Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1867-04-26

tlniun aud Eispateh.
Largest Circulation in City and State.
RECONSTRUCTION IN GEORGIA.

Largest Circulation in City and State.
RECONSTRUCTION IN GEORGIA.
Gen. Pope Calls GOV. Jenkins 30 Ae-
eOunt-shaFp C0FFespOHdence-The
Military star I'm the Aseendant-In-
teresting and Instructive Chapter I'm
the Execution Of the Force Bill,
wherein Gen. Pope Lays Down the
Law.
The Atlanta papers of the Path publish
the followiug-which puts the practical
operation Of the force bill in very clear
light
HEADQUARTERS THIRD MILITARY DIS
TRICT, Georgia, Alabama and Florida
ATLANTA GA, April II, l867.-SIR-I
have the honor TO transmit enclosed a copy
Of my General Order assuming command
Of this military district. Copies were sent
10 YOU AT the time addressed to Milledge-
Vile
Paragraph three Of that order reads as
fol lows, viz:
"IH. tits TO be clearly understood how
ever, that the civil officers thus retained in
Office shall confne themselves strictly to
the performance Of their official duties. and
whilst holding their Offices they shall not
use any influence whatever to deter or dis
suade the people from taking an active part
in recOnstrueting their State government,
under the act Of Congress TO provide for
the more efficient government of the Rebel
States, and the act supplementary thereto"
] have the honor to request that you will
inform me at as early a day as possible,
whether, when Won issued your address to
the people Of Georgia, dated Washington,
ID. c., April 10, 1867, you had seen or had
knowledge Of the enclosed order.
4 am very respectfully, your obedient
servant, JOHN POPE
Breyet Major General Commanding.
A duplicate Of this letter has been adj
dressed TO you at Washington city.
Provisional Governor Chas. J. jenkins,
Milledgeville, Georgia.
NATIONAL HOTEL, ATLANTA, GEORGIA,
April 20, l867.-BREvET MAJeRG GENERAL
JONI PoPE, CoMM'D'G, ETc.-SIR: On yes
terday evening a copy Of communication
from YOU, addressed to me at Milledgeville,
on the 18th inst, was handed to me at this
hotel. With that communication was
transmitted copy Of your General Order
No /, issued from Montgomery, Alabama,
ard my attention being called to paragraph
three Of that order You inquire whether,
when issued my address to the people of
Georgia, dated Washington, d. g., April
10th, 1867, had seen or had knowledge
of your order above mentioned? | answer
that at that time had neither seen no had
knowledge Of il. rg .
| supposed / was exercising such freedom
in the public expression of opinion, rela-
tive to public matters, as seems still to be
accorded to the citizens of this republic,
not imagining that it was abridged by the
accident Of the speaker or writer holding
Office.
SO much for the past, General, and will
only add, that in future ] shall do and say
what | may believe is required of me by
the duty to which my oath of Office binds
me, and this, | trust, will not involve either
conflict or controversy between us in the
execution Of our respective trusts, as think
il need not everything Of this character
certainly desire to avoid.
am, sir, very respectively, your obedi-
ent servant,
[signed, CHARLES J. JENKINS,
Governor of Georgia.
HEADQUARTERS THIRD MILITARY Dis
TRICT, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, -
ATLANTA, GA, April %, lS67-Gov-
ERNoR: | have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your letter of the Goth inst,
in answer to mine Of the 18th. 7. r
1t gives me pleasure to say that your ex-
PLANTATION IS satisfactory, so far as the past
is concerned, and ! cordially concur with
you in the hope that our relations in the
future may be harmonious and agreeable
| would content myself with this answer
to your letter but for the following remark
which il contains. You say, supposed
| was using such freedom in the public ex-
preston Of opinion relative to public mat
tiers as seems still to be accorded TO the
citizens of this republic, not imagining
that It was abridged by the accident Of the
speaker or writer holding Office"
This expression seems 10 indicate that
you think that in some manner, either
personally or officially, you have been
wronged by that paragraph of my order
which has occasioned this correspondence,
and that / am seeking TO abridge the liberty
Of speech, in this State, in an unnecessary
and oppressive manner.
trust that | may be able to disabuse
your mind Of this idea. 1t is scarcely
necessary TO tell you that the late acts of
Congress, which ] am sent here TO execute,
recognize the existing State government of
Georgia as merely provisional, and that
the object Of recognizing it at all was only
that the ordinary course Of business in the
civil tribunals, and the administration OF
the laws Of the State by the customary
agencies might not be interrupted further
than was necessary for the strict execution
ofthe laws of the United States IL IL not |
doubted that Congress might have legis-
lated the present State government of
Georgia suit Of existence as easily as they
recognized it "a provisional, and it is as
little TO be doubted that Congress would
have done so, could it have been foreseen
that the entire machinery of the prOyis-
ional State government would he used 10
defeat the execution Of the very law by
whose sutlerance alone il has any existence
at all II il very clear that Congress did
not intend 10 recognize or permit to exist
hy these reconstruction acts, powerful or
ganization TO he used against their execu-
ton, nor can such use he made of the State
government of Georgia without greatly
obstructing, if not, indeed, entirely frus-
trating the performance of the duty re-
quired of me by these acts
The existing State government was per
mitted 90 stand for the convenience Of the
people of Georgia, in the ordinary admin
istration Of the local civil laws and TO that
end il should be carefully confined.
lt,was in this view that paragraph three of
nay order assuming command was con
sjdered, and il is no, easy 60 see how il can
be regarded as oppressive or unjust
Holding your Office by permission of the
nitedStaiesg government you are deharred,
rs ! am, from expressing opinions, or using
influences TO prevent the execution of the
laws Of the United States, or 10 excite i'll
feeling and opposition TO the general gov
eminent, which is executing these acts Of
Congress.
With your personal opinions or those OF
anv citizen of Georgia, or their expression
within the limits Of the law, have nothing
20 do; but the distinction between personal
opinion openly expressed in an official ca
pacity, and official opinion, is too nice for
the common understanding.
The influence of your opinion, opealy
ayowed, must Of necessity Ice very great
with the civil officers Of the State in ali its
departments, when the tenure Of office IS
LARGELY 1pnan1ent unou your Measure.