The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-11-22
GENERAL popE's REPORT TO GENERAL GRANT.

lrrom the Evening Telegram OF yesterday
WASHINGTON, Nov. Fl, 1867.
The following ia brief abstract Of the report
of Major General Pope to General Grant concern
ing the operations Of the Third Military District
from the LIST of April. 1867
After abiding to the fact that on assuming
command he was without instructions as to
the construction Of the Reconstruction acts
under which he was appointed, he states
the conclusions at which he arrived upon
careful study Of the acts themselves,
remarkng that he twas strengthened in these
the veto messages Of the President Of the United
States - that he understood 1t to he the purpose
OF the Reconstruction acts to give the people
fair opportunity to reconstruct their State gov.
ernments in the manner therein specified, and In
order to do this it was the manifest design of
those acts to free the Southern people from the
evil influence Of old political leaders and of the
bitterness and hostility to the United States, with
whose organization was provided for in the Re:
construction acts; that those acts also established
military government over these States, super.
visory in its character, and to which the provi-
sional State governments were made in almost
all respects subordinate. For the protec.
ton Of person and property. and for the
preservation Of peace and good order the
military government was held to final
responsibility, with the understanding that as far
az was consistent with these objects The civil and
criminal administration was to be left in the hands
Of the provisional State governments, subject At
all times to the revision Of the military authorities
for the redress Of any injustice that the local au
thorties, either executive or judicial, might COM
the the A civil authorities them in office 'ai IN
any part Of the district proved unable or un-
willing to protect the people and to secure the
ends Of justice, he understood It to be his duty
officers who would effect the purpose. In add.
ton to these duties registration OF voters was
to be made under the direction Of the military
commander, and elections held in accordance
n question. An the powers necessary to do
these things be believed were conferred upon him
by the Reconstruction acts. In the absence Of
other instructions he thought he was confirmed In
Of the President. On the subject Of civil
administration the General then gives the
various orders issued by him, beginning
with General Order No. J. which he says spe.
their relations to the Reconstruction acts, and Ii
the basis Of all other orders issued by him In re-
lstion to civil AFFAIRS The report then takes up
the .s, Pope
lating to his abuse Of his position
by publicly using his influence against
reconstruction. or the character Of the civil
officers the General says that they were elected
at time when IL was almost impossible for
Union man to obtain an ONCE, the principal quail
hcation seeming to have been service in aid Of
the rebellion. The exceptions to this rule were
few. The mass Of ofdce-holders were therefore
hostile TO the Reconstruction acts, and offered
all the opposition they could consistent with their
own safety. This rendered the difficulty Of exc
cutting the acts Of Congress almost insurmount.
able. These officers could have been relieved,
and harmony between the military and. civil
authorities thus secured but nothing less than
wholesale removal would have accomplished the
purpose. To avoid the confusion which would have
resulted from 30 sweeping measure, the second
and third paragraphs Of this order were made.
The General then states his reasons for issuing
TO be given to disloyal newspapers. i was a.
most impossible TO oil civil Offices which became
vacant ON account Of the opposition Of
~ disloyal press, which denounced in
persons who accepted appointments At the hands
OF the military authorities, calling down upon
them the hostility Of people attempting to degrade
them in the eyes Of their neighbors and encoursg.
ing acts Of wrong and outrage towards them. II
became nearly impracticable in the midst Of this
storm Of abuse to find persons willing 70 accept
such appointments, although the people were
absolutely suffering In their business interests
from the want Of proper law on1cers. Al these
disoyal papers svsrywnsTs, outside ss o. the
Of State and county officers, be considered Il neces
sary TO the interests Of the people and the main.
tenancc Of civil government at Gil to prohibit the
civil officers from contributing onicial support to
such newspapers. General Pope then submits his
orders in relation to the Mobile riots, and explains
at great length his action concerning them. He
says he has removed very few civil ofRcers, and
has done so In almost every case only FOR refusing
compliance with his orders, and has appointed
civil officers to all these vacancies only. The Gen.
in regard TO registration, and gives his explana-
ton of the large expenditure for carrying out the
work Of rcconstruction and why further twenty
thousand dolars.will be needed.