DIX A.
RECONSTRUCTION ACT OF THIRTY-NINTH CONGRESS.

AN ACT TO PROVIDE FOR THE MORE EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT OF THE REBEL STATES.

_Whereas_ no legal State government or adequate protection for life or
property now exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida,
Texas, and 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 Texas the fifth
district.

SEC. 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.

SEC. 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 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; and all
interference under color of State authority with the exercise of
military authority under this act shall be null and void.

SEC. 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 conflict with its prov