General Orders

General Orders No. 5, current series, from these headquarters, announcing members elect to the legislature, is hereby amended so as to substitute the name of A. D. Tinsley for that of C. O. Doyle for representative from the fifth district, the former announcement being a clerical error.

I. In compliance with the requirements of the sixth section of the act of Congress of April 10, 1869, the members elect of the legislature (this body, until further action of Congress, being provisional only) will each take and subscribe the following oath, the same being the oath of qualification prescribed by the most recent acts of Congress in the premises. viz. :

I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the ease may be) that I have never held the office or exercised the duties of a senator or representative in Congress, nor been a member of the legislature of any State of the United States, nor held any civil office created by law for the administration of any general law of a State, or for the administration of justice in any State or under the laws of the United States, nor held any office in the military or naval service of the United States, and thereafter engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or gave aid or comfort to its enemies, or rendered, except in consequence of direct physical force, any support or aid to any insurrection or rebellion against the United States, nor held any office under, or given any support to, any government of any kind organized or acting in hostility to the United States, or levying war against the United States. So help me God, (or, on the pains and penalties of perjury, as the case may be.)

I do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be) that 1 have been relieved by an act of the Congress of the United States from disability as provided for by section.5 of the fourteenth amendment to the Constitution of the United States. So help me God, (or, on the pains and penalties of perjury, as the case may be.)

II. Hon. B. Rush Plumly, member elect from the twelfth district, is appointed temporary speaker of the house of representatives.

The oath will be administered to the members of the senate by Hon. E. M. Glenn, judge of the seventeenth judicial district ; and to the house of representatives by Hon. T. H. Duval, United States district judge for the eastern district of Texas.

III. Cases of contested seats will be referred to district headquarters, each contestant stating dearly his grounds of contest, whether the same be for ineligibility of the party holding the certificate or for other cause.

Any member holding the certificate of election, and declining to take and subscribe the above oath, will vacate his seat.

IV. Until all the members elect shall have had an opportunity to qualify, both houses will adjourn from day to day, assembling daily at 10 o'clock a. m. The organization of each house will be perfected as soon as action on contested cases shall have been taken by the district commander, of which due notice will be given.

Hon. James P. Butler, member elect from the fifteenth district, is hereby appointed temporary speaker of the house of representatives, vice Hon. B. Rush Plumly, declined,

A board of officers is hereby appointed to inquire into the eligibility, under the reconstruction laws, of such members elect of the legislature of Texas as may have their cases referred to it from district headquarter.

Be board will meet today at 10 o'clock a. m., and will have power to administer oaths and send for persons and papers. All parties interested will be permitted to appear before the board in person or by attorney

1. Brevet Major General Cuvier Grover, United States Army, acting inspector
2. Major De Witt Clinton, judge advocate, United States Army.
3. Major E. D. Judd, paymaster United States Army.

By command of Brevet Major General .Reynolds:

H. CLAY WOOD,
Assistant Adjutant General.

Official :

W. P. BAINBRIDGE,

Aide-de-Camp.

[General Orders No. 25.]

Headquarters Fifth Military District,

State Of Texas, Austin, Texas, February 9, 1870.

I. The cases of contested seats of the following-named members elect of the legislature, not involving their eligibility under the reconstruction laws, will be acted upon by the house to which the contestants claim to belong :

Senator.—A. J. Evans, nineteenth district.

Representatives.—M. L. Armstrong, eleventh district ; I). W. Barley, eighteenth district ; S. Cotton, eighteenth district ; J. Abbott, twentieth district ; J. E. Hawkins, twentieth district ; I. H. Evans, thirtieth district ; G. Spencer, thirtieth district ; Nelson Plato, thirtieth district.

II. There being a quorum of qualified members present, the two houses will proceed to perfect their permanent organization and to transact such business as devolves upon them under the reconstruction laws as a provisional body.

By command of Brevet Major General .Reynolds:

H. CLAY WOOD, Assistant Adjutant General ,

Official :

CHARLES E. MORSE, Aide-de-Camp, Secretary for Civil Affairs.

Aide-de-Camp.

[General Orders No.. 28.]

Headquarters Fifth Military District,

State Of Texas, Austin, Texas, February 14,1870.

The cases of persons claiming seats in the legislature, involving their eligibility under the reconstruction laws, have been inquired into by the board of officers convened by General Orders No. 24, current series. from these headquarters.

The following persons are declared by the board eligible : Senators.—John G. Bell, thirteenth district ; William H. Pyle. twentieth district.

Representatives.—John P. Hill, ninth district ; William Sheriff, thirteenth district; S. J. Adams, eighteenth district ; A. C. Warren, twenty second district.

The following persons are declared by the board ineligible:

Senate.—M. Priest, third district.

House of representatives.—A. D. Elam, third district.

The findings of the board are approved and confirmed. The persons declared eligible are entitled to seats, so far as the question of eligibility under the reconstruction laws is involved. If other causes of contest exist, they will be determined by the house to which the parties claim to belong.

By command of Brevet Major General Reynolds :

H. CLAY WOOD, Assistant Adjutant General.

Official : CHARLES E. MORSE, Aide-de-Camp, Secretary for Civil Affairs.

Aide-de-Camp.

[General Orders No. 30.]

Headquarters Fifth Military District,

State Of Texas, Austin, Texas, February 19,1870.

In compliance with request embraced in resolutions of the house of representatives, under date of the 16th and 17th instant, the question as to the eligibility, under the reconstruction laws, of the following named persons holding seats in the house of representatives, has been inquired into by the board of officers convened by General Orders No. 24, current series, from this headquarters, viz : M. L. Armstrong, eleventh district ; A. F. Leonard, twenty-first district.

The board has declared that M. L. Armstrong " is not eligible" to a seat in the house of representatives; and that A. F. Leonard, representative from' the twenty-first district, "is eligible" to his seat under the reconstruction laws.

The findings of the board are approved and confirmed.
By command of Brevet Major General .Reynolds:

H. CLAY WOOD,
Assistant Adjutant General.

Official :

CHARLES E. MORSE Aide-de-Camp.

	THE REPUBLICAN PARTY OF TEXAS The First 50 Years