The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-01-28
The Reconstruction Bill .as it
Passedllle Heuse.

- ASAAA h
Passedhe House..
On the 2lst, be Federal House of
Representatives pIsed the Amendatory
Reconstruction Bf on which that body
has been lately boring. We subjoin
the bill, with thelote on its passage:
BE Il enacted, r., That in Virginia,
North Carolina SRth Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas,
Florida; and Arkasas, there are no civil
State governmentSepublican in form, and
that the so-calied eiyil governments in
said States, Respectively, shall not be
recognized as vahdr legal State govern
ments, either by tf executive or judicial
mower or an.horitypf the United States.
@SEc. 2. Asd II further enacted,
That for the spetdj enforcement of the
act entitled sAu ac to provide for the
more efficient pg4nment Of the rebel
States passed Iafsh 2. 1867, and the
several acts supplementary thereto, the
General Of the tIny of the UGited States
is hereby authoized and required to en-
Join, by special rders upon all officers IN
command withiithe several military de-.
partments With said several States, the
performance of u the acts authorized by
said several laws aud he, is authorized
to remove, at q discretion, or By his
order, from command, any or all of said
commanders, ansdetail other officers of
the United StatS army, not below the
rank of Colonelto perform all the duties
Esna-ezefcis authorized by
the said several to the end that the
people Of the said several States may
speedily reorganize civil governments, re-
publican in form, il said several States,
and be restored to political power in the
Union.
"SEC. And BE- i further enacted, That
the General of the srmy may remove any
or all civil officers pw acting under the
several Provisional Governments within
the said seleral disFganized States, and
appoint Others to discharge the duties
pertaining to the rspective Offices, and
may do any and a. acts which by said
several laws above Mentioned are author
ized to bo.done by the several Comman-
ders of the departments, within
said States; and SO nuch of said acts. or
of any act, as authrizes the President
to detail the Militarl Departments, or to
remove any officer sho may be detailed
as herein provided, hereby repealed.
SEGA Aad-bc itturther enacted, That
it shall be unlawfulfor the President of
the United. States To- order any portion
Of the army or nav, Of the United States
to assist by force Of arms, the authority
of either Of said provisional governments
in said disorganizedStates, or toloppose
or obstruct the authority Of the United
States as provided inithis act and acts to
which this is supplementary.
"SEo. 8. And be itfurther enacted, That
any interference by any person, to pre-
vent, by force, the execution of the or.
ders of the General of the army, made in
pursuance of this act and ofthe acts afore-
said, or any refusalor wilful neglect of
any person to issue any order, or do any
act required by this act, or any other
of the acts to which this act is ad-
ditional and supplementary, with intent
to defeat or delty the due execution of
this act, or of ether of the acts to which
this is supplsmehtsrg shall he held to be
high mis1ex and TIE party guilty
thereof. do upon cengic6on, be lined
not to exceed IS 900 and Imprisonment
act exceeding two years. ~ sl!1 e
"SEo. 6. And be 1t further enacted,
tha: SO much Of all acts and parts of acts
as conHictorare inconsistent with the pro-
visions of this act are hereby repealed Z
Passed by Yeas l24; Nays 45. a So s
When the foregoing bill was under con
sideration, Mr.. Cary, Of Ohio, said that
he should like his colleague (Bingham)
in his closing argument to answer these
four questions: ss
First. If General Grant shall neglect
Of refuse to execute the provisions of this
law, or if in lis execution he snaii act IN
an oppressive and cruel manner, to Whas
tribunal will be be amenable for his nom
feasance?
Second. As, by the terms of the bill,
the President cannot interfere, can the
General be tried by ccurs-martial. and
# so, by whose orders, and who shall
constitute the court? aef Is
Third Not being a civil officer, can he
be impeached; and if SO, by whom, and
before what tribunal?
Fourth. If he cannot be arraigned by
my earthly tribunal, is he not made an
absolute despot2
The argument thus stated Mr.. Bing-
nam did not answer, because it is unan-
'werable.