The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-10
GENERAL. nuaEn GEORGIA.
III Hung Chnng's Mentor Was Once
the Cracker Governor.
tAtlanta institution,

NAIlanla SOIStliultOH)
General Thomas II. Kruger. who has
shown Ii Hung Chang 30 many plea
SAINT official attentions during the lat
;er's visit to New York. was ut one time
Governor of Georgia!
His name will not he found in any
printed list of our Governors and yet
Is is fact that lie once occupied the
Executive office at Milledgeville for
several months.
For the benefit of the younger genera
ton of readers, To say nothing of the
older men who have forgotten our his
to'y. | VIII now tell briefly the story
of this Governor, who has not vet found
his rightful place in our annals
Efter our reconstruction convention
had completed its labors, General Meade
then commanding the military district
requested Governor Charles J. Jenkins
I" draw warrant on Treasurer Jack
Jones for $40 to pay the expenses Of the
Kramer of The new constitution.
This was in January. 1858, and Cover
nor Jenkins replied promptly, saying
that after careful consideration he re-
specttully declined to comply with the
request, MS 1t would be a violation OF
both the State and Federal Constitu
lions.
Within three days time General
Meade notified the Governor that he
felt in duty bound to remove him from
Office as his refusal to issue the warrant
was an obstruction of the reconstruction
laws. The general then issued the fol-
lowing order:
headquarters Third Military District
department of Georgia. Ala bama, and
FLORIDA. Atlanta. Ga, January l3. 1868
General Order No S:
i. Charles j. Jenkins, provisional
Governor and John Jones. provisional
treasurer of the State of Georgia. hay
ing declined to respect the Instructions
OF. and failed TO cooperate with the
Major General commanding the Third
Military District, are hereby removed
from office.
''2. BY virtue of the authority granted
oy the supplementary reconstruction act
OF Congress. passed July 10, 1867. the fol-
lowing officers are detailed for duty in
the district of Georgia: Brevet BriCatjier
General Thomas ii. Ruger, Colonel
TwentE-third infantry. to be Governor
oi me state Of Georgia; Brevet Charles
r. rockwell, ordnance corps, United
states army. to be Treasurer OF the
State of Georgia.
): The above named officers will pro
coed without delay 10 Milledgeville. Ga.
ana enter upon the discharge of the
duties devolving upon them. snhiect no
instructions from these headouarte
by order of General Meade.
r. F.. DRUM
Assistant Adjutant General.
George X Sanderson, Captain and
-N''hS assistant AdJutant General"
General Ruger was at that time COM
paratively young man. Ha was n
West Pointer, brave soldier and a gen
tleman. His instructions were d!stsste-
full to him, but he was obliged to obey
them.
AT Milledgeviie the General visited the
executive office, where he found Governor
jenkins. The Governor was n states
man of the old school: an aristocrat of
imposing dignity: man of Roman cour-
age and int gritty. He was always state
~ and formal, and his nobility of char
ac'er caused both friends and foes to re-
spect him.
The young soldier felt that he was at
a disadvantage when he met this VET
eran diplomat and constitutional Inv
yer, but HI tried 20 discharge his mis-
sion as courageously as possible After
some preliminary talk, he came to the
point. and presented the order from Cen
eral Meade.
AS h expected, the Governor quietly
declined TO vacate his Office.
II regret to say" remarked Kruger.
that 1t now becomes my painful duty
to take possession OF the office and exer-
else its functions"
Are you authorized to forcibly eject
me7' asked the Governor sternly.