The House of Representatives of the Fortieth Session of Congress
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Frederick E. Woodbridge from Vermont and J. S. Golladay from Kentucky enter the House; H. R. 212 and H. R. 214 are proposed and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A Bill
To facilitate the restoration of the late rebel States, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted byWhereas, since the Senate and Houseorganization of Representativolutionary State governments ofin the Unitedlate rebel States of America in Congress assembled, That so much of the fifth seclabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, no constitution of an act passed March 23, 1867, entitled “An act supplementary to an actal State governments have existed in said States; and whereas the Congress of the United States failed to provide by law for the remore efficival of disloyal men now administering said illegal or pretended State government ofs; and whereas the rebelgovernment of the United States, passed March 2, 1867, and cannot recognize the right of men to facilitate their restoration," as requires that a majorityhold office, even under a provisional or temporary government, who cannot take the oath of all thoffice pregistered votes of thscribed by law: Therefore,
Be district shallenacted by the cast in favorSenate and House of Representatives of the ratification ofUnited States of America in Congress assembled, That the constituventions which have befen, ore which may hereafter becomes vali, elected, convened, and organized in either of the late rebel States of Alabama, Arkand the same is hereby, so far modifisas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, as provided in the act a majority ofof March 2, 1867, and the votes cast atseveral acts supplementary the election forreto, be, and the ratificaty are hereby, authorized to elect by ballot a provisional governor rejand an executive council of the Constitution shall bsix competent citizens, to administer, in such manner as the considered as valid and as affirming or rejectvention electing them may prescribe, the provisional governments in each of said States, during the constitutionnuance of such governments.
Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the seprovisional governor and executive council thus elected for each of said States which may be reconstructed undershall, before entering upon the discharge of their official duties, take and subscribe the oacth of Marchoffice prescribed by act of July 2, 1867,2; and its supplemthe compents, may at the timeion of said governor and executing upon thve council shall be ratification ofxed by the constitution vote also for members of Congress, whovention and paid out of the State treasury.
Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the governor shall be entitled to take their seats inhave authority, by and with the advice and approval of a majority of the next session of Congress afterecutive council thus elected, to remove all persons from office in their respectiveral States shallwho have been admitted engaged in rebellion againsto the Union; and until a new apportionmentted States, or who have opposed the elecrestoration forof said membStates to their former relations shall be accin the Union, or who have neglected or refuseding to the districts as they existed in 1858ake the oath of office prescribed by act of July 2, 1862, and 1859, except wheto appoint in otherwise provided for;ir stead loyal and compethent samen, under such rulective officers who makes and regulations as the return of the votes casconvention may prescribe: Provided, That all person the ratification or rejs appointed to office by the governor and execution of the constitution shall enumeratve council aforesaid, shall before entering upon the duties of any office, take and certifysubscribe the voath pres cast for the members of Congresscribed by act of July 2, 1862.
Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That from and give certificatesafter the meeting and organization of electhe convention to those havings now authorized by law in either of the laforgest numbaid States, the authority given district commanders by act of votesJuly 19, 1867, to remove from and whom they may deem entitled tappoint to civil office any person in such States, is heretoby revoked.
Sec. 35. And be it further enacted, That until a new apportionment shall be madso much of the act of March 23, 1867, supplementary to an act entitled “And act to provide for the more efficient government of Representhe rebel Statives South Carolina sh,” passed March 2, 1867, as provides that, unless a majority of all be entitlthe registered electo six Representatives, two of whomrs in each State shall vote “for a convention,” no convention shall be helected by general ticket; North Carolina eight Representatives, under said act, and so much of said act as requires a majority of the registered electors to vote for the ratification and acceptance of whom shallany constitution which may be elecframed and submitted by general ticket; Georgia eight Representativesthe conventions authorized in the act aforesaid, as a cone of whom shall be elecdition to its being transmitted by general ticket; Florida shall have one Repthe presiding officer of such convention to the Presidentative; Alabama eight, two of whom shall be elected by general ticket; Mississippi six, one of whom shall b of the United States, be, and the same is hereby repealed; and hereafter a majority of the electors in such of the States hereinbefore named who may vote at any election authorized by genthe several. Ticket; Louisiana six, one of whom shall be elected by gene acts aforesaid, shall be authority for the holding of such conventions as are therein provided for, and for the ral tificket; Texas five, one of whom shall beation of any constitution framed by such conventions and submitted to the qualified electors for their acceptance.
Sec. 6. And by general ticket; Arke it further enacted, That all acts and parts of acts three; and Virginia eleven, on takinginconsistent with the provisions of this act be, and the oath prescribed by lawsame are hereby, repealed.