The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-18

have acted a more brilliant part Separate
commands were lavished on officers of a DIFF
ferent school of politics. The Republican
Banks had separate command both in the
Valley and in Louisiana, aud he acquired
everything but honor iH both The renegade
Democrat, Butler, had separate commands.
and made himself a butt of derision. Pope
had a separate command, and his incompe-
tency was demonstrated by the second Bull
Run. Burnside had a separate command. and
the result was his useless slaughter of our
troops at Fredericksburg. Hooker had a
separate command, and the result was his dis
graceful defeat at Charlottesville. The CON
servative Meade was promoted to separate
command by accident and a sudden necessity.
He won the great victory of Gettysburg aud
was again subordinated. Democratic officers
who were not servile enough to renounce or
dissemble their principles, had no fair chance
in the army. The crushing Of General McCel-
Ian by political malice was a warning which
disclosed to ambitious army officers a fatal
rock in the channel of promotion.
Although General Hancock never had a
separate command while the war lasted, there
were but few directors of armies who blazed
into such distinction as this brilliant subord-
nate. The Army of the Potomac, in which he
served, always ranked as the first of our
armies, and Hancock as one of its brightest
ornaments. His purity of character, his patri-
Otic ardor, his gallantry, alacrity, vigor abili-
him reputation which was never sullied by
one breath of suspicion or one word of CEN
sure. Whenever it is said that conservative
politics are inconsistent with vigorous, devoted
loyalty, it is a sufficient reply to point to
General Hancock, the esteemed and gallant
representative of hundreds of Democratic
| officers and hundreds of thousands of Demo-
cratic soldiers. The surviving soldiers of the
| Army of the Potomac feel for him warmth of
admiring regard which the colder character of
| General Grant never kindled and the people
share the feeling.
General Hancock has thus far proved him
| self as judiciOus in peace as he was brave and
| brilliant in war. Under his administration,
| there have been no New Orleans riots no in
subordination in civil officers to give him
trouble; no disatfection to his person, though
| he fills most unwelcome office. He resorts
| to no strong measures, because the considerate
equity of his administration disarms opposi-
ton. The turbulent and rebellious popula-
tion which it was said that no hand less for
midable than Sheridan's could CONTROL and
which he hardly succeeded in controlling by
his constant acts of rigOr and summary dis
missals, is so spontaneously orderly and quiet
under Hancock that, to all appearance he
could govern as effectualy without an army
as with. This contrast SO creditable to Han
cock, illustrates the superiority of the Demo-
cratic method of dealing with the South. II
General Hancock, when sent to execute an
odious law, can govern with so little friction
how easily might loyalty be maintained in
the South if the policy of the Government as
well as its officers were conciliatory
To illustrate the temper of General Han
cock administration, and his steadfast fealty
to law, we copy the following statement from
the New Orleans Picayune:--
"On Saturday night a father and son, known
| respectively in this community by the names
ofSimon M. Frank Walleche and Edmund F.
MALI p1aF Tnp he.
| been proPrietors of the sash and planning mills
called the Mariposa Mills on ST. Joseph street
| were arrested by the police, under a warrant
issued by Governor Flanders, who had received
aregnisltion for them from the Governor OF
the city of New York, it is alleged, with obtain
ing goods from merchants there, about eighteen
pretenses -
saturday night Judge Cotton, counsel for the
accused, sued OUT before Judge Theard, writ
OF habeas corpus, returnable this morning at 10
O'Clock. II appears, however, that General
Hancock learned late last evening of the simple
fact of the Issuance of the writ by court OF
competent Jurisdiction, and of the probability
under peculiar attendant circumstances, that
the writ was not 10 be respected. He at once
went in person to the Office of the Chief OF
Police, about $50 O'Clock, and told Major VIII
Hanson Lnat he had learned that a writ OF
haUeas corpus had been issued, and that owing
to some Illegally 1T was probable that it would
not be oheyed: i will hold you responsible in
this matter. Those prisoners must be produced
believe you will produce them, but will my
self take the necessary .precauton that they
be produced. / have issued order thai
the writ of habeas corpus is to be observed
and II shall be. l am here TO protect the
the people as TO life, liberty, and property
must be preserved. So long as | am a power
| here, the law shall be respected 1 know
nothing, Mr.. Chief OF Police, about this case; dc
not know what these men are charged with
but IL is sufficient for me to know and you to
| know that writ of habeas corpus has been
Issued. and that writ shall be respected. will
| sink the boat in the middle OF the river with
cannon that takes these men on board, and in.
tercept any train of cars that carries them. Il
the law is not observed. who and what is safe
/ may be taken away, you may or any OF III
may be. Justice must be upheld. 1 hold you
therefore, Mr.. Chief OF Police, responsible fol
the delivery of these men before Judge Theard
in obedience TO that writ.
THE General then took his departure, and We
felt as though We had listened truly to the dc
fender of law and dignity OF government. We
don't remember of ever having witnessed q
more impressive scene"
The proceedings in this case of requisitior
may be all regular, and the grounds of the
arrest sufficient. Those are points on which
General Hancock need have no opinion. But
it is important that citizens of his district
should feel that they cannot be dragged from
their homes on criminal charges, and taken tC
a distant State to be tried, without good rea-
sons. All that the habeas corpus will accom-.
plish is to secure an examination of the grounds
of arrest before an upright judge. If the arrest
is warranted by the facts and papers, he will
restore the prisoners to custody. But the firm
ness with which General Hancock sustans the
writ, assures every innocent man in his dis.
trict that innocence will insure protection al
the hands of the local courts. What General
Hancock establishes is government of law,
not of arbitrary force.