The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-01
TIE THIRD MILITARY DISTRICT.

The following e the 0lhcial report OF Ms.or General
George g. Meade commander OF the late Thira Ma.
larry District under the reconstruction Jaw. ~
N command OF The "Depart~- . anu ~"
embracing the Stars- I'm Va ING oou'',
and sog,a &C. - Of Georgia. Alabama, North
IL. .ro.ina and Florida -
-ADorARTERs DEPARTMENT OF THE SOURI,
ATLANTA, Ga, Oct 81, 1883.
OF stan, Washington, d. c.
GENERAL-i herewith transmit, for the informa-
operations under my command while in charge OF
lit late TtlFd Military District, and subsequently In
eonmand Of the Department OF the South.
VAR Department General Orders Nos. l04 Of the
siate Deeember ~, 1867, assigned Inc 10 the com.
snana ri the laird Military District, and on the 9Th
~ 4ap.GIy, 1853, ! assumed the command with
heado darters In ihis city. The Third Military Dis
riet al at time consisted OF the States OF Georgia,
A,aslama and FLORIDA. The condition OF affairs was
SIlp fy as iulows.-
"a the State OF Georgia convention, elected under
~ = reconstruction Avs was IN session III Atlanta,
sut h@iap0ied and eT barrassed for want o. lnnus.
~ AiablHa convention had mel framed Goa.
sitaion, nominated a ticket Tor state oHceis ana
adjourned
Ii Florida an election had been held for members
OF cniseat.on h1. ne 0oGy alu ngt meet unaer Tue
orceJ OF my predecessor al The 2Jfh oil January
IL is Impossible IA report OF tnls klnd 70 give all
tho garlols questions aud their details which arose
uaa were adjusted ~ ny acton; but, as by the pro-
~ aons o. the reconstruction laws rom whence my
uaoritv suSnated, the power or disappearing any
fsscts was vcssed IN The Geaeran Cnief OF the Army
irom ne dIs5 be.ore taking ACTON IN any impoa
proposed course. have, therefore, .ecmed 1t best
Il aapead 70 this report as part OF IT, fun file OF
tae kilograms between the headquarters OF the army
and iny SELL ana Il IS with great PRIDE and satslac-
uon tuat refer 10 Tue same, as they VIII show that
IL rarely tlab the Generals Chief called
"a opcrrMe my Judgment. snail contne myself In
this report 70 the brefest ailusion 10 the special
ponts TO which Wish To invite particular attention.
one OF the uIst questions that presented itself to
my action was the financial Difficulty the Georgia
Convention. found my predecessor mad endorsed
the reqasiticn OF the secretary OF the Convention
ana directed its payment ont OF the treasury, and
that tie Treasurer had refused payment on the
ground that money could only be PAID out of the
STATE Treasury On warrants drawn by the Governor.
FINDING this to be the state OF the appealed
his 5 4celency Charles II. Jenkins and requested in
view OF the necessities Of the Convention, OF the
laws OF Congress authorizing this Convention and
lis levying tax for the payment OF its expenses,
that he would draw the necessary warrant for the
penses. me Governor in reply declined to draw any
warrant except under appropriation by law and
aaEnowisdgc and would not b. be 0'S bound Ui
by the reconstruction acts Of Congress,
null ana void ON receipt OF this communication
there was no alternative but the removal OF GOV.
ernor jenkins, which accordingly done. snd
Brevet Brigader General Thomas X. Rnger assigned
10 the duty in his place.. subsequently was com.
iroAer assigning to these positions Captains Rock
well and Wheaton OF the army. | considered 1t
granted in the Reconsructon laws to detail Officers
OF the army To perform the duties, as In this way
evidence 10 the people OF the State and Of the
country that my only OBJECT in making the removals
wac the execution OF the law, and that the same
affords me sratsaton 10 say that p believe H the
elect OF these changes was most beneficial and
that Tie administration OF General Kruger and his
sociates who continued in onice till the state was ad.
united 10 representation, was In every way creditable
TO them and satisfactory 10 the people OF ali parties
In the state. Sooa after my arrival at my post
ceiYed numerous communications from respectable
eszens complaining q the effect Of the passage BY
known ~ relief laws, which were int nded as STAY
laws to AFFORD RELIEF TO debtors from the immediate
pressure OF their creditors. II urged that the
acts OF these conventions not being binding nor
having the eject Of Jaw I'LL ratified by vote OF the
AZ rs gnm mi tfu,p hnfor tn,o
vote would be taken. that IN view OF the probable
acceptance by the people OF these acts creditors
were hurrying their action and pressing their
debtors, thus making these measures really acts Of
oppression, and was called on to nterpose my
authority and give 10 these acts the force OF law until
The people could vote on them. Although personally
opposed IN principle 10 any laws interfering the
rights OF creditors there was nevertheless much
force In the reasoning advanced and the demand
from all classes was 50 imperative tina. after con;
orders were issued making said acts laws until re-
yised and conirned by the vote Of the people Inn
AL parts or the several states comprising the dis
trct for the removal OF incumbents IN olce ana the
substitution thereon OF individuals nominated.
These applications were based on various grounds
some purely personal or political others on
on reconstruction, ana sometimes the ground
Of neglect OF duty or malieasance OF ONCE. A
any Judgment on the complaints preferred on The
htness ana capacity OF those seeking Office, deter
where there was proved neg ect OF duty maieasance
III ONCE or open refusal to obey the reconstruction
cases required written charges and evidence 10 be
Produced. aud where these charges arected az they
did IN many instances, whole municipal bodies, /
directed Investigation by boards OF officers and in
al cases gave those accused fun he lring
and every opportunity TO defend themselves. A
nrm adherence TO this rule and the reports OF
several boards non-concurrng IN the charges pre-
scented relieved me, after while, from the lust pres
sure brought AZ nrst TO bear aud during the whole
course OF my administration there as not q removal
made that the arca,e OF the District Will not show
Was nadS or some cause alleged and alter investi-
CATION There were necessarily many appointments
made 10 MI vacancies caused by death, designations
and removals OF ncumbents from the counties or
state they were living ~. Another difficulty which
operated % compel me TO adopt the course above
ported was the fact that by the Reconstruction
laws no person could be appointed 70 Office with
a character that IL limited % a very small numper
the persons able 10 hold once. so great the
ainlcuty that when saw bill In Congress requlr.
Ing the vacation OF all the oiices by those not able
to take the test oath felt II my duty to telegraph
would be impossible TO iil the onices, there were
not persons enough IN either the States 10 all hair
of TIE civil oirces in the STATES and urgently re-
commended thai authority be granted me TO appoint
To otices registered voters. The bill did not become
law ant ~ eSnf se was %as in my pSy A
under my predecessor, assembled and framed
constitution which was 70 be submitted
70 The people The convention had lxed
the AN day OF February on which TO
a Ga qS election sos and my
days with a. many precincts the managers might
geeh adFisaoe. un representation to me that two
Received an extension by my authority was made or
Tue Time ~ Tour days. but the precincts were united
IN each county TO three. The election was held at
the time specified but owing 20 violent storm &C.
curing the nrst two days. the time was further
extended one day making five days In all A spe.
cia report having been made OF this election I deem
~ only necessary To say here that from all the
evidence ] can procure, aud | caused the most
thorough investigation 10 be made. the constitution
was finally rejected by the people under Jaw re-
curing majority OF the registered voters to
cast their ballots for or against aud that
the rejection was based the merits OF the consti-
tuition ITSELF which was obnoxious to a large body
or the friends OF reconstruction proved so by the
t mat out OF $4,000 white voters for the Convention
thete we're only 5000 for the constitution ana par.
uay ron the fact that the Constitutional Conven.
hVh nad nade nominations TO all the state offices.
when ticket was not acceptable In all respects TO
the party favoring reconstruction II will be seen
by m inspection OF the kilograms acconpanyn ing this
report that had advised against an election FOR |
STAG Officers az the same time inc cnnsInilnn Wa