The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-11-19
Tgr VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTINCT.
Ueport Of General stoncmau.

Brevet Major General SLOVENIAN. commanding the
First Military District, has made his report 10 The
Gcneran-Chief.
The system inaugurated ana the policy pursued by
General Schoheld having Ivy long experience been
found complete and satisfactory. the adopt.
ed ana the other followed. with such modification In
detail as circumstances arising from time To time
seemed 20 demand.
The fourteenth article or the constitution was
thought 10y some u yacate every once in the
state filed by persons who came within IT. pro-
visions. He SAYS his predecessor had made 5J2
appointments-very many OF them minor positions
| 10 vacancies caused hy death. resignation or re-
Inoyal and In doing so had very nearly exhausted
| the available material 1T his disposal. But one
! vacancy on the bench had occurred aud to I'LL
| this " had been deemed necessary to resort TO
| the officers oi the army 10 and person 10 for
| this important AMI responsible position. This
Instance j. cited TO show the evident imposslbty OF
| carrying on the government OF the State upon the
assumption that The thousands OF officers In the dis
trct. embracing state officers. judges shorrs com
| missioners commonwealth attorneys magistrates.
&c, not 10 speak OF the large number of town or
aldermen, cons,ables, overseers of the poor and
Others, should suddenly cease IN performance
| OF their functions, with no possibility OF MI
| reconstruction laws IN some instances 1t has
been found absolutely impossible 20 hnd any person
upon whom an appointment conld be conferred. aud
| the difficulty has been overcome by devolving the
performance or the duties upon persons who werc
! government OF the United states. General stone
man recommends the repeal q. the ninth section
OF the act Of Congress OF July ~, 1857. While
| seeking for some remedy for the evils which
| ~ was feared with reason might ensuc, the
| question, by non.acton. substantially settled
itself and very possibly this result was promoted
! by his opportunc absence from The state, immc.
dlatcy subsequent 10 the adjournment OF Congress,
and things moved before under the provisions
and requirements or the reconstruction laws, then
aud now N full operation. since August the forces
| in that district have been reduced by sending
squadron " cavalry to the plains. the battery OF
uliery 70 Washington ana the Twenty nnth infantry
to tennessee and the companies which remain have
been greatly depleted ny reason OF the number of
men discharged Of tue expiration OF their
terms Of service. large number viii be discharged
during the next three months, and consequently. 10y
/ the lst o. January next The whole number IN the
| District Will be much below 1000 IN the aggre.
| gate. Among the more important questions that
have presented themselves for consideration ~ the
Methodist church contest After careful investiga
ton and an allie opinion thereon by Judge advocate
Colonel VI. u. bufflhan. ~ has been deemed adu.
/ saOie rot ~ yet TO make any order thereon The
J investigation elbows that u embraces many dc-
I cate questions OF Jaw, both statute ana ecclcsgs.
teal and " ~ one. General Stoneman says that can
only be settled by the decision OF the hignest oly
tribunal or by legislative enactments. special cases
az they have arisen have been settled tie pring.
| PIE or recognizing the cams VI both contestants
aud giving each tie fght OF occupying On alternate
weeks.
Arrangements have been made with most or ,Ac
railroad companies advantageous TO them a. well
as 10 the STATE, by which II IL hoped they VIII be a0c
10 pay up, in reasonable tine, Their dues t. the
treasury. This arrangement contonplates tnat one.
third be paid IN currency, the other tw0.lnifds IN
state bonds.
The appointment, or or'cers and directors of tic
state the apporiOnmcnt OF taxes ara The extension
~ the stay lawt are not yet determined aud are
questions for further consideration.
The report contains 10 correspondence between
Messrs. Robert Ould Marmaduke Johnson aud
Thomas J. Evans, committee ~ we state Central
conservative Committee appointed To confer with
General StoDcnan IN reference ~ holding an
election for Presidential electors. General stone
nan, ~ Jepb, ~ w WHEELER Ihey can