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macadamized road for perjury and fraud。〃
When I thus stated what I intended to do； the opinion of the
Attorney…General had not yet been received。 When it did reach me it
was merely in the form of a circular signed by Adjutant…General
Townsend； and had no force of law。 It was not even sent as an order；
nor was it accompanied by any instructions； or by anything except the
statement that it was transmitted to the 11 respective military
commanders for their information； in order that there might be
uniformity in the execution of the Reconstruction acts。 To adopt
Mr。 Stanbery's interpretation of the law and reopen registration
accordingly； would defeat the purpose of Congress； as well as add to
my perplexities。 Such a course would also require that the officers
appointed by me for the performance of specified duties； under laws
which I was empowered to interpret and enforce； should receive their
guidance and instructions from an unauthorized source； so on
communicating with General Grant as to how I should act； he directed
me to enforce my own construction of the military bill until ordered
to do otherwise。
Therefore the registration continued as I had originally directed；
and nothing having been definitely settled at Washington in relation
to my extending the time； on the 10th of July I ordered all the
registration boards to select； immediately； suitable persons to act
as commissioners of election； and at the same time specified the
number of each set of commissioners； designated the polling…places；
gave notice that two days would be allowed for voting； and followed
this with an order discontinuing registration the 31st of July； and
then another appointing the 27th and 28th of September as the time
for the election of delegates to the State convention。
In accomplishing the registration there had been little opposition
from the mass of the people； but the press of New Orleans； and the
office…holders and office…seekers in the State generally； antagonized
the work bitterly and violently； particularly after the promulgation
of the opinion of the Attorney…General。 These agitators condemned
everybody and everything connected with the Congressional plan of
reconstruction； and the pernicious influence thus exerted was
manifested in various ways； but most notably in the selection of
persons to compose the jury lists in the country parishes it also
tempted certain municipal officers in New Orleans to perform illegal
acts that would seriously have affected the credit of the city had
matters not been promptly corrected by the summary removal from
office of the comptroller and the treasurer； who had already issued a
quarter of a million dollars in illegal certificates。 On learning of
this unwarranted and unlawful proceeding； Mayor Heath demanded an
investigation by the Common Council； but this body； taking its cue
from the evident intention of the President to render abortive the
Reconstruction acts； refused the mayor's demand。 Then he tried to
have the treasurer and comptroller restrained by injunction； but the
city attorney； under the same inspiration as the council； declined to
sue out a writ； and the attorney being supported in this course by
nearly all the other officials； the mayor was left helpless in his
endeavors to preserve the city's credit。 Under such circumstances he
took the only step left himrecourse to the military commander； and
after looking into the matter carefully I decided； in the early part
of August； to give the mayor officials who would not refuse to make
an investigation of the illegal issue of certificates； and to this
end I removed the treasurer； surveyor； comptroller； city attorney；
and twenty…two of the aldermen； these officials； and all of their
assistants； having reduced the financial credit of New Orleans to a
disordered condition； and also having made effortsand being then
engaged in suchto hamper the execution of the Reconstruction laws。
This action settled matters in the city； but subsequently I had to
remove some officials in the parishesamong them a justice of the
peace and a sheriff in the parish of Rapides； the justice for
refusing to permit negro witnesses to testify in a certain murder
case； and for allowing the murderer； who had foully killed a colored
man； to walk out of his court on bail in the insignificant sum of
five hundred dollars； and the sheriff； for conniving at the escape
from jail of another alleged murderer。 Finding； however； even after
these removals； that in the country districts murderers and other
criminals went unpunished； provided the offenses were against negroes
merely （since the jurors were selected exclusively from the whites；
and often embraced those excluded from the exercise of the election
franchise） I； having full authority under the Reconstruction laws；
directed such a revision of the jury lists as would reject from them
every man not eligible for registration as a voter。 This order was
issued August 24； and on its promulgation the President relieved me
from duty and assigned General Hancock as my successor。
〃HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT；
〃NEW ORLEANS； LA。； August 24； 1867。
〃SPECIAL ORDERS； No。 125。
〃The registration of voters of the State of Louisiana； according to
the law of Congress； being complete； it is hereby ordered that no
person who is not registered in accordance with said law shall be
considered as； a duly qualified voter of the State of Louisiana。 All
persons duly registered as above； and no others； are consequently
eligible； under the laws of the State of Louisiana； to serve as
jurors in any of the courts of the State。
〃The necessary revision of the jury lists will immediately be made by
the proper officers。
〃All the laws of the State respecting exemptions； etc。； from jury
duty will remain in force。
By command of Major…General P。 H。 SHERIDAN。
〃GEO。 L。 HARTNUFF； Asst。 Adj't…General。〃
Pending the arrival of General Hancock； I turned over the command of
the district September 1 to General Charles Griffin； but he dying of
yellow fever； General J。 A。 Mower succeeded him； and retained command
till November 29； on which date General Hancock assumed control。
Immediately after Hancock took charge； he revoked my order of August
24 providing for a revision of the jury lists； and； in short；
President Johnson's policy now became supreme； till Hancock himself
was relieved in March； 1868。
My official connection with the reconstruction of Louisiana and Texas
practically closed with this order concerning the jury lists。 In my
judgment this had become a necessity； for the disaffected element；
sustained as it was by the open sympathy of the President； had grown
so determined in its opposition to the execution of the
Reconstruction acts that I resolved to remove from place and power
all obstacles； for the summer's experience had convinced me that in
no other way could the law be faithfully administered。
The President had long been dissatisfied with my course； indeed； he
had harbored personal enmity against me ever since he perceived that
he could not bend me to an acceptance of the false position in which
he had tried to place me by garbling my report of the riot of 1866。
When Mr。 Johnson decided to remove me； General Grant protested in
these terms； but to no purpose：
〃HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES；
〃WASHINGTON； D。 C。； August 17； 1867
〃SIR： I am in receipt of your order of this date directing the
assignment of General G。 H。 Thomas to the command of the Fifth
Military District； General Sheridan to the Department of the
Missouri； and General Hancock to the Department of the Cumberland；
also your note of this date （enclosing these instructions）； saying：
'Before you issue instructions to carry into effect the enclosed
order； I would be pleased to hear any suggestions you may deem
necessary respecting the assignments to which the order refers。'
〃I am pleased to avail myself of this invitation to urgeearnestly
urgeurge in the name of a patriotic people； who have sacrificed
hundreds of thousands of loyal lives and thousands of millions of
treasure to preserve the integrity and union of this countrythat
this order be not insisted on。 It is unmistakably the expressed wish
of the country that General Sheridan should not be removed from his
present command。
〃This is a republic where the will of the people is the law of the
land。 I beg that their voice may be heard。
〃General Sheridan has performed his civil duties faithfully and
intelligently。 His removal will only be regarded as an effort to
defeat the laws of Congress。 It will be interpreted by the
unreconstructed element in the Souththose who did all they could to
break up this Government by arms； and now wish to be the only element
consulted as to the method of restoring orderas a triumph。 It will
embolden them to r