IN CABINET, _June 18, 1867_.
Present: The President, the Secretary of State, the Secretary of
the Treasury, the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, the
Postmaster-General, the Attorney-General, the Acting Secretary of
the Interior.
The President announced that he had under consideration the two opinions
from the Attorney-General as to the legal questions arising upon the
acts of Congress commonly known as the reconstruction acts, and that in
view of the great magnitude of the subject and of the various interests
involved he deemed it proper to have it considered fully in the Cabinet
and to avail himself of all the light which could be afforded by the
opinions and advice of the members of the Cabinet, to enable him to see
that these laws be faithfully executed and to decide what orders and
instructions are necessary and expedient to be given to the military
commanders.
The President said further that the branch of the subject that seemed to
him first in order for consideration was as to the instructions to be
sent to the military commanders for their guidance and for the guidance
of persons offering for registration. The instructions proposed by the
Attorney-General, as set forth in the summary contained in his last
opinion, will therefore be now considered.
The summary was then read at length.
The reading of the summary having been concluded, each section was then
considered, discussed, and voted upon as follows:
1. The oath prescribed in the supplemental act defines all the
qualifications required, and every person who can take that oath is
entitled to have his name entered upon the list of voters.