Des Arc weekly citizen., 1868-01-04
A Retort Courteous,

"
 The Memphis Appeal, of the asth, December, says ''the Congress of tho United States has seemed for some time 10 imagine that the President had no power of reprisal, and that its mem bers could insult him at their pleasure, without danger of blow in return,
 At last ii. HAS the blow. in the mess age that we append. Contemptuous and sarcastic, under the mack ofcour- tesy and patriotic ardour, it Is such q blow as no Congress ever before re- ccived. It is the epitaph of Radicalism and Reconstruction, written in advance of their departure. We doubt wleth- CT, by this time, any, member of the House is inclined to "langh derisive- ly" at it, and do not wonder that some of the Senatorial snobs proposed not to order it to be printed.
 Gentlemen of the Senate and of tue House of Representatives:
 An official copy of the order issued by Maj. Gen. Winfield s. Hancock, Commander of the Fifth Military Dis. trict, dated headquarters in New Or leans, La., on the 29th day of Novem- Der, has reached me through the regu- lar channels Of the War Department. and herewith communicate it to Con. gress, for such action as may seem to be proper, :n view of all the circum- stances.
 It will be perceived that General Hancock announces that he will mako the law the rule of his conduct; that he will uphold the courts and.other civil authorities in thm performance of their proper duties; and that he will use his military power only to pre- serve the peace and enforce the law He declares very explicitly that the sacred right of the trial by jury, and the privilege of the right of habeas corpus shall not be crushed out or. trodden under foot. He goes further, and in one comprehensive sentence, as- scrts that the principles of American ..Jcrty arc still the inheritance of this people, and ever should be.
 When great soldier, with unro. Strictcd power in his hands to oppress his fellow men, voluntarily foregoes the chance of gratifying his selfish am bi:ion, and devotes himself to the duty of building up the liberties and strengthening tine laws of his country, he presents an example of the highest public virtue that human nature is ca- pablo of practising. The strongest claim of Washington to be first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen," is founded on the great fact, that in all his illustrious ca. recr he scrupuiously apstained from violating the legal and constitutional rights of his fellow-citizens. When he surrendered his commission to Con- gress, the President of that body spoke his highest praise in saying, that he had always regarded the rights of the civil authorities through all dangers and disasters" Whenever power above the law courtcd his acceptance, he calmly put the--temptation aside: By such magnanimous acts of forbear- ancc he won the universal admiration of mankind, and left name which has no rival in the history of the world.
 I am far from saying that Gen. Han- cock is the only officer of the American army who is influenced by the exam pie of Washington. Doubtless, thou sands of them are faithfully devoted to the principles for which the men of the Revolution laid down their lives. But the distinguished honor belongsto him of being the first officer in high com mand 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 ome public recognition of Gen. Hancock's 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 time, it is but fit thatthe dignity. should be vin- dicated and the virtue .praclGmed, so that itsvatne .as ap example may not be lost to the nation. -a.--.1 ~. =.
 ANDREW JOHNSON: -s's
 Washington, D. c. Dec. Is, 1867. ssH