The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 38, July 1934 - April, 1935 Page: 44

Southwestern Historical Quarterly

the Supervisor of the Thirteenth Registration District that Mis-
souri and Tennessee had disfranchised all who had rebelled, hence,
"not one must be allowed to register."16 Both Sheridan and
Griffin were amply supported in their radical policy by Congress
in its third reconstruction law of July 19, 1867.
Complaints soon arose against the tyranny of the boards in re-
fusing to register qualified persons.17 The most ardent opposition
came from the Johnson Governor, Throckmorton, whom Griffin for
some time had wished to replace with either Judge Caldwell or
Judge Baldwin."s Finally Griffin and Sheridan secured what they
had long desired-dismissal of Throckmorton and appointment of
the radical Pease to the Governorship. Regarding this change,
the Atlanta Daily Intelligencer said that in 1866 Throckmorton,
Conservative, had been elected by 48,671 votes to Pease's 12,051;
but that Sheridan-"Philip, Duke of Orleans, who is now gov-
erning the Southwest after the fashion of an Emperor"-was
setting aside the people's choice by appointing the man who had
been beaten four to one. "By the Duke's fiat, Mr. Throckmorton
is set aside, and Pease substituted in his stead."1 Other remov-
als were very numerous and no elections were allowed20-a policy
which was in accordance with Griffin's order that all officials
elected after March 2, 1867, had no standing and that they "must
be appointed from this office."21
With registration completed,22 the whites had a 10,000 major-
"Ibid., p. 72.
"For a discussion of this aspect of the registration problems, see
Ramsdell, Reconstruction in Texas, pp. 162ff., and footnote 2, p. 193.
Even the Conservative Hancock, who succeeded Sheridan, as District
Commander, was forced to attribute to the Boards almost absolute power.
He refused to interfere with their work, "because his individual opin-
ions cannot rightfully have, and ought not to have, any influence upon
the Boards of Registration in the discharge of the duties expressly
imposed upon, and entrusted to them by these acts of Congress as
they now stand. The Boards of Registration are bodies created by law
with certain limited, but well defined judicial powers. . . . Their
decisions upon cases of individual applicants are final . . . unless
appeals are taken, in the proper form. .. ." "General Orders & Cir-
culars," Vol. 40, Fifth District Series.
1"Griffin to Forsyth, March 28, 1867, in Johnson Papers, CXI, 14946-7.
1"August 9, 1867.
20See Ramsdell, Reconstruction in Texas, p. 175.
21Griffin to Throck.morton, May 4, 1867, in "Letters Sent. Civil Bureau
F. M. D. I," LIII, 16.
22During the next two years there were periodic revisions of the regis-
tration lists, due to deaths, arrival of those formerly under age at