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* The following two (2) acts were passed by the Congress of the United States, over the veto of President Andrew Johnson, in March, 1867. The full text of each act is laid out, as well as the messages appertaining to the Presidential veto, and subsequent override.
Whereas, no legal State governments or adequate protection for
life or property now exists in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas;
and whereas, it is necessary that peace and good order should be enforced
in said States until loyal and republican State governments can be legally
established; Therefore -
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That said rebel States shall
be divided into military districts and made subject to the military authority
of the 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. 2. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty
of the President to assign to the command of each of said districts an officer
of the army not below the rank of brigadier general, and to detail a sufficient
military force to enable such officer to perform his duties and enforce
his authority within the district to which he is assigned.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty
of each officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons in their rights
of person and property, to suppress insurrection, disorder, and violence,
and to punish, or cause to be punished, all disturbers of the public peace
and criminals, and to this end he may allow local civil tribunals to take
jurisdiction of and to try offenders, or, when in his judgment it may be
necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall power to organize military
commissions or tribunals for that purpose, and all interference, under color
of State authority, with the exercise of military authority under this act,
shall be null and void.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That all persons put under
military arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried without unnecessary
delay, and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be inflicted; and no sentence
of any military commission or tribunal hereby authorized, affecting the
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 regulations for
the government of the army shall not be affected by this act, except in
so far as they conflict with its provisions; Provided, That no sentence
of death, under the provisions of this act, shall be carried into effect
without the approval of the President.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That when the people of
any one of said rebel States shall have formed a constitution of government
in conformity with the Constitution of the United States in all respects,
framed by a 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
the day of such election, except such as may be disfranchised for participation
in the rebellion, or for felony at common law; and when such constitution
shall provide that the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons
as have the qualifications herein stated for electors of delegates; and
when such constitution shall be ratified by a 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 a vote of its legislature elected under said constitution, shall have
adopted the amendment to the Constitution of the United States proposed
by the Thirty-ninth Congress, and known as article fourteen; and when said
article shall have become a part of the Constitution of the United States,
said State shall be declared entitled to representation in Congress, and
senators and representatives shall be admitted therefrom on their taking
the oath prescribed by law; and then and thereafter the preceding sections
of this act shall be inoperative in said State; Provided, That no person
excluded from the privilege of holding office by said proposed amendment
to the Constitution of the United States shall be eligible to election as
a member of the convention to frame a constitution for any of said rebel
States, nor shall any such person vote for members of such convention.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That until the people 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
be deemed provisional only, and in all respects subject to the paramount
authority of the United States at any time to abolish, modify, control,
or supersede the same; and in all elections to any office under such provisional
governments all persons shall be entitled to vote, and none others, who
are entitled to vote under the fifth section of this act; and no person
shall be eligible to any office under any provisional governments who would
be disqualified from holding office under the provisions of the third article
of said constitutional amendment.
SCHUYLER COLFAX
Speaker of the House of Representatives
LA FAYETTE S. FOSTER
President of the Senate, pro tempore
In The House Of Representatives]
March 2, 1867]
The President of the United States having returned to the House of Representatives,
in which it originated, the bill entitled "An act to provide for the
more efficient government of the rebel States", with his objections
thereto, the House of Representatives proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution,
to reconsider the same, and
Resolved, That the said bill do pass, two-thirds of the House of
Representatives agreeing to pass the same.
Attest:
EDWARD MCPHERSON
Clerk H. R. U. S.
In Senate Of The United States]
March 2, 1867]
The Senate having proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution, to reconsider
the bill entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government
of the rebel States", returned to the House of Representatives by the
President of the United States with his objections, and sent by the House
of Representatives to the Senate with the message of the President returning
the bill.
Resolved, That the bill do pass, two-thirds of the Senate agreeing to pass
the same.
Attest:
J. W. FORNEY
Secretary of the Senate
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled, That before the first day of
September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the commanding general in each
district defined by an act entitled "An act to provide for the more
efficient government of the rebel States", passed March second, eighteen
hundred and sixty-seven, shall cause a registration to be made of the male
citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age and upwards, resident
in each county or parish in the State or States included in his district,
which registration shall include only those persons who are qualified to
vote for delegates by the act aforesaid, and who shall have taken and subscribed
the following oath or affirmation: "I, __________, do solemnly swear,
(or affirm), in the presence of Almighty God, that I am a citizen of the
State of __________; that I have resided in said State for __________ months
next preceding this day, and now reside in the county of __________, or
the parish of __________, in said State, (as the case may be); that I am
twenty-one years old; that I have not been disfranchised for participation
in any rebellion or civil war against the United States, nor for felony
committed against the laws of any State or of the United States; that I
have never been a member of any State legislature, nor held any executive
or judicial office in any State engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that
I have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United States,
or as any officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature,
or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution
of the United States, and afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion
against the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof;
that I will faithfully support the Constitution and obey the laws of the
United States, and will, to the best of my ability, encourage others so
to do: So help me God"; which oath or affirmation may be administered
by any registering officer.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That after the completion
of the registration hereby provided for in any State, at such time and places
therein as the commanding general shall appoint and direct, of which at
least thirty days public notice shall be given, and election shall be held
of delegates to a convention for the purpose of establishing a constitution
and civil government for such State loyal to the Union, said convention
in each State, except Virginia, to consist of the same number of members
as the most numerous branch of the State legislature of such State in the
year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be apportioned among the several districts,
counties, or parishes of such State by the commanding general, giving to
each representation in the ratio of voters registered as aforesaid as nearly
as may be. The convention in Virginia shall consist of the same number of
members as represented the territory now constituting Virginia in the most
numerous branch of the legislature of said State in the year eighteen hundred
and sixty, to be apportioned as aforesaid.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That at said election the
registered voters of each State shall vote for or against a convention to
form a constitution therefor under this act. Those voting in favor of such
a convention shall have written or printed on the ballots by which they
vote for delegates, as aforesaid, the words "For a convention",
and those voting against such a convention shall have written or printed
on such ballots the words "Against a convention". The persons
appointed to superintend said election, and to make return of the votes
given thereat, as herein provided, shall count and make return of the votes
given for and against a convention; and the commanding general to whom the
same shall have been returned shall ascertain and declare the total vote
in each State for and against a convention. If a majority of the votes given
on that question shall be for a convention, then such convention shall be
held as hereinafter provided; but if a majority of said votes shall be against
a convention, then no such convention shall be held under this act: Provided,
That such convention shall not be held unless a majority of all such registered
voters shall have voted on the questions of holding such convention.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the commanding general
of each district shall appoint as many boards of registration as may be
necessary, consisting of three loyal officers or persons, to make and complete
the registration, superintend the election, and make return to him of the
votes, list of voters, and of the persons elected as delegates by a plurality
of the votes cast as said election; and upon receiving said returns he shall
open the same, ascertain the persons elected as delegates, according to
the returns of the officers who conducted said election, and make proclamation
thereof; and if a majority of the votes given on that question shall be
for a convention, the commanding general, within sixty days from the date
of election, shall notify the delegates to assemble in convention, at a
time and place to be mentioned in the notification, and said convention,
when organized, shall proceed to frame a constitution and civil government
according to the provisions of this act, and the act to which it is supplementary;
and when the same shall have been so framed, said constitution shall be
submitted by the convention for ratification to the persons registered under
the provisions of this act at an election to be conducted by the officers
or persons appointed, or to be appointed by the commanding general, as hereinbefore
provided, and to be held after the expiration of thirty days from the date
of notice thereof, to be given by said convention; and the returns thereof
shall be made to the commanding general of the district.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That if, according to said
returns, the constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the votes of
the registered electors qualified as herein specified, cast at said election,
at least one-half of all the registered voters voting upon the question
of such ratification, the president of the convention shall transmit a copy
of the same, duly certified, to the President of the United States, who
shall forthwith transmit the same to Congress, if then in session, and if
not in session, then immediately upon its next assembling; and if it shall
moreover appear to Congress that the election was one at which all the registered
and qualified electors in the State had an opportunity to vote freely, and
without restraint, fear, or the influence of fraud, and if the Congress
shall be satisfied that such constitution meets the approval of a majority
of all the qualified electors in the State, and if the said constitution
shall be declared by Congress to be in conformity with the provisions of
the act to which this is supplementary, and the other provisions of said
act shall have been complied with, and the said constitution shall be approved
by congress, the State shall be declared entitled to representation, and
senators and representatives shall be admitted therefrom as therein provided.
Sec. 6. And be it further enacted, That all elections in the
States mentioned in the said "Act to provide for the more efficient
government of the rebel States", shall, during the operation of said
act, be by ballot; and all officers making the said registration of voters,
and conducting said elections, shall, before entering upon the discharge
of their duties, take and subscribe the oath prescribed by the act approved
July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled "An act to prescribe
an oath of office"; Provided, That if any person shall knowingly and
falsely take and subscribe any oath in this act prescribed, such persons
so offending, and being thereof duly convicted, shall be subject to the
pains, penalties, and disabilities which by law are provided for the punishment
of the crime of wilful and corrupt perjury.
Sec. 7. And be it further enacted, That all expenses incurred
by the several commanding generals, or by virtue of any orders issued, or
appointments made by them, under or by virtue of this act, shall be paid
out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Sec. 8. And be it further enacted, That the convention for
each State shall prescribe the fees, salary, and compensation to be paid
to all delegates and other officers and agents herein authorized or necessary
to carry into effect the purposes of this act, not herein otherwise provided
for, and shall provide for the levy and collection of such taxes on the
property in such State as may be necessary to pay the same.
Sec. 9. And be it further enacted, That the word "article"
in the sixth section of the act to which this is supplementary, shall be
construed to mean "section".
SCHUYLER COLFAX
Speaker of the House of Representatives
B. F. WADE
President of the Senate, pro tempore
In The House Of Representatives, U. S.]
March 23, 1867]
The President of the United States having returned to the House of Representatives,
in which it originated, the bill entitled "An act supplementary to
an act entitled 'An act to provide for the more efficient government of
the rebel States', passed March second, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven,
and to facilitate restoration", with his objections thereto, the House
of Representatives proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution, to reconsider
the same; and -
Resolved, That the said bill do pass, two-thirds of the House of
Representatives agreeing to pass the same.
Attest:
EDWD. MCPHERSON
Clerk H. R. U. S.
In Senate Of The United States]
March 23, 1867]
The Senate having proceeded, in pursuance of the Constitution, to reconsider
the bill entitled "An act supplementary to an act entitled 'An act
to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States', passed
March second, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, and to facilitate restoration",
returned to the House of Representatives by the President of the United
States, with his objections, and sent by the House of Representatives to
the Senate, with the message of the President returning the bill -
Resolved, That the bill do pass, two-thirds of the Senate agreeing
to pass the same.
Attest:
J. W. FORNEY
Secretary