such constitution shall be rat
iSed by majority Of the persons voting
on the question OF ratification who arc
qualified MS electors for delegates and
when such constitution shall have been
rnhrit,ed to Congress for examination
and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same, and when sa.d State,
By vote Of its legislature elected under
said constitution, shall have adopaed the
amends ent 10 the Constitation Of the
United States, proposed by the Thirty
ninth Congress, and known ~ article
fourteen, and when said article shall
have become part Of the Constellation
Of the United States, said State shall be
declared entitled to representation IN
Congress, and Senators and Representa-
tives shall he sdmitted shereftum on
their taking tho oaths prescribed by
law, and then and thereafter the pre-
ccding sections Of this act shall DO in.
operative ia said State Typcido,i, That
no person excluded from the privilege
Of holding Office by said proposed amend.
ment to the Constitution Of the United
States shall bc eligible to election NJ q
member Of the convention 10 frame n
constitution for any Of aAid rebel States,
nor shall any such person vote for men,
bers Of such convention.
SMu. o. That until the people Of said
rebel States shall be by law admitted 70
representation in tho Congress Of the
United States any civil governments
which may exist therein shall be deemed
provisional only, and In all respects sub.
jccs'so the paramount authority Of the
United States nt any time to abolish,
modify, control, or superscde the snme
and In all elections, 10 my Office under
such provisional governments all per.
sons shall be entitled TO vote, and nonc
others, who are entitled To vote under
the provisions OF the ffth section Of this
act and no person shall be eligible to
any once under any such provisional
governments who would be disqualified
from holding once 9ndcr the provisions
Of the third article Of said constitutional
amendment
Passed March 2, 1867.