Page:Confederate Military History - 1899 - Volume 12.djvu/321

Rh the States, it is true that after the conventions had acted, the white vote was strong enough to control when united, and in these, reconstruction, when completed, reinstated the whites in power almost at once, but it was in these States, in several cases, that the process of reconstruction was longest delayed, just because the white voters could resist the more obnoxious measures of the conventions, and in the meantime, there was military rule. By the end of June, 1868, provision had been made for the readmission of Arkansas, the two Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Louisiana to representation in Congress. Reconstruction was delayed in Virginia, Mississippi and Texas because of the impossibility of securing popular majorities for the constitution framed by the reconstruction conventions, and Georgia was again held off from representation because her laws had declared negroes ineligible to hold office. It was not until January, 1871, therefore, that all of the States were once more represented in Congress." The above is the account given by a fair writer (Wilson), but being represented then, was not the desired panacea which was to end the hostile legislation or woes of the helpless Southern people.

Besides trying to bring the law before the supreme court, prominent citizens in every State protested against the infamy. Among them may be mentioned H. V. Johnson, B. H. Hill, and others. When Governor Jenkins of Georgia issued an address to the people of the State, advising against acceptance of the Sherman bill, General Pope, the military commander of the district, issued an order forbidding officials to influence the people on reconstruction, and quickly and peremptorily notified him that State officers would not be permitted to denounce the act of Congress. The general soon after relieved Governor Jenkins, the State treasurer and comptroller-general, and appointed army officers to execute their