The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1867-07-19
Military Reconstruetion.

Military Reconstruction.
The Secretary of War to-day sent
to the House of representatives, in
response to the resolution OF the
third instant, copies of all the orders,
dispatches andcommnnications which
have been fo-sarded 20 or received
from, the several Commanders oi
military Districts. The papers are
quite volumiuous, most OF them be
ing from General Sheridan, who
scenes to have had much more cor
respondence with his superiors than
the other commanders. The most oi
the important points have heretofore
been made public, but the following
will be found interesting:
THE FIRST DISTRICT.
1 From the First District it appears
lthat General Schofield, on the 22d oi
| March, first asked for an official in
fterpretation of the phrase 'Execu
tive and Judicial officer as contain
ed in the constitutional amendment
The next official communication Of
Importance is his order regarding
registration, on which he asks Gen.
raj Grants opinion General Gran,
replies May 9th, that he approve:
the order, but thinks that the Board
better not be confined too strictly BY
rules, so that they may not be able
in cases of doubt to exercise theii
own discretion. General Schofield
also encloses list of civil ap-
ipointments made in Virginia, which,
he SAYS, have also been approved by
the Governor.
! THE SECOND DISTRICT.
In the Second District there Is
nothing ofimportance, except Gen
eral Sickles' request to be relieved,
which has been printed, together
with the Presidents refusal to grant
the request. A copy of General
Sickles recent letter on registration,
also published. accompanied the pa
Ipers.
THE THIRD DISTRICT.
From the Third District there is
more OF interest. The papers sub
United throw some further light up
on the difficulty between General
Pope and Governor jenkins, which
nearly caused the latter's removal
1t scenes that after Governor Jen.
kins address to the people of Geor-
i gia, when he advised inactIon under
the Military bill, and during his alb
sence in Washington, where he was
urging the injunction application,
General Pope went so far as to write
an order disposing him from office
without naming his successor, which
he forwarded to General Grant for
his approval. Before receiving any
reply, however. Governor Jenkins
returned and made such explanation
and pledges to Gen. Pope that he
withdrew the contemplated order.
General Grant had forwarded the Or
der to the Secretary OF War, with
the following Endorsement
Respectfully forwarded to the
Secretary of war, for his information.
The telegraphic dispatches herein
enclosed, shows that Mr.. Jenkins, OF
Georgia, has given such pledges to
the commander of the Third Dis
trict as to induce him to withhold
for the present the suspension of the
Governor. The conduct of Governor
JeI kins demonstrates, however, how
possible it is for discontentod civil
officers Of the recopstrqctiag States
to defeat the laws of Congress, il
power does not rest With the district
commanders TO suspend their func-
tiOns in some way. 1t scenes clear,
too, that power Is given in the bill
for tie more efficient government OF
J the rebel States to use or not, at
pleasure OF the commander, the pro-
yisional machinery set up without
the authority Of Congress in the
States to which the Reconstruction
act applies. There being doubts,
however, on this point, l respectfully
ask an early opinion on the subject.
If the power of removal does not ex-
Ist with district commanders, then it
will become necessary to take refuge
under that SECTION Of the bill which
authorizes military commissions
(Signedl
"U. s. Grant, General. "
June15-Referring to the Mobile
riot, General Pope telegraphs to
Gen. Grant that he feels satisfied
that change of authorities in Mobile
is essential to the peace of the city in
future, and the best interests OF the
people. | trust, be says, these
changes will not be interiered with.
The very fact of the interposition of
the President in affairs in so unset
tied place as Mobile, in the rein
statement of these deposed officials,
would create such an alarm and ex-
citement that ! should feel boInd at
once to declare martial law in that
city, and entirely set aside the civil
authority.
June 27,--General Pope, acknowl.
edging the receipt uf Attorney Gen
ersl Stsnberry's opinions, telegrsphs
to General Grant that it does not
seem to be az order, but, as there
may be room for doubt, he wants to
be informed by telegraph whether or
not he is ordered by the President to
conform his action to the Attorney
Generals opinion.
General Grant in reply sent him a
copy of the dispatches to General
Sheridan 10 response to some inquiry,
which will be found in the cores
pundence from that district
THE FOURTH DISTRICT.
From the Fourth District, General
Orqfs correspondence is quite as
limited ss from the First. The only
thing of any Importance Is a letter to
General Grant asking for an inter
probation of the Military act to which
he received the following:
GENERAL A copy of your first
instructions to Boards of Registra-
ton. of June 10, ls6i, is just reoeiSed.
entirely dissent from the views
contained in paragraphs fourth, con-
! tsining your views as to the duties