New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-01-12

The committee then Adjourned till
Wednesday evening next at $50 o'clock.
ExTRACT FROM <ENATOR MO r.
TONS SPEECEK.
/ Hts Views Of General HnneOck'a Civil
| LAW Order.
Senator Morton, of Indiana recently de-
liVered great speech before the Soldiers
and Sailors Union of Washington City.
The whole address is able and interesting,
but we have room only for that portion
which treats of affairs in New Orleans. In
speaking ofGeneral HancOck's cider, issued
on assuming command herr, Mr.. Morton
said: Isis. -..
The military policy to be hereafter pur-
| sued in the matter of reconstruction is
clearly indicated in the order promulgated
by General Hancock, on assuming command
OF the fifth military district, and as IL has
been presented by the president to con-
gress for its admiration, it is a fair subject
| for criticism and remark. And for fear that
it may be said that 1 have misrepresented
the order or done it injustice, will ask my
friend to read the whole OF it in your hear
ing.
1
| gentlemen present at the meeting
| This order is like the apples of the Dead
sea- - which are fair to the eye, but turn to
| ashes upon the lip" The first thing no.
| ticeablc in it is that it makes no reference
| to the work Of reconstruction or the bust
ness for which he was placed in command
of the district. The position to which he
was appointed was created by an act of
] congress to enable him to manage the ma
chinery Of reconstruction for the states of
| Louisiana and Texas, and his duties are
| prescribed by law but in his introductory
| order he makes no mention of this business,
and seems to contemplate purposes hostile
| to it. He was not ignorant Of his business,
nor did he forget it, and his omission TO
refer to it is significant Of his purpose to
defeat it,
The body of the order is devoted to the
emphatic recognition of the legality and
binding authority of the existing state
governments, in defiance and contempt of
the declarations of congress, as set forth in
| the several acts of reconstruction. These
acts of congress are predicated upon the
| idea that the existing state governments are
| illegal, unauthorized, and have no rightful
authority whatever to control the people.
Dir. Morton then read several extracts
| from the reconstruction laws of congress.
These different sections declare in the
most positive terms that the existing state
| governments are illegal aud unauthorized;
that they do not furnish protection for life
or property, and that they are made en-
tirely subordinate to the military authority,
and whatever powers they continue 10 ex-
ercse will be by the consent of the militia
ry commander. But General Hancock, in
open contempt of these declarations, as
serts that the civil authorities do furnish
adequate protection to life and property;
that to preserve peace and quiet is the OBJ
| ject Of his mission. aud that as means to
this great end he regards the mainten-
ance of the civil authorities IN the
| execution of the laws as the
most efficient means under existing
circumstances He says the war is over
the civil authorities are ready and willing
to perform their duties; the military power
should cease to lead, and the civil admins
tration resume its natural and rightful do
minion. Again he says pOmpously: "Sol-
EMMY impressed with these views, the gem
eral announces that the great principles of
| American liberty still are the lawful inner
itance of this people, and ever should be- !"
| This is very startling proposition, and
/ quite as astonishing as the news that the
4 dutch have taken Holland" Again he
| says: "Crimes and Offenses committed in
| this district must be referred to the consid-
Grafton and judgment of the regular civil tri-
| bunals, and those tribunals will be sup
ported in their lawful jurisdiction Here
he abjures the military power CON
| ferred upon him by congress, rec
ognizes Ithe supremacy of the bogus
| civil authorities, and declares that he
1 will support their tribunals in the exercise
of their lawful jurisdiction. Aud this he
says standing upon ground in New Orleans
| yet moist with the blood of nearly two
hundred men slaughtered in the presence
and by the contriyanoe Of these civil au-
thorities, while the tribunals which he
pledges himself to support have never
brought one of the murderers to justice
If peace prevailed when he went there it
was because Of the bold and determined
measures Of Generals Sheridan, Griffin, and
Mower, and not from any merit of these
civil authorities which be delights to honor;
for it is q notorious fact that until General
Sheridan took command there was no secu-
rity for the life or property of Union men
in Texas or Louisiana.
! Again, says General Hancock, "the right
Of trial by jury, the habeas corpus, the
hIOAtJ VI tuO ptccci tuo hCCuOil VI bp6tCh,
and the natural rights of persons and the
rights OF property must be preserved
This is very pretty saying, but what does
1t mean in this connecticut It means that
the loyal men, white and black, shall have
the right to be tried by rebel juries, which
is like giving the lambs the right to be tried
! by the wolves. 1t means that rebels who
have murdered Union men shall be tried
by rebel juries; and when, ask, has one of
them been brought to justicei It means
that men arrested by military authority may
be discharged from custody upon a writ
of habeas corpus issued by state Judge,
which is In direct violation of the conclud-
! ing part of the third section of the act of
March 2, 1867, which says, land all inter
ference under color of state authority with
the exercise of military authority under
this act shall be null and voidn
/ read this order of General Hancock
with unmingled sorrow, and felt he had
committed an error more fatal 70 his repn-
tation than the loss Of battle. General.
Hancock Is gallant soldier, who has been
wounded in the service Of bis country, but
If he shall now lend himself to the support
Of the principles against which he fought,
and become the ally Of his enemies against
bis friends, his laurels, be they ever SO
bright, will wither, "like the tender flower
beneath The Simeon Of the desert"
Aaversisias n sseeeas Ia BnnihesL
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