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

gratifying 10 oe aDle to state that since the resump-
ton OF civi! authority and the right OF appeal giv1n
to the dissatisfied partes have mad no cali for any
papers or evidence touching any OF the few cases
ing on the civil and military administration of my
command, Independent OF what specially related to
report from January TO November i, 1885, viii
be seen by referring to the accompanying statement
" my Assistant AdutaTit General wherein Is show"
... there were Q, 432 letters received and s:a
seiters and 6os4 endorsements cover,n aan i i,sss
'--'-'"''""a and decisions sent from my headquar.
ters The States comprising tlo ,ora ;s.ned AZ.
admitted TO representation orders were issued ar
carng the cessation OF all ion ~ The a tracps
that had suffered greatly in discipline by the mann
In which they had been detached ana sca''e' were
event Of their service being requi thew cou ID be
be promptly moved. This w,ovement proved very
disaslefn to The people and the cvii authorities
troops for maintaining order, were at first APP
prehensive OF TINS. consequences OF their with
sdent and secretary Of War Combining the troops
10 the simple preservation OF the peace, and that
only. Afrer the civil authorities had exhausted all
the means in their power and called on the military
through the proper channel, II now became my en-
barrassng duty to decline using the forces under
tered condition OF affairs. Soon after announcing
the position OF the military the outrage at Camilla
in a special report, the evidence would seem
to show that the authors OF the outrage
Were cv S aw and wo nadsr e ese
permitted wanton sacrifice Of life and blood. AT
the same time the report stated that the opposite
parties tor the affair was political One) had, by
Their want OF judgment and their insistance OH abb
sract rights IN The face OF the or the
law officers, given those officers the opportunity OF
acting as they did. immediately on this outrage
being reported an oficer was despatched TO the
scene, who made a thorough investigation and re-
port found nom the report that the affair lasted
but one DAY and that there was no occasion to employ
troops for the preservation OF order the protection
o, the people. Being satisfied that the matter had
been, and SO far az the detection and punishment OF
the CRIMINALS was concerned, should continue to be,
IN the hands q tue civil authorities transmitted
the report OF the investigation, together with the
evidence collected TO his EXcellency the Governor
OF Georgia. Early IN August, by the order OF the
President OF the United States the Second and Third
Military districts were abolished and consolidated
into the Department Of the South, TO the command OF
which was assigned TINS added to my command
the States OF North and South Carolina,
States pacuary South caon
military authority had, during reconstruction, almost
entirely superseded the civil soon after taking
communications from the Governors OF North and
south Carolina urging the use of the troops IN sus.
tanning the civil governments IN these States and
notifying me Of their possessing satisfactory evl-
dence OF armed bodies being organized for the pnr
viously received somewhat similar communications
from the Governors of Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
admission that the several State governments
were poweress unable to enforce the laws without
the aid and assistance OF the military l replied TO
these several applications That could find nothing
In the existing laws or the instructions from supe-
rior authority which would justify my answering
OF the State governments employing the civil oicers
as agents Of The military; that my sole and exclu-
duty was to preserve the peace, and that alone
after il was evident that the civil power was unable
80 TO do and had called on me in the manner pre-
scribed by law Theseapplicatlons became SO numer-
Gus and pressing that In view OF the approaching
Presidential eletion on which day by the act OF Con
gress, approved March 2, 1896, deemed was au-
serve the peace ana calm the apprehenslons
Of the anxious and MAKE known my views to the
rioutng the troops in the several states In the de-
partrnen and gave In the order not only instructions
make an appeal to the people OF the several States,
urging calnness and abstinence from those political
exctements tending TO riot and bioodshed. Although
troopsto be subordinate to and In AID Of and in
operation with the civil authorities, this order was
lent criticism. am gratifed however, in
being able 70 state that the effect Of the
OF 1t in the highest degree satisfactory At the
time take this occasion to call the attention
OF the General-in-Chlef and through him those hav
ing the power to act, TO the anomalous condition Of
afairs existing In this department ana the necessity
u be deemed proper for the military to intervene in
ment Commander than existing laws confer. beg
leave to refer to the report OF the several heads OF the
star department, at these headquarters for the
cessary information i'm relation to the position con-
dition and discipline OF the troops. SO the
reconcenrate the troops and to require The strictcst
attention 70 be paid TO the dri and discipline OF
press 10 my several district commanders. and to the
officers OF tie siaT department. and to the officers
aud men OF the several commands my thanks for
the prompt and efficient cooperation I have ever
received at their hands. No army in previous his
tory was ever called on to discharge such delicate
aud responsible duties, involving powers that II |
abused, might have led to the most serious conse-
quences, and yet the transition from military
to civil power was 80 iInperceptble as to
have passed unnoiced but for The SPECIAL
means by WAY Of Proeamallons orders &C. to
but that there individual exceptions and that
in some cases bad Judgment, political bias or per.
sonal feelings may have influenced the course OF
some individual officer soldier. This is no more
than Is to be expected from al nature; but do
maintain, that taking the large force extending over
such an extent OF territory and vested with supreme
power, that instead OF the few instances where, per-
haps, criticism might be appropriate, the wonder
was-and IL Is to be said TO the credit OF the army
that little abuse was made OF q pc yer by those
who might very readily he supposed difficult to be
restrained and controlled.
am, General, very respectfully, your obedent
servant, GEORGE G.. MEADE
Major General L. :. A., commanding.