Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1867-12-25
THE WORDS OF TRUTH Ann REAsON


It was well that that vretched House
Of representatives. at Washington, which
has earned an Immortality of infamy,
should "laugh derisively" at the Presi-
dents recommendation of a vote Of
thanks TO General W. s. HANCOCK.
Let Us read once again the noble and
wise words OF that officer, as they were
uttered by him on the 2sth Of Novem-
Der, when he took command Of the Fifth
Military District, and, in his own words,
"of the Department composed Of the
STATES Of Louisiana and Texas.p For
1t makes leap with joy the heart of one
who sees his people domineered over by
Military Dsspotism girt with bsyonets,
or the grotesque freaks and fsncies OF
Tennessee Radicalism, to hear from the
lips Of one armed with arbitrary power,
words that assert the undying existence
and inalienable character Of Constitu-
tionaI liberty, and the right Of the people
to their English liberties and franchises.
General HANCOCK said:
The General Commanding Is gratified
to learn that peace and quiet reign in
this department. 1t will be his purpose
to preserve this condition OF things. As
q means to this great end, he regards the
maintenance Of the civil authorities il
the faithful execution Of the laws, as the
most efficient, under existing circum-
stances.
In war it Is indispensable to repel force
L - h. do n
p0sition TO lawful authority. But when
iusurrectionary force has been ever
thrown, and peace established, and the
civil authorities are ready and willing to
perform their duties, the military power
should cease to lesd, and the civil admin
-istration resume the natural and right
ful dominion. SOlemnly impressed with
these views, the General announces that
the great principles Of American liberty
still are the lawful Inheritance OF this
people, aud ever should be. The right
Of trial by jury, the hGbeds corpus, the
liberty OF the press, the freedom OF
speech and the natural rights Of persons
and the rights Of property must be pre-
served.
Free institutions, while they are essen |
tial 10 the prosperity and happiness or
the people, always furnish the strongest
inducements to peace and order. Crimes
and offenses committed in this District
must be referred TO the consideration and
judgment Of the regular civil tribunals,
ana those tribunals will be supported IN
their lawful jurisdiction.
"Tbis il not" said JoHN MILTON,
4" the liberty which we can hope, that
no grievance ever should arise IN the
that let no man in this
world expect: but when complaints are
freely heard, deeply considered, End
speedily reformed, then is the utmost
bound Of civil liberty obtained, that wise
men look for"
There is especial reason to thank Cen
eraI HANCOCK for his declaration that in
all time Of peace the dominion Of the
civil administration is natural and right
fuI, and that the great rights, Of trisl by
jurg and to the writ of habeds corpus,
must be preserved. In these evil days,
when the Military Despotism Of SHEB-
IDANand 8 SICRLEs is earnestly COM
ulended by men in power, and journals
Of influence that once pretended, at
least, to be honest, as preferable to civil
government, and the whole power OF the
nation is exerted to make it acceptable
to a people who seen to have no other
election than that between it and the
brutal government OF the SEMI savage
hordes Of 3 vicious aud bsrbarous race, >
in these dark and evil days, al men who
retain "reminiscences Of their former state
Of freedom and independeue, thank the
faithful and honest ofieeEf'5oo yindieates
the prerogstives Of theligKil tribunals,
and asserts that even 4ss Equered people
are not disseized Of sEh Isir ancient and
iuslieuable rights. Wnen sven the de-
cent forms OF liberty are not preserved
in the States into which one can look
from Tennessee, and only those forms are
here preserved, it seems almost a singu-
lar bold ness TO reassert those great prin-
ciples that once no man was daring
enough TO deny, and such words as those
Of HANCOCK h1ve the charm of novelty.
Not always will desperate and malig-
nant crew Of usurpers and tyrants laugh
derisively at the idea Of thanking the
officer who utters such words, and whose
acts do not, like theirs, give the lie to his
professions.