The Portland daily press., 1870-05-23
WAsHtNCTOE!
AsE OF coMMANbER uPsaei

WASHINGTON May o1.-The proceedings and
decision of the naval court martial in the czSe
Of Commander Upshur has been referred to
Gen. Bales, Department Solicitor, who will
give the matter his immediate attention.
THE PACIFIC DEPARTMENT-wHY GEN. HAN
COCK DID NOT SUCCEED GEN. THOMAS
WASHINGTON, May 22.-On the 18th of April
Gen. w. r. Hancock addressed the following
Geographic dispatch to Gen. w. T. Sherman,
dated at st. Louis If my rank will not entitle
me to division, and the changes in the de-
partment are such as to make it practicable, l
would prefer this, st. Louis, station. leave
at once for st. Paul
The next day Gen. Sherman replied: Gene
Tal-l have laid your dispatch of the 18th, from
st. Louis, before the President who authoriZ-
ed me to say that your wishes and claims for
the succession to the command of the military
division of the Pacific, made vacant by Gen.
Thomas death, were fairly considered and also
YOU. preference for the Department of the Mis-
souri, III case OF change in its commander,
were also known to him. but he has ordered
otherwise. The President authorizes me to
say to you that it belongs to his Office to select
commanding Generals Of divisions and depart
ments, and that the relations you show towards
him officially and privately absolve him from
regarding your personal preferences. The or
ders announcing these changes will be made
IN very few days, and they will not touch the
Department of Dacotah or the military divis-
ion of the Missouri 1 am with respect, yours
truly
(Signed, W. T. SHERMAN, General.
Gen. Hancock replied from St. Paul, April
27ta, as follows: General-Your letter has been
received detailing the reasons the President
has given why my claims to more important
commands should not be regarded. intended
by my dispatch to ask for division if the ex-
listing divisions were all continued, or other
wise If the changes made it practicable, not as
favor but as claim to command to which
| N ont a6 10
President leads me to believe that because
have not his personal sympathy my preferences
for command will not be regarded notwith
standing my rank, shall not again open the
subject but will add in conclusion think it is
an important precedent to establish, that mill
tary rank in time of peace especially in the
assignment OF general officers to command of
division and departments, shall not have the
consideration hitherto conceded to it. 1 am
very respectfully your obedient servant,
WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.
The reference in Gen. Sherman's letter to
the relations which Gen. Hancock chose to as
sumo towards the President. officially and pri-
vatey, and absolving the President from re-
garding Gen. Hancocks personal preferences,
Is thus explained: At the time the reconstruc-
ton acts were put in operation Gen. Hancock
was transferred from the Department of Lou
isiana. President Grant, as General-in- Chief,
modified or revoked Gen. Hancock orders, to
which the latter took strong personal excep-
ceptions. Shortly after, by order of the Presi
dent, Gen. Hancock was assigned to the COM
mand of the Division of the Atlantic and came
te'WashIngton. He want-to Gen. Grants
headquarters, but instead of calling upon him
personally simply registered his mama, which
was unusual and considered discourteous.
Gen. Grant having no know ledge or apprehen-
sion that Gen. Hancock was offended with
him. meeting him on the street shortly after
wards, greeted him in his friendly way, "Good
morning, Hancock" To this Hancock made
no verbal response, but merely touched his hat
and passed on. Some time subsequent the two
met at wedding party, when Hancock turned
bis back on him. Gen. Grant was also in
formed that Gen. Hancock had boosted of his
dlscourtcsy to him Oh the street. When Han
cock issued an order for the removal of certain
persons in New Orleans correspondence took
place between the two generals on the subject,
when Gen. Hancock used language which was
considered disrespectful and insubordinate to
his superior officer.
THE GEORGIA CONFLICT.
Gov. Bullock has addressed letters to Sena-
tors and Representatives in reply to the speech
of Senator Ferry and the report of the MAORI
ty of the Judiciary Committee, in which he
charges that Joshua Hill, one of the Senators
whose election the Bingham amendment and
Georgia bill will confirm, is the real author of
the opposition to him and his efforts for the
success of the amendment, and says that the
means used to secure au investigation by the
Senate Committee were not only improper but
infamous. The Governor predicts that the
Bingham amendment will prove the death of
the Republicans and republicanism in Georgia.