The Manchester Journal

The New Reconstruction Bill.

Below we give the new reconstruction bill as it finally passed the two Houses of Congress and went to the President. It will be seen that the bill, as a whole, is altogether in advance of anything heretofore attempted by Congress. If it errs at all, it is on the side of over-security and thoroughness. And yet there is not a clause in it which is not strictly just and reasonable. The rebels have brought it all upon themselves, not only by their long and remorseless warfare against the Union, but by the disaffection, disorder and want of good faith which they have since neither encouraged nor tolerated among them. But the bill, should it become a law, would work no hardship to any Southern man sincerely desirous of returning to his allegiance to the United States government. He is protected in life and property and in all other respects, except that those who were foremost in treason are at present excluded from the polls and from office.

There is little doubt, however, that Congress would fulfill Senator Wilson's promise to remove even this disqualification, in case the Southern States should promptly reorganize under this bill.

Whereas, No legal State government, or adequate protection for life or property now exists in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Texas, 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, &c. 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.
Section 2. 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.

Section 3. 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 try offenders, or, when in his judgment it may be necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall have 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.

Section 4. 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 may conflict with its provisions.

Section 5. That when the people of said rebel States shall have formed a constitutional government in conformity with the Constitutional government 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 participating 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 election 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 shall, by a vote of its Legislature, elected under said Constitution, have adopted the amendment to the Constitution of the United States proposed by the thirty-ninth Congress, and known as "Article 14," 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 a Convention to frame a constitution for any rebel State, nor shall any such person vote at any election for members of such Convention.

Provided, further, That until the people of said rebellious States shall by due form of law be admitted to representation in the Congress of the United States, any civil government which may exist there shall be deemed to be provisional only and in all respects subject to the powers and authority of the United States, at any time to be abolished, modified or superseded, and all elections for officers of such Provisional Governments shall be conducted only by persons named in the fifth section of this act, and no person shall be eligible to office under such provisional government who would be disqualified from holding office under the provision of the third section of the Constitutional amendment of last session.