Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 13.djvu/773

 APPENDIX. 745 same time sincerely hoping and expecting that a constitutional amendment abolishing slavery throughout the nation may be adopted, nevertheless I am tiilly satisfied with the system for restoration contained in the bill as one very proper plan for the loyal people of any state choosing to adopt it, and that I am, and at all times shall be, prepared to give the executive aid and assistance to any such people, so soon as e military resistance to the United States shall have been suppressed in any such state, and the people thereof shall have suiiciciently returned to their obedience to the constitution and the laws of the United States, in which cases military governors will be appointed, with directions to proceed according to the bill. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be athxed. Done at the city of Washington this eighth day of July, in the year of our [L. S.] Lord one thousand eivht hundred and sixty-four, and of the Independence of the United States the eighty-ninth. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. By the President: _ Wxumu H. Snwaxm, Secretary of State. A Bill to guarantee to certain States whose Governments have been usurped or overthrown a Republican F arm of Government. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That in the states declared in rebellion provision;) against the United States, the President shall, by and with the advice and con- governor for _ sent of the Senate, appoint for each a provisional governor, whose pay and °’·*’;)*·‘t*i.‘l°°l*’°‘l l" emoluments shall not exceed that of a brigadiergeneral of volunteers, who shall r" ° l°°' be charged with the civil administration of such state until a state government therein shall be recognized as hereinafter provided. Sec. 2. And be it fm-ther enacted, That so soon as the military resistance to provision.; the United States shall have been suppressed in any such state, and the people governor to thereof shall have sufficiently returned to their obedience to the constitution and ***0* ¤¤ €¥}¤‘0l· the laws of the United States, the provisional governor shall direct the marshal “‘:;‘° °{,"’h‘°° of the United States, as speedily as may be, to name a sufficient number of gpm] wm' deputies, and to enroll all white male citizens of the United States, resident in the state in their respective counties, and to request each one to take the oath to support the constitution of the United States, and in his enrolment to designate those who take and those who refuse to take that oath, which rolls shall be forthwith returned to the provisional governor; and if the persons taking that oath shall amount to a majority of the persons enrolled in the state, he shall, by proc- Flcction of lamation, invite the loyal eople of the state to elect delegates to a convention deiégates to a charged to declare the willlof the people of the state relative to the reestablish- convention. ment of a state government subject to, and in conformity with, the constitution of the United States. S1:0. 3. And be it further enacted, That the convention shall consist of as Members of many members as both houses of the last constitutional state legislature, np— ¤°¤Y€¤¤°¤» ¤gc‘ portioned by the provisional governor among the counties, (parishes, or districts p°m°°m°n°* of the state, in proportion to the white population, returne as electors, by the marshal, in compliance with the rovisions of this act. The provisional governor shall, by proclamation, declare the number of delegates to be elected by each county, parish, or election district; name a day of election not less than thirty Time and days thereafter; designate the places of voting in each county, parish, or district, place of election. conforming as nearly as may be convenient to the places used in the state elections next preceding the rebellion; appoint one or more commissioners to hold the election at each place of voting, and provide an adequate force to keep the peace during the election. Sec. 4. Abd be it further enacted, That the delegates shall be elected by the vnu, mgy vote loyal white male citizens of the United States of the age of twenty-one years, in the election of and resident at the time in the county, parish, or district in which they shall d°l°g'**°°· ` oH`er to vote, and enrolled as atoresaid, or absent in the military service of the United States, and who shall take and subscribe the oath of allegiance to the United States in the form contained in the act of congress of July two, eighteen 1862, ch. 128. hundred and sixty-two; and all such citizens of the United States who are in V¤l· p- 502- the military service of the United States shall vote at the head uarters_of their respective commands, under such regulations as may be prescribed by the pro- VOL. xm. APP.- 63