Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-02-15


Speaker laid before that body the following
correspondece:
"In compliance with The resolution of the
House Of February l4th, 1867, nave the honor
10 transmit herewith copies of correspon d.ne.
between General Hancock and myself reIa-
tive 10 the removal by General Han cock of
CSlneiimen IN the city Of New Orleans.
very respectfully your obedient servant,
u. >. GRANT, General
Telegram received AT Washington Feb. 2.
1eoS III EIFTH MILITARY DTs-
TRICT, N. o., Feb. :, 1s6e.-Gea. l.. s. Grant: I
have removed nine members of the City Coun-
ell-twO VIII lite and seven colored-for contem pt
OF the orders Of the military commander in pro-
ceeding TO An election for a recorder Of the sec
ond district. and which is an elective Office
under the laws by the people, and not by the
Council. The attempt TO hold the election was
made while i was absent in Texas, but the
Council was referred 10 General Sheridan's s
order forbidding elections until reconstruction
was completed, without the authority of the
commanding general, nevertheless, these
members voted for an immediate election, and
the project was carried The election was about
TO be completed, when one or two members
more timid than others, then left, and broke the
quorum. case in point is the order of Gen
Mower, q. o., Oct. 15, Ioo7, removing the Jeff
ferson City Council for like offence. NV action
IN the matter was in accordance with the power
granted by the reconstruction act, which al
lows the District Commander to suspend or re.
move persons from Office, and provide from
time TO time for the performance of the duties
OF persons removed, by appointment.
(SIgned) WINFIELD >. HANCOCK,
Major General u. =. A.
WASHINGTON, Feb. :, Is6s-M1ior General W.
$. Hdncock, Nsp Orleans, La: Suspend your or
DER removing City Council in New Orleans
until full report of reasons is sent. Answer by
mail.
(Signed) Y. GRANT, General
fBy taleRram-Recrived Wasbinoton II 4,
Feb. II, 1906. DNEw ORLEANS, La, 2:3o D. m
feb. ., lstc.-Ges. L. S. Grant, Commd,pfiq1 Ar
n.ies inited States: Your despatch of the 8th
February directing me to suspend INV order
No. eS, OF 1th December, removing certain mem.
bers of the City Council of New Orleans, until
fuil report of the reasons therefor should tue
sent To you, was received Al 10 p. m. To-day. 1
request that you may reconsider your action.
and that any order in the premises be not sus-
pended until you have the full report of the
reasons called for by you. / telegfaphed Won
at ihe moment the order was issued, giving as
full statement of my reasons for action as /
thonght could be made. / referred Won 10 the
order of General Sheridan forbidding cleo
ti0ns, (Which you have on file at your
headquarters,) and stated that the City
Council had been previously notified of this
order by me. j also referred you to an order
of Gen. Mower, issued in October last which
sci forth parallel case, and which you have
on HE. In that case an appeal was taken to
yon tor a reins statement OF the council removed
by Gen. Mower, which appeal YOU have nor
sustained. The present case was in defiance OF
mat example OF Gen. Sheridan's order and of
my lett'r cautioning the Council 10 deslst i'm
Tins election, and forwarded 20 you-Pr,nt.d
copy. January 26. twas also iilsgal under the
law by which they claim TO a.t. 1 was aston.
ished al the action OF the Coun ILL., and could not
account for IT, except the fact that IL had been
lnsugated 10 do IL by designing men, who b,,.
lieyed If dared to make thes. rprno yals that il
wonld end IN my own removal from this place
and that they would be protected. At any rate
my self-respect As commander OF the District
made II absolutely necessary that should take
summary measures regardless OF rhe conse
quences with which partisans might threaten
me- do not know what fuller report could
oe furnished In the case, for all papers explain
ing my action have been sent 10 you. To sus-
pend my order would be TO destroy INV useful
ness here. Under such an event a sense of
what 1 consider due TO me and nav position
In this matter would necesstate a re-
spectful request to be relieved from my
present command. Although 1 have been
mere seventy days, this is the aecond oc-
caslon nave taken on nv own responsibility to
make removal, the first one two days preyi.
Gus 10 this Both Tor grave causes reported TO
you in detail by telegraph, and while / fully
recognize the power of the General i'm 4 bief
10 disapproye my action, i respectfully re-
ones, that as i have acted upon a full knoyyl-
edge OF facts, the General-in Chief NAV deIay
ms acfion until he can inform me what further
papers or information he may desir, in addi-
tion to what has been already furnished him.
for full understanding OF the case under con-
slderatlon. My action in the premises was
originally based on The first supplementary re-
construction act OF July 18th 1867. / await
your reply before issuing the order
w. -. HANCpgE