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

WASHINGTON, Dec. lS.--The President sent
the following Message to Congress to-day
Gentlemen of the Senate and of the House of
RepresentatiVes:-An official copy of the order
rom M aider OF the Fifth Military District,
dated at his headquarters in New Orleans, La,
on the goth of November, has reached me,
through the regular channels Of the Depart
ment and l herewith communicate it to
Congress, for such action as may seem to be
proper, in view of all the circumstances
II will be perceived that General Hancock
announces that he will make the law the rule
of his conduct, that he will uphold the Courts
and the civil authorities in tue performance of
their proper duties, and that he will use his
enforce the law. He declares very explicitly
that the sacred right Of rial by jury, and the
privilege Of the writ Of babeas corpus, shall not
be crushed out and Irodden under foot. He goes
further, and in one comprehensive sentence
asserts that the principles of American liberty
are still the inheritance of the people, and ever
should be.
In his hands to oppress his fellow-men, volun-
tarily forgoes the chance of gratifying his SELF
love and his ambition, and devotes himself to
enipg the laws of his country, he presents an
example OF the highest public virtue that
human nature is capable of producing.
The strongest claim of Washington to be
"FiIst in war, first in peace, and first in the
hearts of his countrymen," is foauded on the
great fact that in all his illustrious career, he
scrupuously abstained from violating the legal
and constitutional rights of his feloW-citize1s
When he surrendered his commission to Con
greBs the President OF that body spoke his high
est praise, IN saying that ne had always re-
Rarded the rights of the civil authorities
Through all dangers and disasters Whenever
power above the law invited his acceptance, he
cal mly put the temptation aside.
BY such magnanimous acts of forbearauce,
he won the universal admiration of mankind,
and left q name which has no rival In the his
tory of the world. l am faI from saying that
GeneI al Hancock is the only officer of the
American army who is influenced by the ex-
ample 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
70 him OF being the first officer in high COM
mand, south OF the Potomac since the close of
9he civil war, who has given utterance to these
noble sentiments in tie form of a military
order.
respectfully suggest toECongress that some
put lio recognition of General Hancock's
patriotic conduct Is due, If not to him, to tho
friends OF law and justice throughout the
country. Ofsuch an act as his. at such time,
1t is but ut that the dignity should be vindi-
Gated aud the virtue proclaimed, so that its
value. as an example, may not be lost to the
ANDREW JOHNSON.
[ANoTHER DEsPATCH.1
a Message from President johnson
has Just been read in the House, transmitting
the command in New Orleans. which the Pre-
Bident characterizes as exhibiting a patriotism
WOrthy of Washington when he resigned his
command.
The President asks the House to adopt some
testimonial to General Hancock in apprecia-
civil over military authority in his District.
The Message was received with laughter bv
the Republicans, and was laid over without any
action.