franchising provisions of
the laws.

The rule of the five generals lasted in all the States until June 1868,
and continued in Mississippi, Texas, Virginia, and Georgia until 1870.
There had been, to be sure, some military government in 1865, subject,
however, to the President, and from 1865 to 1867 the army, along with
the Freedmen's Bureau, had exerted a strong influence in the government
of the South, but in the regime now inaugurated the military was
supreme. The generals had a superior at Washington, but whether it was
the President, General Grant, or Congress was not clear until the Act of
July 19, 1867 made Congress the source of authority.

The power of the generals most strikingly appeared in their control of
the state governments which were continued as provisional organizations.
Since no elections were permitted, all appointments and removals were
made from military headquarters, which soon became political beehives,
centers of wirepulling and agencies for the distribution of spoils. At
the outset civil officers were ordered to retain their offices during
good behavior, subject to military control. But no local official was
permitted to use his influence ever so slightly against reconstruction.
Since most of them did not favor the policy of Congress, thousands were
removed as "obstacles to reconstruction." The Governors of Georgia,
Louisiana, Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas were displaced and others
appointed in their stead. All kinds of subordinate offices rapidly
became vacant. New appointments were nearly always carpetbaggers
and native radicals who could take the "ironclad" oath. The generals
complained that there were not enough competent native "loyalists"
to fill the offices, and frequently an army officer was installed as
governor, treasurer, secretary of state, auditor, or mayor. In nearly
all towns, the police force was reorganized, and former Federal soldiers
were added to the force, while the regular troops were used for general
police purposes and for rural constabulary.

Over the administration of justice the military authorities exercised a
close supervision. Instructions were sent out to court officers covering
the selection of juries, the suspension of certain laws, and the rules
of evidence and procedure. Courts were often closed, court decrees set
aside or modified, prisoners released, and many cases reserved for trial
by military commission. Some commanders required juries to admit Negro