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Presidential Order Constitutional Neutral (+0.02)

Executive Order—Special Orders: 211

Andrew Johnson Andrew Johnson
•
Saturday, May 6, 1865
•
1 min read (246 words)

Plain-English Translation & Framers' Constitutional Analysis

Early Statesman synthesis distilling legal jargon into practical meaning, statutory anchors, and structural constitutional impacts.

This executive order, signed by President Andrew Johnson on 1865-05-06, establishes federal administrative policy concerning "—Special Orders: 211." It is a direct, concise executive instruction delivering focused administrative or military commands to department leadership.

Constitutional Assessment: Scrutinized through Article II, Section 2, this action exercises the President's constitutional role as Commander in Chief. Early Framers recognized broad executive discretion in commanding military forces during conflict, provided it remains bounded by congressional declarations and respects civilian domestic courts.

Key Directives & Operative Actions

▪ A military commission is hereby appointed to meet at Washington, D.C., on Monday, the 8th day of May, 1865, at 9 o'clock a.

Constitutional & Societal Entities Impacted

🏛️ Armed Forces & Military Establishments 🏛️ Sovereign State Governments & Localities 🏛️ Executive Departments & Federal Civil Servants
Total Words
246
1,736 characters
Estimated Read Time
1 min
@ 200 words / min
Flesch-Kincaid
9.9
Post-Grad reading level
Constitutional Polarity
+0.02
Framers' Alignment index
📜

Scholarly & Legal Citations 

Exec. Order, "Executive Order—Special Orders: 211," Andrew Johnson (May 6, 1865). Available at https://executiveordersarchive.org/orders/app-executive-order-special-orders-211.

Official Document Text

Source: The American Presidency Project (UCSB Archive)

Original Source →
WAR DEPARTMENT, ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE 4. A military commission is hereby appointed to meet at Washington, D.C., on Monday, the 8th day of May, 1865, at 9 o'clock a. m., or as soon thereafter as practicable, for the trial of David E. Herold, George A. Atzerodt, Lewis Payne, Michael O'Laughlin, Edward Spangler, Samuel Arnold, Mary E. Surratt, Samuel A. Mudd, and such other prisoners as may be brought before it, implicated in the murder of the late President, Abraham Lincoln, and the attempted assassination of the Hon. William H. Seward, Secretary of State, and in an alleged conspiracy to assassinate other officers of the Federal Government at Washington City, and their alders and abettors. Detail for the court. Major-General David Hunter, United States Volunteers. Major-General Lewis Wallace, United States Volunteers. Brevet Major-General August V. Kautz, United States Volunteers. Brigadier-General Albion P. Howe, United States Volunteers. Brigadier-General Robert S. Foster, United States Volunteers. Brevet Brigadier-General Cyrus B. Comstock,* United States Volunteers. Brigadier-General T. M. Harris, United States Volunteers. Brevet Colonel Horace Porter,+ aid-de-camp. Lieutenant-Colonel David R. Clendenin, Eighth Illinois Cavalry. Brigadier-General Joseph Holt, Judge-Advocate-General, United States Army, is appointed the judge-advocate and recorder of the commission, to be aided by such assistant or special judge-advocate as he may designate. The commission will sit without regard to hours. By order of the President of the United States: E. D. TOWNSEND, Assistant Adjutant-General. *Brevet Brigadier-General James A. Ekin substituted; +Brevet Colonel C. H. Tompkins substituted; see Special Orders, No. 210