Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-06-16
THE DiCTUm OF A sATRAP,


We find in our Virginia ex-
changes correspondence which
so forcibly shows how the military
has usurped the civil authority in
the "unreconstructed States" and
how a military satrap exercises the
authority of an autecrat, that we
desire to call the attention of our
readers to the matter. The CORES
pondence is as follows:
WINCHESTER, Va, Nav %, 1867
Major General r. S Candy, U. S. Ar
my, Commanding First Military District,
Richmond, Va Gen eral-In September
1865, received the full pardon of the
President of the United States for my
participation in the "late rebellion"
became thus, in law, an logic, and in
recognized rule OF all civilized govern
ments, new man; fully rehabilitated
with all the functions, rights, privileges
and immunities of a citizen of the Uni-
ted States, under the constitution thereof
And, accordingly, | was allowed to
vote and did cast my vote at the election
held in this State October Z, 1865.
was thus in full exercise and enjoy
ment Of every right aud function of my
citizenship long before the passage of
the fourteenth amendment, and before
the repeal of the special act of Congress
authorizing the President Of the United
States to grant pardons and remove the
political disabilities Ofparticipants in the
late rebellion against the government
of the United States.
/ am not now a registered voter in
Virginia, having been refused the right
to register, and, Of course to vote.
| invoke your decision now, in time to
enable me TO register and TO vote, as to
my right to do so.
Long before the passage of the four
teenth amendment and before the pass
sage of the reconstruction acts OF Con-
gress," ! had had my political disabili-
ties removed and my liabilities RENTED
by An act of Congress expressly author
king the President of the United States
to grant his pardon; and these enact
ments of law and constitution found me,
when they came into existence, in the
exact, legal political and social status of
any other one citizen of the United
States who had not participated in the
rebellion, and upon whom the policy, inS
tendment and operation of those enact
ments could have no effect
| could not, by these acts be remand~
ed TO the liabilities or disabilities from
which | had been restored By the par
don of the government, any more than |
you, or any other citizen of the United |
States, could now be legislated out of the |
pale and protection OF the constitution |
of the United States, which f0rbids the |
passage of any er post fdctO law, or the |
imposition of any retroactive penalties |
Eespe ctfully submitted,
H. Il. FAUETLERoY, JR
The following is the reply of Gen.
Candy g-
HEADQUARTERS FIRST MILITARY DIS,
TRICT, State of Virginia, Richmond, Va,
June 5, lSG9-Mr. T. Il. Fauntleroy,
Winchester, Va: Sir--ln reply to your
letter of the Doth ultimo, stating that
You have received a pardon from the
President of the United States for par
in the, late rebellion, and in-
quiring if you have the right to register
and vote, ] am instructed by the com>
Inanding General to say that executive
pardon does not remove political disabili-
ties.
Very respectfully, your Obedient serv-
ant Louis V. CAZIARC,
d. C, A A. A. G.
The satrap who commands the
first military district gives no rea-
son, no law, and points to no decis-
ON for his dictum. Mr.. Fauntleroy |
= very curtly informed that by this
military autocrat who lords it over
State that had a written constitu-
ion and laws before the Union was