tes of America in Congress assembled_, That
said so-called 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 Virgina 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 General of the army to assign to the command of
each of said districts an officer of the regular army not
below the rank of brigadier general, and to detail a
sufficient 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 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 have power to organize military commissions or
tribunals for that purpose, any thing in the constitution
and laws of the so-called States to the contrary
notwithstanding; and all legislative or judicial proceedings
or processes to prevent the trial or proceedings of such
tribunals, and all interference by said pretended State
governments with the exercise of military authority under
this act shall be void and of no effect.

"SEC. 4. _And be it further enacted_, That courts and
judicial officers of the United States shall not issue writs
of _habeas corpus_ in behalf of persons in military custody
unless some commissioned officer on duty in the district
wherein the person is detained shall indorse upon said
petition a statement certifying upon honor that he has
knowledge or information as to the cause and circumstances
of the alleged detention, and that he believes the same to
be rightful; and further, that he believes that the indorsed