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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, April 4, 1863.—Read first and second times, ordered to be printed and made special order for Monday, and continuing special order until completed.
To be entitled An Act to provide for holding elections for Representatives in the Congress of the Confederate States, in States occupied by the forces of the enemy.
1 SECTION 1. The Congress of the Confederate States of America do
2 enact, That, in the States of Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri,
3 Virginia and Tennessee, and in any other States in which more
4 than one-third of the number of Congressional Districts, or a
5 majority of the counties composing such districts respectively
6 are, at this time, within the lines of the public enemy, or occupied
7 and held by them, or in which the Governor thereof, by
8 proclamation, shall hereafter declare that more than one-third of
9 such districts or a majority of the counties composing such districts
10 are so held, at a time preceding an election for Representatives
11 in the Congress of the Confederate States, and not exceeding
12 sixty days, nor less than forty days, before the same; such
14 States, and each voter shall be entitled to vote one ticket containing
15 the names of one person from each Congressional district
16 in such State; and the persons in each district, receiving
17 the greatest number of votes of the whole vote of the State shall be
18 commissioned as Representative by the Governor of such State.
1 SEC. 2. Such elections shall be held in all States, wherein no
2 provision exists by law fixing the time for holding the same on
3 the first Wednesdav in November next, and in each second year
4 thereafter during the war.
1 SEC. 3. Such elections shall be so held by the officers, authorities
2 or persons, appointed or provided by the laws of the several
3 States for the purpose of holding such elections and at the places
4 so provided, or, if no provision has been made or shall be made
5 therefor, then by the State authority, officers or persons, who
6 at the time are authorized to hold elections for members of the
7 most numerous branch of the State Legislature.
1 SEC. 4. Such elections shall be conducted according to the
2 mode prescribed by the laws of the several States except so far
3 as the same are modified by this act.
1 SEC. 5. In such elections every citizen of the Confederate
2 States, who has not forfeited his citizenship by electing to adhere
3 to the government of the United States, who shall be qualified
4 to vote for a member of the most numerous branch of the
6 vote at the place or places in his State, at which he would
7 be entitled to vote in an election for such member of such
8 Legislature.
1 SEC. 6. But in case such citizen shall be in the military service
2 of the Confederate States, or in case he shall be driven from
3 his home by the occupation of his country by the public enemy,
4 or by the movements of his troops, or in case the elections cannot
5 be held at the usual places of holding the same, by reason of
6 such occupation or movements, then such citizen shall be allowed
7 to vote at any place of voting in such State, or in the camps of
8 the army, as provided for by the laws of such State, or as hereinafter
9 provided.
1 SEC. 7. In every such case, if the State governments have
2 failed to provide for elections to be held in the camps of the
3 army, such elections for Representatives shall be held therein as
4 follows: In every army corps, division or command, the colonel
5 of each regiment, or other officer in command thereof, or the
6 officer in command of any less body on detached service, shall
7 appoint two judges and three clerks to open and hold such election,
8 who shall hold the same, and make out the poll-books and
9 returns, under the same rules and regulations as if the same
10 were opened and held at the usual place of holding the same in
12 allow all persons entitled to vote therein.
1 SEC. 8. The returns of such elections in camps, shall be forwarded
2 by the several commanding officers, appointing the judges
3 and clerks as aforesaid, to the highest officer in grade, and the
4 senior of the grade from the State for which the same is held in
5 the encampment or army in which the same is held, whose duty
6 it shall be at once to forward the same to the Governor of the
7 State; or the same may be, if more convenient, forwarded by
8 such commanding officer directly to the Governor.
1 SEC. 9. In case the exigencies of the public service prevent
2 the holding of the elections in any camp, under this act or under
3 any State law passed for that purpose at the time provided by
4 law, the same may be held at any time within ten days after the
5 preventing cause may cease; the time for holding the same to be
6 fixed by the officer authorized to appoint the judges and clerks.
1 SEC. 10. Such officer shall be authorized to administer the
2 proper oaths to the judges and clerks, or they may administer
3 the same to each other.
1 SEC. 11. Every person concerned in holding such election in
2 any State or camp, shall take an oath to support the Constitution
3 of the Confederate States, and to discharge his duty in holding
4 such election faithfully and impartially.
1 SEC. 12. In the event that any such State has, by law, provided
3 specified, either by temporary act, which has expired, or by acts
4 now in force, such election shall be held according to the provisions
5 of such temporary or permanent act.