Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1869-04-16

Reconstruction Acts. .,,., }sa> ~
Sec. 3. That the President of the
United States may, ia Hike manner,
submit the. Constitution of Texas to
the voters Of said State at such time
and in such manner as he may direct,
either the EN- ire Constitution, or sep
arate provisions of the same, as pro
vlded in the first section of this Act,
to a separate vote; and at the same
election the voters may vote for and
elect the members of the Legislature,
and all the State officers provided for
in said Constitution, and members of
Congress; Provilsd. also, That no
election shall be held in said State OF
Texas for any purpose until the Presi.
dent so direct. ...
SEC i, That the President Of the
united States may, in like manner,
submit the Constitution Of Mississippi
to the voters OF said State at such
time and in such manner as he may
direct, either the entire Constitution
or separate provisions of the same, as
'provided in the first section of this
Act, to separate vote; and at the
sans: election the voters may vote for
and elect the members Of the Legisla-
ture, and all the State officers provided
for in said Constitution, and II n.cmbers
of Congress.
SEC. 5. That if either Of said con-
stitutions shall be ratified at such
elections, the Legislature Of the state
so ratifying, elected rs provided for
in this Act, shall assemble at the
capital Of said State on the fourth
Tuesday after the official prolaulga-
tion of such ratification by the mill
tary officer commanding in said State.
| SEC. 8. That before the States of
Virginia, Mississippi and Texas shall
be admitted to representation in Con-
grcss, their several Legislatures, which
may be hereafter lawfully organized,
shall ratify the fifteenth article viii II
has been proposed by Congress to the
several States as an amendment to the
Congress Of the United States.
SEQ. 7. The proceedings in any of
said States shall not be deemed final,
OF operate as complete restoration
thereof, until their action, respect
lively, shall be approved by Congress.
The most obnoxious feature of
the law, is that making the accep-
tance of the Fifteenth Amendment
(the Suffrage Amendment putin g
black and whites upon the same
iooting,) a preliminary condition
to the admission of these States.
1t is spec;csof coercive Legislation
which is of piece with the action
of Congress in this whole work Of
Reconstruction. The bill was pass
ed by the large vote of rs ayes
4 to "a nays, and received the sup
:Iport of ell the members of the Re-
construction Committee, both Dem
oorats and Republicans. Mr..
Brooks and Judge Woodward,
both Dem ocrats both voted for it :;
reluct ctantly they said, but because ii
was the best they could get, and
was more likely to restore the
union of the States, than any
measure which had heretofore been
proposed by the majority in Con-
gress. III -.
i The better class Of Republican
Journals aretdemand;ng that pros
ERUPTION and persecution shall cease
at the South, and the late Act OF
Congress is a step to the accomplish
mcnt of that end. On this point,
hear the Tribune;
s'The country is emphatically
with the President. 1t longs for
peace restoration, and harmony.
1t demand proper guarantees for
the security and equal rights of all
law-abiding citizens: but it pre-.
fers to find themsin constitutions
and laws rather than in Presiden:
f tial edicts and military orders. It
believes that the present is q favor
able copjuncture for completing re.
E construction on the, basis of uni.
!. versal amnesty and Impartial suf
: frage; and it prefsts,not to make
!, the risks Of. an unknown impene-
trable future. 1t. is ssauite aware
that lat there are s:illimplaeable rebels
and inveterate wrong-doers sat the
/, South; but it feelssthak, they car,
j now e,remitted TO ofthes discipline
of. a government of Che whole peo.