The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-03-28

What He says About Affairs in the Fifth
Military District. =

Washington March ao) Correspondence of -
Boston Post. e
f Mai. Gen. Hancock arrived here this
eveninr, accompanied by the senior member
of his staff, Gen. Mitchell, and took quarters
at the Metropolitan hotel, where he WA.
soon surrounded by a host of his old friends,
congratulating him upon his fine appear
ance after q tour of service in a southern
climate, and welcoming him back to Wash
ington,l Perhaps no officer Of the army,
who has served in this military department,
has so many warm personal friends here as
Gen. Hancock, and his flattering reception
by them this evening must hare been pecu-
liarly gratifying to him. Although much
fatigued by his trip, the General was in
fine flow of spirits, and conversed freely upon
the condition of affairs in the sonth west
BE reports everything quiet there, and po-
litical affairs as moving on smoothly. The
inquiry was made if he had yet been assigned
to a new command. He answered that he
had not; that his request had been to be al
lowed 10 proceed to bis home in St. Louis,
and there remain until the public service
required him elsewhere. In reply 10 this re-
Quest he was ordered to Washington, for the
purpose, he presumed, of consultation rel
alive to matters in the fifth military district.
The General briefly sketched affairs as be
found them and as be left them. The pol
icy of his administration had been plain
and straightforward, and, as it was easily I'm
derstood by the people, he had comparatively
little trouble, but great amount OF labor TO
perform. In all his appointees to office he
had selected white men, where good ones
could be found, but at the same time be had
removed but one officer from Office, except
the changes he made in the city council
changes which he considered the public
welfare demanded, and which were necessary
to prevent ruinous condition of the city
finances. BE placed in the council the most
Substantial and influential citizens, without
regard to politics, with q view to restore
confidence and save the city currency. His
action was disapproved of, and the currency
declined until it was forced out OF circula-
ton. Before leaving the command, Gen.
Hancock appointed the new registers. whose
duty it viii be 10 revise the registry lists
fourteen days prior to the vote on the con-
stitution, but, in making these appointments.
he selected from the old registers appointed
hy his predecessor all those whose record
stood fair at headquarters. A great number
had been found guilty of improper conduct
in various WAYS, and their names were omit
ted and the names of other citizens substitu-
ted. The General expresses the greatest
confidence that the registry lists viii be prop
erly revised, and the election fairly condnc-
ted. In alluding to the dispatches published
in the New York Tribune, the General said
he never saw JEFF erson Davis but once
in his life, and that was in the United States
senate, many years ago. He was astonished
to learn that any one could be bold enough
| to telegraph falsebood so brszen. In
speaking of Texas, the General alluded with
evident pleasure to his visit among her peo-
pie, and expressed the opinion that the con-
stitution had possibly been carried, but that
it was yet involved in much doubt. He
| thinks a proper revision and correction Of
the registration will give the white popula
| ton of that state the control of the state
government, and he has no doubt that under
Gen. Reynolds administration. impartial
registers will be appointed, and that the
election viii be carefully conducted Gen.
Hancock evidently regards matters in the
fifth military district as in comparatively q
healthy condition, and liable only to be dis
hnl /, H. -