Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-05-24
r,,o po1-.r- If military commanders.

The Powers of Military Commanders
We had supposed that the various COM
handlers of the Southern Districts would
,ova confined themselves to the duties de- |
7olving upon them by the terms OF the re
construction acts of Congress, with con-
sciantions regard to its limitations, as was
demanded by the very important purposes
souoht. We had thought they would
have confined themselves strictly to defin-
inc who were disfranch;sed and who ez-
Guided from Office and begun the work OF
reconstruction at once, not interfering with
the civil governments, without just cause
proved after due investigation. That such
has not been the case, Is, We conceive a
matter for regret, and, we submit, IS pro-
ner subject for the consideration of the
Government
The example of General SHEEIDAN IN
New Orleans, in discharging several OF the
most important municipal and State OIL
Gers without cause or reason being assigned,
has been eclipsed in Texas by one of his
snbalterns in refusing to permit citizens OF
that State, who gave any support to the
Confederate cause to serve on Jur1es, Inn
ting the Jurors to such as can take the
tast-oath. The legal authority for this Or
Ter. saws the New York Times, g has not
&c been cited, and none can be found The
&c reconstruction act contains no provision
,.upon the subject 1t declares who shall
he disfranchised and who shall be eX-
8. Guided from office but in respect of jul
ries it is silent. General GRIFFIN $ order,
d" then, is arbitrary and uniustifabIe.
When we contemplate that, by this
weeping and fearful order, the protection
of the life, liberty and property OF the
citizen in Texas, is placed almost under the
sole administration of the blacks, who,
However honest they may be, are entirely
incompetent for the discharge of these
crave responsibilities, We can approximations
1aischievous and dangerous it Is to place
The interests Of communities and the we'll
being of individuals i'll the power OF one
man, responsible only to an arbitrary and
fvrannical party majority, who now WELD
The destinies of the country with an IRON
rod. Before this usurpation Of power, the
arbitrary acts Of other commanders are III
significant One aims directly at the life,
liberty and property of the citizens OF
whole State, the others arc rather eNh1bl
lions of petty yindictiveness or prompted
bv O desire for the further humiliation O.
The Southern people.
However this may be, whether we regaro
his dangerous order OF General GRIFFIN
or the removal Of officers by General SHIzR1
DAN and ORD, or the abrogation Of Stat
laws by General SICKLEs, or the warming
TO the press by General SCHoFIELD, as tn
POWERS claimed and exercised under the re
construction acts, we see that there is n
uniform construction given to them. \
they are laws enforcing pains and penal
ties against the people OF ten States, the
should be construed most literally toward
those affected, yet on the contrary, all, /
fact. land one by confession are enforcin
it most stringentlv, claiming for the Coy
crnment the benefit of every doubt.
A law-abiding people are always mos
anxious that their laws, if not construed
y liberal and conciiatory spirit, should b
uniform AMI definite. He who does n'
expect to obey laws, or from want OF cha
acter or property is not affected by then
cares very little what they are OF who &C
ministers them. The people Of the Sout
are now suffering as much from the unce
tainty of their own rights and the powe
Of their Commanders as from the inJustlc
of the law itself. If the necessities of tt
times and the purposes OF the occasion I
nuired the destruction of State gover
1nents and the erection Of military ones
their stead, ga decent regard for the OPT
ions of mankind, " if not for the welfare
our people, should have compelled the LAY
making power to have defined clearly al
Enthusiastically the rights of the goyerne
and the powers of the governor.
This is what is now asked of the Pres
dent, as Chief, by t
Southern people. They would not appe
TO him, had he the power to grant it, tn
thelaws of Congress be annuled, and SO far
weare concerned, would we ask for therein
val or exchange of our Military GovernC
The laws will be promptly obeyed and t
orders of the Commander complied wit
What is now wished for is n general ORD
embracing specific instructions to the f
Military Commanders to the end that
least a uniform course of action on tn
part may prevail, and the just govern
may have a recognized code to regulate
powers and the peaceable citizen may KIN
the law which prescribes his duties. T
opportunity will be offered in the for
coming opinion of the Attorney Gener
which we trust will be taken advantage
and not only the rights of citizens, but
powers of commanders be distinctly Ii
down.
In reviewing the blunders of Southt
Military Commanders, the New York Il
aid calls upon the President, the Secrets
of War and General GRANT to issue 6,
eral order to secure not only q uniform
liberal and conciliatory course of action