The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1868-07-10

Act Of Thirty-Ain Congrsa.

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Az Ic, 10 Proridc for The mare Eff
| cicm Government Of TIC Reid
!Vafes.
Whereas no legal State governments
or adequate protection for life or prop
erty now exist in the rebel States Of
Virginia, North Carolina Georgia, Mis-
sissippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida,
Texas, and Arkansas and whereas /, is
necessary that peace and good order
should be enforced in said states until
loval and republican Stats governments
can be legally established Therefore
ne ii rrasii.,!!, &c, That .aid rebel
States shall be divided into military dis
tricta and made subject 10 the military
Authority Of the United States, as here.
mater prescribed and for that purpose
Virginia shall constitute the first dis
trict North Carolina and South Caro-
lins the second district; Georgia, Ala
bama, and Florida the third district
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth
district, and Louisiana and Texas the
| ffth district
Sso . Ths, !, shall be the duty Of the
| President 10 assign TO the command Of
each Of said districts an ofhcsr Of the
army, not below the rank Of brigadier
general, and to detail sufficient mill
tary force to enable such officer TO per.
form his duties and enforce his author.
ity within the district to which he is
assigned
SIC 3. That it shall be tie duty Of
each officer assigned as aforesaid TO pro-
teci all persons in their rights OF person
and property, TO suppress instruction,
disorder, and violence, and to punish, or
cause to be punished, NIL distarbers Of
the public peace and criminals, and to
this end he may allow local civil tribn.
mails TO take jurisdiction Of and to try Of.
tenders, or, when in hi. judgment !, mag
be necessary for the trial Of offenders,
he shall have power TO organize military
commissions or tribunals for that pur.
pose n,sl all interference under color
Of State authority with the exercise Of
military authority under this net shall
be null and void
SIC 4 That nil persons put under
military arrest by virtue Of this act shall
be tried without unnecessary delay, md
no cruel or unusual punishment shall
be inflicted and no sentence Of any
military commission or tribunal hereby
authorized, affecting tho life or liberty
OF any person, shall be executed until It
Is approved by the officer in command
Of the district. and the laws and regula-
ticns fc- the government Of the army
shall not be affected by this act, except
in SO far as they conflict with ii provis.
ions; Irorided, That no sentence Of
DEATH under the provisions OF this act
shall be carried into effect without the
approval Of the President
SEQ 5. That when the people Of any
one Of said rebel States shall have form.
ed constitution Of government in con
e.. nifty with tho Constitution Of the
United States in nil respects. framed ~
convention Of delegates elected by the
male 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 Ike day cf such election, cx-
eept such ms may lie disfranchiscd for
participation In the rebellion, or for Eel
ony at common law, and when such
constitution shall provide that tho elect
i've franchise shall be enjoyed by all
such persons as have the qualifications
herein stated for electors Of delegates,
and when such constitution shall be rat
flied by majority Of the persons voting
on the question OF ratification who arc
qualified AS electors for delegates, and
when such constitution shall have been
submitted 10 Congress for examination
and approval, and Congress shall have
approved the same, and when said State,
BY vote Of its legislature elected under
said constitution, shall have adopted the
amendment 10 the Constitution Of the
United States, proposed by the Thirty
ninth Congress, and known as article
fourteen, and when said article shall
have become part Of the Constitution
Of the United States, said State shall be
declared entitled 10 representation in
Congress, and Senators and Representa-
tives shall be admitted thcrcfrom on
their taking the oaths prescribed by
law, and then and thereafter the pre-
ceding sections Of this act shall be in
operative in said State Proeided, That
no person excluded from the privilege
of holding vssos b, said PROPOSED aincnd'
ment to the Constitution OF the United
States shall be eligible 10 election as n
member Of the convention 10 frame a
constitution for any Of said rebel States,
nor shall any such person vote for mem
hers Of such convention.
swc. 6. That until the pee3le Of said
rebel states shall be by law admitted to
representation in the Congress Of the
United States, any civil government.
which may exist therein shall he deemed
provisional only, and in all respects sub
jsct TO the paramount authority Of the
United States ut my time to abolish,
modify, control, or supersedc the same
aud 10 all elections, to any once under
such provisional governments all per-
sous shall be entitled to vote, and none
others, who arc entitled to vote under
the provisions Of the Afth section Of this
act and no person shall be eligible TO
any ofkce under any such provisional
governments who would be disqualified
from holding once under the provisions
Of the third article Of said constitutional
amendment
Passed March 2, 1867.
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