The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-12-20
Message OF the President to Con.
Sress--Compliment 60 General HAN

Message OF the President to Con.
Sress--Compliment 80 General Ham
cock.
Gentlemen Of the Senate and of the House
OF Representations
An official copy of the order issued by
Major General Winfield S. Hancock, COM
mander of the Fifth Military District, dated
Headquarters in New Orleans, La, on the
10Th day of November, has reached me
through the regular channels of the War
Department, and herewith communicate
1t to Congress for such action as NAV seem
to be proper in view of all the circum-
stances.
~ VIII DC perceived that General Han
COCK announces that he will make the law
the rule of bis conduct; that he will nm.
noia the courts and other civil authorities
40 sne performance of their proper duties.
anu mat ne Will use his military mower
nhIs 10 preserve the peace and enforce the
.a". ne declares very explicitly that the
sa:ieu right OF the trial by Jury and the
privilege Of the writ of habeas corpus shall
not DC crushed out or trodden under foot
DE goes further, and, in one comprehen.
"o sentence, asserts that the principles
OF American liberty are still the inherit
ance OF this people, and ever should be.
"hen great soldier, with unrestricted
foTer in his hands to Cypress his fellow
mer, voluntarily foregoes the chance of
gratifying his selfish ambition, and devotes
himself to the duty Of building up the
liberties and Strengthening the laws of his
country, ne presents an example of the
highest public virtue that human nature is
capable of practising. The strongest claim
OF Washington to be " first in war, first in
peace, and first in the hearts Of his coun-
trymen," is founded on the great fact that
IN oil his illustrious career he scrupulous-
iy abstained from violating the legal and
constitutional rights Of his fellow-c citizens.
When he surrendered his commission to
Congress the President of that body spoke
his highest praise in saying that he had
Railways regarded the rights of the civil
authorities through all dangers and disas-
ters." Whenever power above the law
courted his acceptance, he calmly put the
temptation aside. By such magnanimous
acts OF forbcarance he won the universal
admiration of mankind, and left a name
which has no rival in the history of the
world.
am lar from saying that General Han
cock IS the only officer of the American
army who p Influenced by the example of
Washington. Doubtless thousands of them
are faithfully devoted to the principles for
which the men Of the Revolution laid down
their lives. But the distinguished honor
belongs to him of being the first officer in
high command south Of the Potomac, since
the close Of the civil war, who has given
utterance to these noble sentiments in the
form Of military order.
L respectfully suggest to Congress that
some public recognition of General Han
cocks patriotic conduct is due, if not to
him, to the friends Of law and justice
throughout the country. Of such an act
as his, at such a time, it is but fit that the
dignity should be indicated and the vir-
tue proclaimed, so that its value as an eX-
ample may not be lost to the nation.
ANDREW JOHNSON.
Washingt0n, D. G., December l8, 1867.