of the public
peace, were entrusted to the military authority, with the power to
allow civil tribunals to take jurisdiction and try offenders; and if
that was not sufficient in the officer's judgment, he was authorized
to organize military commissions, "any thing in the constitutions and
laws of these so-called Confederate States to the contrary
notwithstanding." It was further declared that all legislative acts
or judicial processes to prevent the 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 have
no effect." The courts and judicial officers of the United States
were forbidden to issue writs of _habeas corpus_, except under certain
restrictions which further established the military authority over the
people. Prompt trials were guaranteed to all persons arrested, cruel
and unusual punishments were forbidden, and no sentence could be
executed until it was approved by the officer in command of the district.

Mr. Stevens, in his speech upon introducing the bill, did not attempt
to conceal its positive and peremptory character. "It provides," said
he, "that the ten disorganized States shall be divided into five
military districts; that the Commander of the Army shall take charge
of them, through his officers not below the rank of Brigadier-general,
who shall have the general supervision of the peace, quiet and
protection of the people, loyal and disloyal, who reside within those
precincts; and that to do so, he may use, as the law of nations would
authorize him to do, the legal tribunals whenever he may deem them
competent; but these tribunals are to be considered of no validity
_per se_, of no intrinsic force, of no force in consequence of their
origin; the question being wholly within the power of the conqueror,
and to remain until that conqueror shall permanently supply their
place with something else. That is the whole bill. It does not need
much examination. One night's rest after its reading is enough to
digest it."

Mr. Brandegee of Connecticut followed Mr. Stevens in a speech strongly
supporting the measure. "Mr. Speaker, something must be done," said
he. "The American people demand that we shall do something, and
quickly. Already fifteen hundred Union men have been massacred in cold
blood (more than the entire population of some of the towns in my
district), whose only crime has been loy