The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-01-13
Congressional Proceedings.
WAS 4INGToN NEWS.
Meeting OF the Reconstruction Com
miffee-Bills Rep6rted.

WASHINGTON, January 1.-THE
Reconstruction Committee held long
meeting this morning, and after some
lowing bills. which will be laid before
the House Monday:
Bert enucreci, stc., That 10 Virginia,
North Carolina, South Carolina,
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Lou
isiana, Texas, Florida and Arkansas,
there are. no civil State governmen nts,
and the governments in these States
respectively shall not be recognized
as valid or legal governments either
by the Executive or Judicial power
OF authority of the United States
SEC. 2. BE IL further enacted, That
for the speedy enforcement of the act
entitled. An act to provide for the
more efficient government of the rebel
States, passed March 2, 1867, and the
several acts supplementary thereto"
the General Of the Army of the
United States is hereby authorized
and required to enjoin. by special
order, upon all officers In command
within the said Military Departments
within the said States the performance
Of all acts authorized by the said sew
eral laws above reeited, and remove
by his order from command any or all
of said commanders, and detail other
officers of the United States Army
not below the rank of Colonel to per-
form all the duties and exercise ali
the duties and exercise all the powers
authorized by the said several acts, to
the end that the people of the several
States may speedily reorganize their
several governments, republican In
form. in the said States, and be re-
stored to political power in the Union.
sASEC. ,. Be II further enacted, That
the General of the army be author
lied to remove all civil officers now
acting under the several Provisional
Governments within said several diS-
organized States, and appoint 9TH
ers to discharge the duties per-
tanning to their respective offices :;
may do any and all acts which by the
said several laws above mentioned
are authorized to be done by the sew
eral commanders of the Military De-
partments within the States, aud so
much of said acts or any act which,
authorizes the President to detail
commanders to such Military Depart
ments, or remove any officer which
may be detailed, as herein provided,
Il hereby repealed.
SEC. ,. Be It further enacted, That
ii 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, The authority Of either Of said
Provisional Governments, ia said dis
organized States, to oppose or OBJ
struct the authority OF the United
States aforesaid, in this act and acts
to which this is supplementary.
SEC. D. Be 1t further enacted, That
any interference by any person with
intent to prevent, by force, the execu-
tion of the orders of the General of
the army, made in pursuance OF this
act and acts aforesaid, shall be held
to be high misdemeanor, and the
party guilty thereof shall, upon con-
Yiction,F be fined not exceeding five
thousand dollars, and Imprisonment
not exceeding two years.
SEC. 6. Be 1t further enacted, That
so much of all acts and parts of acts
as conflict or is inconsistent with the
provisions of this act, is hereby re.
pealed.