Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1867-09-04

jurisdiction, and exercising unauthorized
powers. The Presidents direction to Gen.
Grant t. send Gen. Hancock to New Orleans
is as follows
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
WASHINGTON. ID. G., Aug. %. 1867. {
SIR: In consequence of the unfavorablc
condition of the health of Maior-Gen. Geo.
H. Thomas. reported to YOU in Surgeon
Hasson : dispatch of the Dist inst, my order
dated Aug l.. 1867, is hereby modified 80
as To assign Maior-Gen. Winfield ) Han
cock 70 the command of the Fifth Military
District. created by the act of Congress
passed March ,. 1867, and of the Military
Department comprising the States of Louis
lana and Texas On being relieved from the
command of the Department of the Missouri
by Major-Gen. p. Ii. Sheridan, Major-Gen.
Hancock Will proceed directly TO New Or
leans, Louisiana, and, assuming the command
TO which he Is hereby assigned viii. when
necessary to a faithful execution of the laws,
exercise any and all powers conferred by acts
of Congress upon District Commanders, and
any and all authority pertaining to officers
in command of military departments. Major
Gen. y. III. Sheridan will at once turn over
his present command to the officer in rank
next To himself and proceeding without de-
lay 10 Fort Lawrence, Kansas, will relieve
Maior-tien Hancock Of the command of the
Department Of the Missouri Maior-Gcn
George III. Thomas Will, until further orders,
remain in command of the Department of
the Cumberland.
Very respectfully yours,
ANDREW Johnson.
Gen U. s Grant, Sec Y of War. dd interim.
The clause in this order authorizing sub
stantially Gen. Hancock to do as he pleases, is
q practical revocation of Gen. Grants order
that Gen Sheridan-s orders and regulations
should be kept in force unless modified by
Gen. Grant. A careful reading of the sup
Elementary reconstruction bill makes it I'M
fortunately apparent that Congress left its
work so far imperfect as not to prevent the
President from doing just what he has done
in this instance. The sections of the law af
fecting this question are follows
SECTION >. And be it further enacted, That
the commander of any district named in said
act shall have power, subject to the disap-
prevail Of the General of the Army of the
United States, and to have effect until disap-
proved, whenever in the opinion Of such
commander the proper administration of said
net shall require it, To suspend or remove
from office or from the performance of
official duties and the exercise Of official pow
ers, any officer or person holding or exercis-
ing, or protesting to hold or exercise any
civil or military office or duty in such district
under any power, election, appointment, or
authority derived from, or granted by, or
claimed under any sO-called state the gov
ernment thereof, or any municipal or other
division thereof and upon SUCH suspension
or removal, such commander. subject 20 tine
disapprOval Of the General aforesaid shall
have power to provide from time To time for
the performance of said duties of such officer
or person so suspended or removed, by the
detail Of some competent officer 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 And be it further enacted. That
the General of the Armies 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.
SEE I. And be 1t further enacted. 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 here
tofore OF hereafter appointed by any district
commander to exercise the functions Of any
civil office may be removed either by the mil
itary officers in command of the District,
by the General of the Army.
Gen. Grants power of interference, it will
he seen from these sections of the law. only
extends to the supervision of the appoint
ments and removals of civil officers by dis
trict commanders. Beyond this these dis
trict commanders have full swing. subject
only TO the regulations of the army, with
President johnson as Commander-in-Chief
1t is authoritatively stated that Gen. Grant
admits this to be the true construction of the
act, as it is undoubtedly; and he can see
nothing for him TO do except to obey the law
as it is. and leave the details of the work of
reconstruction to President johnson and the
district commanders.
This power over subordinate appointments
is no doubt very important one, and
through that Gen. Grant can keep the Presi
dent from putting rebels into civil Offices or
into positions in the work of reconstruction.
But if the President should conclude to post
pone the elections under the law, or modify
or change entirely the regulations respect
ing registration, so that the rebels would still
have opportunity to register, and facilities !
for that purpose extended to them, Gen. Grant !
cannot interfere. That this is so. how
ever, is the fault of Congress and not of Gen. !
Grant Before we can fully appreciate the |
evils of this hasty legislation, we must wait /
for the future to show what the new
district commanders, with their inspiration
directly from the White House, will attempt |
to do They can do a great deal of mischief
the fact of their appointment to displace I
men, whose only offense is that they pre-
fer loyal men TO rebels, has done a great
deal of mischief already; but we have some
I,,..n thnr- rriu ho liz Or