The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-11-19
WASHINGTON.
Naval and MIIItary-Rep0rt OF zen,
SLOneman.

| w ASHINOTON, December lS.-Pre-
I parat0Fy orders have been issued by
the Secretary of the Navy to Rear
Admiral Radford, nov in command
of the Washington Navy Yard, to
command the European ssquadron. a.
franklin will return to the squadron
with Rear Admiral Radford
Brevet Major General Stoneman,
commanding the First Military Dis
trict, has made his report to the
General in Chief. The systems in
uauguratedz and policy pursued by
| General Schotield having by long ex-
perienee been found complete and
satisfactory, the one was adopted and
the other followed with such nodi-
fcations in detail as circumstances
arising from time to time demanded.
The fourteenth article of the Con.
stitution was thought by some to va
cate every Office in the State filed by
persons who come within its provis.
ions He says his predecessor had
made five hundred and thirty two ap-
pointments, very many of them minor
positions to vacancies caused by death,
resignation or removal, an1 in doing
so had very nearly exhausted the
available material at his disposal; but
one vacancy on the Bench had occur
red, and to fill this it had been deem
ed necessary to resort TO the officers
of the army to find q person fit for
! this important and responsible posi-
ton.
This instance is cited to show the
evident impossibility of carrying on
the government of the State, on the
assumption that the thousands OF
| officers in the District, emracing
State officers, Judges, Sheriffs, Com
missioners. Commonwealth Attorney,
| Magistrates, etc, not to speak OF the
| large number of town aud muoicipal
officers, such as Mayors, Councilmen,
Aldermen, Constables. OJerseers OF
the Poor, and others, should sudden
" cease in the performance of their
functions without the possibility of
filling their places uader the provis-
ions of the recOnstrucrion laws. In
some instances it has been found i'm
possible to find any person upon whom
an appointment could be confirmed,
and the difficulty has been overcome
! byadevolviBg the performance of sueh
on persons who were not opposed to
reconstruction nor disloval to the
Government of the United States.
General Stoneman recommends the
. repeal of the ninth section of the act
of Congress- of July 9th, 1867, which
was seeking for the same remedy for
which it was feared with reason might
ensue. The question of non-actlon
substantially settled itself. and pos
! tsiblyu yuthis=result.wasaf from his oppor-
tune absence from the State immedi-
atelv subsequent 10 the adjournment
OF Congress, and things moved on as
before under the provisions and re
duirements of the reconstruction law
then aud now Ia full operation. Since
August, the forces in that district
have been reduced by sending a
squadron of cavalry to the plains; the
battery of artillery to Washington,
: and the Twenty ninth, Infantry to
9 rennessee; and the companies which
remain have been greatly depleted by
reason of the number of men dis.
, cha j on account OF the expirati 4
OF their term of service. A large
! number will be discharged during
5 next month, and consequently by the
lst of January next the whole -num-
Der In the District will be much be-
low one thousand in the aggregate
Among the more important questions
THAT. have presented themselves is the
= Methodist Church contest. Alter a
careful inyestigation and an able
opinion thereon by the Judge Advo
icate, Colonel Hurdham, it has been
! | deemed advisable not as yet to make
any order thereon. The Investigation
shows that it embraces the most deli.
: cate questions of law, both of statute
, aud ecclesiastical, and is one, Genera
; Stoneman says, that can only be set
!. tied by the decision of the higher
: civil tribunal. or by legislative enact
ment. aff -se
Special cases, as they have arisen
. have been settled on the principle o.
recognizing the claims of both COD
> testants, and giving each the right o
occupying an alternate week. Ar
| rangements have been made with mos
> of the railroad companies adFan
tageous to them as well as to the State
by which it is hoped that they will b.
e able to pay IN reasonable time due
II to the treasury This-aFrangemen'
e contemplatEs that one-third will b.
: paid in currency aud the balance IL
r State hon1s nf-sf.f.arH .bn
). The appointment of officers and Di,
q rector for the State apportionment o
!. taxes, and extension of the stay law
]. have not yet been determined, and are
o Questions for further consideration.
d - The report contains the CORES
!; pondeneea between Robert Ould. Mar
d maduke, Johnson, A. Evans and A
Cane, of the State Central Conserve
s tive Gommittee, appointed to confe
,, with the General In reference to hold
y ing an election for the Presidentia
election. Gen. StonsmAn in reply q