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

sent here to execute, as "palpably uncon-
stifutional" and "grieyously oppressive, -
and advise the people, whatever may be
the decision of the Supreme Court Of the
United States, to take no action under
those laws. Whilst yon counsel them not
to resist by violence, You at the same time,
by open official denunciation Of the Law,
invite the very action which you seem to
deprecate.
1t is manilestly impossible for me 10 per
form the duties required of me by the acts
of Congress, while the Provisional Cover
nor Of the State is openly denouncing them
and giving advice 20 the public ia his of
fetal capacity, the result of which will be
to excite discomfort and array the whole
army Of Office holders in the State in oppo-
sition TO their execution, unless indeed, the
whole civil government oftheState is over
thrown, and the military substituted.
think such a change would beas distasteful
to the people of Georgia as it would be to me
and yet if the civil officers of the State fol-
low the example which your Excellency
has set them, there will be no escape from
such a result.
The third paragraph of my order inn
poses no restrictions on you to which / an
not myself subject; you hold yonr Office By
permission of the United States govern
ment, hold mine, as do thousands of 9TH
ers, both civil and military, by substantially
the same tenure. Custom, old enough to
be law itself, restricts us in conversation
and action, precisely as paragraph three of
my order restricts you.
There is a very simple mode Of freeing
ourselves from such restrictions when they
become too oppressive.
In conclusion, Governor, IL seems neces-
sary for me to say in general reply to the
latter portion Of your letter, that the para :
graph of my order to which you object, was
very carefully considered that it means
precisely what il says, and that to the fall
extent of my power i win be strictly en-
forced.
My great respect for your personal char
acter has made il painful to me to write
you this letter. but as a fair and full under
standing between ms is absolutely essential
10 anything like harmonious relations, /
have thought it necessary, even at the risk
of giving oflense, to acquaint you fully with
my understanding of my duty, and of the
status Of the civil officers of the provisional
State governments under the late acts of
Congress.
| again assure you that it shall be my
study, as it will be my pleasure, to preserve
unimpaired friendly and harmonious rela-
tions with You, and / trust that our views
on the subject Of this correspondence may
be made to harmonic sufficiently to secure
this result.
| am, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
Signed, .s JOHN POPE
Major General Commanding.
HEADQUARTERS THIRo MILITARY DIS
TRICT, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, }
Atlanta, Ga, April %, 1S67.-General
Order No. l0.-The following paragraph
from General Order No. l, from these
headquarters, is re-published for the infor-
nation Of all concerned:
PARAGRAPH III.-H is to be clearly
understood, however, that the civil officers
thus retained in office, shall confne them
selves strictly to the performance Of their
official duties, and whilst holding their
offices they shall not use any influence
whatever TO deter or dissuade the people
from taking an active part in reconstruct
ing their State government under the act of
Congress, to provide for the more efficient
government of the Rebel States and the
act supplementary thereto"
The words, ''shah not use any influence
whatever" shall be interpreted in their
widest sense, and held to mean advice,
verbal or written, given to individuals,
committees, or the public. @
All officers in this military district are
directed, and citizens ore requested to give
immediate information of any infraction of
this order, and to prevent misunder-
standing on the subject, it is distinctly an
nounced that any civil official Estate or
municipaD within this district, who violates
the above order, will be deposed from his
Office and held accountable in such other
manner as the nature of the case demands.
By command of Brevet Major General
John Pope. Ct. X. SAEDERsoN,
Capt. SD U. s. infantry, and A. A. A. G.
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