The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1869-12-29
Georgia.

gress relative to the State of Georgia, passed
on Thursday, and was signed by the Presi
dent yesterday at one o'clock.
| This Act of Congress is entitled "An Ac
| to promote the reconstruction of Georgia,
and is the result of the broken faith by the
Georgia Legislature, the particulars of which
our readers are conversant with.
The bill authorizes and directs Gov. Bull
lock to issue his proclamation summoning
all persons elected to the General Assembly,
as appears by the proclamation of General
Meade, dated June %, 1868, to appear in
Atlanta on some certain day, and proceed
to perfect lis organization in conformity
with the constitution and laws of the United
States, according to the provisions of the
Act just passed by Congress.
| In the second section of the Act, the men,
bers of the houses, besides taking the oath
required by the constitution of Georgia,
must take an oath prescribed in the said Act
of Congress, usually known as the test oath,
1
been banned shall have been removed, in
which case, then they make oath to that
| effect.
The bill sets forth, thrt if any person shall
by force, violence, or fraud, wilfully hinder
or interrupt any person elected from taking
either of the oaths or affirmations prescribed
or from participating in the pro, ceilings of
the Senate or House after having taken one
of said oaths or affirmations and otherwise
complied with this act he shall be deemed
guilty of felony, and may be tried therefor
by the circuit or district court of the United
States for the district of Georgia in which
the offence may be committed, and shall be
punished by Imprisonment at hard labor
for not less than two nor more than ten wears
and the jurisdiction of said courts shall be /
sole and exclusive.
The bill further declares, that the exclu-
sion OF any person elected as aforesaid. and
being otherwise qualified, from participa-
ton in the proceedings of the Senate or
House upon the ground of race or color, or
previous condition of servitude would be
illegal and revolutionary, and is prohibited.
The bill also declares, that upon the ap-
plication OF the Governor of Georgia, the
President shall employ such military or
naval forces of the United States as NAV be
necessary to enforce and execute the pro.
visions of the bill which has just been en-
acted.
The bill further requires that the Legisla-
ture shall ratify the proposed fifteenth
amendment to the Constitution of the Uni
ted States before Senators and Representa-
tives from Georgia are admitted to seats in
Congress.
Gov Bullock has returned to Georgia
the law has been signed by the President of
the United States-and is effective. The
Governor of Georgia will forthwith issue
his proclamation in accordance aciM the Ian,
and the peoples representatives will as
semole In Atlanta and proceed in accord.
anee with the instructions and requirements
Oh the Government. The colored members
who were unceremoniously kicked out will
now take their seats. and the fifteenth
amendment will be ratified or adopted. How
silly now appears the great State of Georgia
n the eyes of the world, She can no LONGER
hesitate. She refused quietly to do her
iuty, now she must! And she will! Had
aith been kept-had the colored members
'een allowed to take their seats-bad the
tteenth amendment been adopted-in plain
lnguage, had Georgia acted wisely. her
representatives. would now have been in the
congress of the United States.
A Richmond paper says, Georgia comes
nut as we expected. She has pains and Pc
lalties now. For her own sake it would
have been better had she acted otherwise
True enough-and better for the nation. 1t
It is cause OF regret that the spirit of revolt
should have shown itself in Georgia. Her
soldiers in the rebellion were brave men,
but her people have not acted brayely in
their attempt to thwart the national plan of
Virginia, if her admission
is delayed, it is on account of the conduct
Of Georgia; still, Virginia will be admitted,
we have not the least doubt, at an early
day, on the Resembling of Congress, with
out other conditions being heaped upon her.
The prompt action of Congress in the case
Of Georgia, is an earnest of what may be
expected. Longer tampering will not be
allowed.