Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-24
General Hancock in Defence of Civil
Institutions

General Hancock in Defence of Civil
Institutions.
WASHINGTON, Jan. IS, 186S.-On the
2Sth ult General Hancock addressed q let
ter to the Governor of Texas, informing
him that certain papers had been received
from General Reynolds, commanding Dis
trict of Texas, requesting that military
commission might be ordered for the trial
of one G. W. Wall for shooting a Mr..
Black in the month of October, 1867. In
his letter the General says:
At this time the country is in state of
profound peace. The State Government
of Texas, organized in subordination to the
government, is in the full exercise Of all It's
proper powers. The courts, duly empow
cred to administer the laws and to punish
all offenders against those laws, are in eX-
istence The unWillingncss on the part of
these courts is suggested to inquire into
the offences with which the prisoners in
question are charged, nor are any obstruc-
tions whatever in the way of enforcing the
laws against them said to exist. Under
such circumstances there IS no good ground
for the exercise of the extraordinary pow
er vested in the Commander to organize q
military commission to try the person
named. Tt must be a matter Of profound
regret to all who value constitutional gov
ernment that there should be occasion, in
times of civil commotion, when the public
good imperatively requires the intervention
of the military power for the repression of
disorders in the body polite; but that the
intervention Of this power should be call
ed for by civil magistrates when the laws
are no longer silent and civil magistrates
are possessed III their respective spheres Of
all the powers necessary to give effect to
the laws excites the surprise of the Com
mander of the Fifth Military District. In
his view it is of evil example and full of
danger to the cause of freedom and good
government that the exercise of the militia
ry power in such cases should ever be per-
mitted when the ordinary powers of the
existing State governments are ample for
the punishment of offenders, if those
charged with the administration OF the
laws are faithful in the discharge of their
duties. In the opinion of the Commander
of the Fifth Military District the existing
government of the State of Texas posse $
ses all the powers necessary for proper and
prompt trial of the prisoner in question in
due course of law. If these powers are
not exercised for that purpose, the failure
to do so can be attributed only to the in
dolence or culpable inefficienoy of the Off
GERS now charged with the execution of the
State laws, and in case of such failure it
will then become the duty of the Comman-
der to remove the officers responsible for
such failure and replace them with others
who will discharge their duties. Ii it then
be found impossible to secure q sufficient
number of persons among the people now
exercising political power in Texas to sup
ply the public with officers who will enforce
the laws, it will be necessary for the Com
mander to exercise the powers vested III
him for vindicatiOn of the majesty OF the
law But until such time shall have arrlv
ed it is not his intention to have recourse
10 those powers, and he deemed the pres
cnt fitting occasion to make this known
to the Governor of Texas, and through
him to the people of the State.
The Dam Roaring.
4 young gentleman went to sec the
daughter of a Presbyterian elder lately,
whose house was near a mill-dam. It be-
ing in the Spring of the year the water
made considerable of roar as it tumbled
over the dam. The modest young man
tapped lightly at the door at first and re-
ceived no answer. Again and again he re-
peated his knock, but still he was unheard.
mastering up some courage, he proceeded
to infict some severe thumps on the door,
which brought the staid old gentleman
out.
q suppose" said the youngster, who
had by this time become slightly savage
for being compelled to wait SO long. l." [
suppose you could not hear my knocking
on account of the dam roaring"
"The dam roaring? What do you mean,
sir ? How dare you speak in that way?"
said tie divine, somewhat angry by hear
ing the young man swear in his presence.
81 mean to say that [ suppose you
could not hear me knocking on account of
the dam roaring"
"Dam roaring again ! You young
scounirel How have you the impudence
to insult me with the repetition of those
words Begone, sir p
My dear, SIR" quoth the now bewild-
cred youth, 81 intended to say that pre-
sumed I could not be heard on account of
the dam roaring" laying particular stress
on the last two words.
Insult on insult p shouted the infuria-
ted old man, and rushed at the poor fellow
with the evident intention of ejecting him,
but was restrained by tho voice of his
daughter, exclaiming
Papa, / suppose the young man inten-
ded to say that he could not be heard on
account of the roaring of the DAM
Oh beg your pardon, sir-walk in,
walk IN, really-ah, well, I declare The
dam roaring Capital Come in, come
IN: That is really too rich p
1t is needless to add that the youngster
went in, and in the excellent society OF the
young lady soon forgot the dam roaring,