Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-12
Report of the Reconstruction Com.
miftee.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Recon
struction Committee report the following
bill, which will be laid before the House
on Monday:
Be it enacted, ETC., That in Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina. Georgia,
Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Florida and
Arkansas there are no civil State govern
ments, and governments in said States
shall not be recognized as valid or legal
State governments, either by the Executive
or judicial power or authority Of the
United States.
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted, For the
speedy enforcement of the act entitled an
act to provide for the more efficient gov
eminent of the Rebel States, passed March
2, 1867, and several acts supplemental
thereto, the General of the army of the
United States is hereby authorized and re.
quired to enjoin by special order upon all
officers in command within the several mil.
itary departments within said several
States, the execution of all acts authorized
by said several laws above reeited, and re.
move, by his order, from command any OF
all said commanders, and detail other off
GERS of the United States army, not below
the rank of Colonel, to perform all duties
and exercise all powers authorized by said
several acts, TO the end that the people oil
the said several States may be recognized
as civil governments, Republican in form,
and be restored to political power in the
Union.
Sec. 8. Be it further enacted, That the
General of the army be authorized to re-
move one or all civil officers now acting
under the several provisional governments
within the said several disorganized States,
and appoint others to discharge the duties
pertaining to their respective Offices, and
may do any and all acts which, by said
several laws above mentioned, are auaaor-
lied by the several commanders of. the
military departments within said States,
and so much of said acts, or any act which
authorizes the President to detail COM
manders to such military departments, or
remove any officer who may be detailed
as herein provided, is hereby repealed.
Sec 4. Be it further enacted, That it
shall be unlawful for the President of the
United States to order any part of the
army or navy of the United States to assert
by force of arms authority in either of said
provisional governments 10 said disorgan-
lied States, to oppose or obstruct the au-
thority of the United States as provided
in this act and acts to which this is supplies
mentary.
Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That any
Interference by any person, with the intent
to prevent by force the execution of orders
of the General commanding the army, made
in pursuance Of this act or acts aforesaid.
shall be held as a high misdemeanor, and
the party guilty thereof shall, upon con-
viction, be fined not exceeding $4,000 and
imprisonment not exceeding two years.
Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, that go
much of all acts and parts of acts as con-
fict or are inconsistent with the provisions
of this act are hereby repealed.
The vote in the committee on the bill
stood Yeas-Messrs. Boutwell,, Bingham,
Farnsworth, Hubbard, Brigham and Payne.
Nays-Messrs. Stevens Of Pennsylvania,
Brooks and Beck.
Mr.. Stevens, it is stated, decidedly ops
posed the bill, and during the consultation
wanted some provision adopted by which
the Congressional representation of the
Southern States would be increased TO the
extent of ten, but on wider basis than that
which now prevails.