The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-11
RECONSTRUCTION.
AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR lrHE MORE Eff

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR sTHE MORE Eff
CLIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES
WHEREAS, no legal State governments GRADE
quate protection for life or property now exists
in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina.
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama Louisiana,
Florida, Texas, Mississippi and Arkansas, and
whereas it is necessary that peace and good order
should be entorcedin said States until loyal and
republican State governments can be legally es-
tabshed; therefore, n l2 . 35--f
BE il enacted ba the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentatiues Of the United States Of Anaerica IN Con-,
g,esS assembled, That said rebel States Shall
be divided into military districts, and made sub
ect to the military authority ofthe United States
as hereinafter prescribed, and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first district; North
Carolina and South Carolina the second district;
Georgia, Alabama and Florida the third district;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district, and
Louisiana and Texas the fifth district
SEC. 3 Andbe 1jufther enacted, That 1t shall
be the duty of the President to assign to the COM
lnand of each of said districts all officer of the
army not below the rank of brigadier general,
and to detail sufficient military force to enable
such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he is
assigned. -.is..
SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That it
shall be the duty of each officer assigned as afore
said to protect all persons in their rights OF per-
son and property, to suppress instruction, dis
order, and violence, and to punish or cause to be
punished all dsturbers of the public peace and
criminals and to this end he may allow local
civil tribunals to take Jurisdiction of and try
offenders, or when in his judgment it may be
necessary for the trial OF Offenders he shall have
power to organize military commissions or tr1-
bunals for that purpose and all interference
under color of State authority with the exer-
else of military authority under this act shall be
null and void. ai..
SEC t. Ard be it further enacted, That oil
persons put under military arrest by virtue OF
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delayi
and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be in
fcted and no sentence OF any military com
mission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting
the life or liberty of any person, shall be execu
ted until it is approved by the officer in command
of the district and the laws and regulations for
the government of the army shall not be affected
by this act, except in so far as they may conflict
with its provisions POyded That no sentence
of death under the provisions of this act shall be
carried into effect without the approval OF the
President H.
SEC. 5. Ind be it fg,t1er cnactea, That when
the people of any of the aforesaid rebel States
shall have formed constitution OF government
in conformity with the Constitution OF the
United States in all respects, framed by a
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 one year previous to the day of such election,
except such may be DISTINGUISHED for partci-
patton in the rebellion or Tor felony at common
law; and when such constitution shall provide
that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed byall
such persons as have the qualifications herein
stated Tor election of delegates and when such
constitution shall be ratified by majority of the
persons voting on 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 vote ofits 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 hnown 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 therrirom
on theil taking the oath prescribed by law and
then and thereafter the proceeding sections of
Il is act shall be imperative in said State IroUi-
ds7, That no person excluded from the privilege
of holding Office by said proposed amendment to
eligible to election as member OF the convention
10 frame constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for MEM
bers of said convention.
SEC. =. Ind be it further enacted That until
the people of said rebel States shall be- by law ad
mitted 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 aI-
thorty Of the United States at any time to ubol-
ish modify, control OF supcrsede the same and
in all elections to any office under such provis-
ional governments all persons shall be entitled to
vote, and none other, who are entitled to vote
under the provisions Of the fifth section of this
under any such provisional governments who
would be disqualified from holding Office under
the provisions of the third article of said consti
tutiona amendment