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 members and insisted that all
jurors take the "ironclad" test oath. There was some attempt at regulating the
Federal courts but without much success.

Since the state legislatures were forbidden to meet, much legislation was
enacted through military orders. Stay laws were enacted, the color line was
abolished, new criminal regulations were promulgated, and the police power was
invoked in some instances to justify sweeping measures, such as the
prohibition of whisky manufacture in North Carolina and South Carolina. The
military governors levied, increased, or decreased taxes and made
appropriations which the state treasurers were forced to pay, but they
restrained the radical conventions, all of which wished to spend much money.
According to the Act of March 23, 1867, the generals and their appointees were
to be paid by the United States, but in practice the running expenses of