e for the more efficient government of the rebel
States," and of the act supplementary thereto, passed on the 23d day
of March, 1867, that the governments then existing in the rebel
States of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia,
Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Arkansas, were not
legal State governments, and that thereafter said governments, if
continued, were to be continued subject in all respects to the
military commanders of the respective districts, and to the paramount
authority of Congress.

SEC. 2. That the commander of any district named in said act shall
have power, subject to the disapproval of the General of the army of
the United States, and to have effect till disapproval, whenever in
the opinion of such commander the proper administration of said act
shall require it, to suspend or remove from office, or from the
performance of official duties and the exercise of official powers,
any officer of person holding or exercising, or professing to hold or
exercise, any civil or military office of duty in such district under
any power, election, appointment, or authority derived from, or
granted by, or claimed under, any so-called State or the government
thereof, or any municipal or other division thereof; and upon such
suspension or removal such commander, subject to the disapproval of
the General as aforesaid, shall have power to provide from time to
time for the performance of the said duties of such officer or person
so suspended or removed, by the detail of some competent officer or
soldier of the army, or by the appointment of some other person to
perform the same, and to fill vacancies occasioned by death,
resignation, or otherwise.

SEC. 3. That the General of the army of the United States shall be
invested with all the powers of suspension, removal, appointment, and
detail granted in the preceding section to district commanders.

SEC. 4. That the acts of the officers of the army already done in
removing in said districts persons exercising the functions of civil
officers, and appointing others in their stead, are hereby confirmed:
_Provided_, That any person heretofore or hereafter appointed by any
district commander to exercise the functions of any civil office, may
be removed either by the military officer in command of the district,
or by the General of the army. And it shall be the duty of such
commander to remove from office, as aforesaid, all persons who are