The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-03-15
The Law and the Military Csmmanders over
tho South.

The Law and the Military Csmmanders over
tho South.
The military commanders appointed by the
President over the FIVE military districts into
which the ten outside rebel States are divided
are as follows First district, Virginia, Gem
eral J. NJ. Schoheld second, North and South
Carolina, General D. E. Siskles third, Georgia,
Florida and Alabama, General G. 81. Thomas
fourth, Mississippi and Arkansas. General z
o. G. Ord fifth, Louisiana and Texas. General
P. Il. Sheridan. These are excellent appoint
ments for not only are these officers men
of superior administrative capabilities and
approved loyalty and honesty, but each in his
district has been tried and has had the expe-
rience already as the military commander
therein which fully qualities him to enter intel
ligently upon his larger responsibilities in this
new and comprehensive work Of reconstruc-
ton. In the next place, in these appointments
President johnson has manifested in the high
est degree his purpose to "see the law faith
fully executed and to avoid If possible any
further conflict with Congress-; because, if we
are not mistaken, every one Of these command
ers in his departmental duties or as witness
before Congress has, to greater or leS
extent, come into conflict with Mr.. Johnson
and his policy in the course of the last two
years. General Grant, we are assured, Is and
has been among the believers In this Con-
gressional policy of Southern reconstruction,
and while his recommendation of these officers
| adoption of them is the best evidence that
could be asked in his behalf as the chief execu-
| tive officer Of the law.
The supplemental bill now before the Senate
providing the machinery of State reorganiza-
ton will probably be passed in substantially
its present shape before the end Of the week.
1t provides for a registration of voters, whites
and blacks, under an oath OF loyalty, the
rules for the election Of State convention, &C.,
and for the payment Of all these incidental
expenses-the military branch by the federal
treasury, and the civil proceedings under the
law by each State concerned. 1t provides, too,
that all these elections shall be by ballot, the
object being to prohibit the viva voce system.
under which bad men might intimidate or mark
for future vengeance the voter opposed to
their ticket 1t was under the viva voce
system in Virginia, in 1865, that Henry A.
Wise, the democratic candidate for Governor,
broke down the great and alarming Know
Nothing organization of that day. Watch
them," said he, "when they come up to the polls
and call out their vote, and you will know
them hereafter" Upon this hint Senator
Trumbull has acted in providing in this bill
that these Southern elections shall be by ballot
tits to be hoped that Congress will pass this
supplementary bill in such shape as to satisfy
the people of the excluded States that in meet
ing Its condition fairly with those Of the gene
raj law of March they will be restored "a
Congress. They naturally feel discouraged Il
their bad luck under the Presidents policy In
having to do all their work over again, and
therefore they need some positive assurances
that in meeting these new terms they are moi
to be disappointed in being rejected again BY
Congress- .r
The Hon. Bsu Basler and tho Hen. Fernando
1 Wood.