A Bill

Supplementary to an act entitled “An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” and to facilitate restoration.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the commanding general in each district defined by the act entitled “An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” shall cause a registration to be made before the first day of September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, in each county or parish in the State or States included in his district, of the male citizens of the United States twenty-one years of age and upwards, resident in each county or parish, which registration shall include only those persons who are qualified to vote for delegates by the “act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” and who shall have taken and subscribed the following oath or affirmation: “I, ----, of ----, in the county or parish of ----, in the State of ----, do hereby solemnly swear (or affirm) that I am sincerely and earnestly attached to the Union and government of the United States, that I will steadfastly support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United States, and that I will, to the best of my ability, engage all others to such support and obedience, so help me God.”

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That whenever the registration hereby provided shall be completed, the commanding general shall cause to be held in each State of his district, on a day not less than thirty days from the date of proclamation thereof, an election of delegates to a convention for the purpose of amending the existing or framing a new constitution for said State, and of firmly re-establishing a civil government loyal to the Union therein, and of passing all needful ordinances for putting said constitution and government into operation.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That the conventions herein provided for shall be called on the basis of the representation of the house of representatives of each State.

SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That the commanding general of each district shall appoint such loyal officers or persons as may be necessary to make and complete the registration, to preside at the election, to receive, sort, and count, and to make return to him of the votes and of the persons elected as delegates; and upon receiving said returns he shall open the same, ascertain the persons elected as delegates, and make proclamation thereof, and within sixty days from the date of election he shall notify the delegates to assemble, at a time and place to be mentioned in the notification, to proceed to the organization of a convention; and when the said convention shall have amended the existing constitution or framed a new constitution in accordance with the “Act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” said constitution shall be submitted by the convention to the persons registered under the provisions of this act, at an election to be held after the expiration of thirty days from the date of notice thereof to be given by said convention.

SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That if the said constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the votes of the electors qualified as herein specified, 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 the said constitution shall be declared by Congress to be in conformity with the fifth section of the act entitled “An act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,” and the other provisions of said act shall have been complied with, 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 the duties hereby imposed upon the commanding general of each district, and the powers conferred, may, with his consent, be performed and exercised by the acting governor of any State, who shall take an oath or affirmation faithfully to keep and perform the same.

• S. 18 (introduced on 1867-03-07 12:00:00 - CREATE - e719178) [This document] [view current proposal at this moment]
  • Motion to Print and Refer S. 18 to the Committee on the Judiciary (introduced on 1867-03-07 12:00:00 - PROCEDURE - e719180) [view current proposal at this moment]
    • None (introduced on 1867-03-07 12:00:00 - ADOPT_PROPOSAL - e719185) [view current proposal at this moment]