The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-09-30
mANcocK IN LorIS1ANA.
He Reinstates Rank Rebels, who Had
Been Removed by Gen. Mower ON Good
Evidence, ms His First Act ON Taking
6,nnn,nnh

rebels. AS Gen. Hancock had already
been assigned to the command and haC
visited Washington TO confer with Presi
dent johnson, Gen. Grant thought it bes
to suspend these orders until Gen. Han
cock arrived, since he would have pOwel
to act on them. Afterth restraining or
der, however, Gen. Mower had found Il
necessary to make several removals OI
rebels, the last order OF this nature being
made November 2S.
November 20 Hancock came in the
evening, aud at once Issued General Order
No. 10. which was already cut and dried,
and sent q letter 10 General Mower, asking
him bis reasons for making the late rem ).
walls, aud the evidence, oral or written, on
which ho had based his action.
November % General Mower had
found 1t necessary TO remove several rebels.
Three days alter General Hancock took
command he had restored them, without
waiting for any Ot the evidence he had
asked General Mower 10 furnish. Gen,
Mower, OH the next day, namely, Deceln.
ber 8. addressed the following latter 10
Gen. Hancock, through his Adjutant Gen.
eral, which read as II General Order No.
40 might have been IN his mind.
HEADQUARTERS DIsrHcT or LOUISIANA,
NEW ORLEANS La, Dec. 3, 1851.
Brert. Ii. Col ". @. Michel, 4. Il. G.:
In compliance with your request,
hereby report to you the reason which in.
duCed me 10 make removals oil certain per.
sons holding and exercising civil authority
in different offices in this State, and TO ap.
point other persons In their stead.
In my capacity rs temporary Command.
ing General OF this district felt 1t my duty
to enforce the laws oi Congress, known as
the reconstruction acts, under which had
been assigned 10 the command, and for the
enforcement OF which the office Of military
commander had been created, 10 my
opinion these laws can not be successfully
carried Qpt by officials who are opposed to
them, either through prejudice or interest.
The second section Of the second supple
mentary act cOnlers in general terms on
the commander oi any district the power
to make removals and appointments,
and In the latter part Of the fourth section
the following language occurs: "And it
shall be the duty Of such commander TO
remove from Office as aforesaid all per-
sons who are disloyal 10 the United States,
or who use their influence in any manner
TO hinder, delay, prevent, or obstruot the
due and proper administration OF the act
and the acts TO WHICH it Is supplementary"
In obedience to this law, and at the sug.
gestion OF well known loyal citizens, in
whose good faith and disintereSteduess |
had full confidence, | made the removals
al tnNT
The accompanying documents, come Of
which were presented here after receiving
the above cited request, will show whether
such confidence was Justified or not.
The removal Of Mr.. Sheard was made on
account Of his well known and outspOken
hatred 10 loyal men, and for his obstruc.
ton to the reconstruction acts.
l would respectfully refer you TO the
testimony OF Mr.. Sheard, taken before the
Congressional Riot Committee, as shown
in their report.
have the honor to be, very respectfully,
your obedient servant,
JAMEsA. MOWER.
BIevet Major General U. S. A.
The following report upon R. W. Lush-
er, Superintendent OF Education, whom
General Mower had removed, is fair
sample OF tho evidence which General
Mover furnished General Hancock in oil
the cases as the ground upon which be had
acted. And yet in every case General
Hancock reiDstated those whom General
Mower had removed:
CoLoSRL:-I have the honor 70 report
that Robert W. Lusher, now Superinten:
dent OF Public Education OF Louisiana,
held the office OF United States Commis.
sloner and Deputy Clerk OF the United
States Court in this city before the State
seeded, and was also Assessor OF direct
taXea for The so,caIled Confederate States
Government in Louisiana, and as such
abandoned his home, fled from the city
with the records OF his Office on the arrival
OF the Union fleet In 1862, and continued
In charge OF his Confederate Office duTing
the war within the rebel lines. After the
final surrender he returned to the city,
and In published communication advised
the employment ofrehel soldiers for pub.
lie schools, then in loyal hands. For this
hs Was elected Superintendent Of Pu6lic
Education in November 1865, and in his
various reports and official acts he has
Ignored the provisions OF the constitution
OF 1854, which be s%ore to support, pro,
viding for the education Of all children
without regard 10 color or race,
"llis official productions all breathe a
spirit pi malice against the Union people.
He has affiliated with no other political
organization since the state seeded than
the most ultra secessionists and returned
rebels. He WAS from the first outbreEk to
the present day one OF the most malignant
rebels ia the state"
All OF General Mowers other abstracts
Of evidence In the removing cases were
quite az stFoRg as this.