The New York herald., 1871-09-05
HANCOCK / AND HISTORY.
Omcial Records of the
Surratt Trial. qEt
Hancock Not a Member Of tho Military Com.
mission, Nor The Offer Charged with the
Duty Of Executing Its Mandates.

mission, Nor The Offer Charged with the
Duty Of Executing Its Mandates.
.ssrslf WASHINGTON. Sept. 8, 1871.
Comment ls made in an editorial OF the herald OF
August 2o ON the objection OF an ohio paper to the
nomination Of General Winfield Scott Hancock by
the next Democratic National Convention, because
''he was party 70 the military murder OF widow
Surrast." The HERALD's editorial says:- .Fl' g.
TINS Is startling democratic objection, and, mean
AZ u may be, We suspect that, with It's ventilation
down south, General Hancock Will lose caste with
the frceaters as their Presidential lavote. General
Hancock, in connection with the hanging OF Mrs.
orders OF his supcri0rs and tho laws VI the army;
Dnt for al shat It is probable That tho revival or
this awful AFFAIR will operate to the prejudice OF The
General among the democratic chiyalry, South and
North. s ht IA na
Every good citizen. without regard to party
or creed, will endorse and applaud the HERALD
for the sentiment that Hancock "5imply did
ms 1uty as q soldier under the orders OF his
superiors and the laws Of the amy. II would
seem TO be as irrelevant to the subject TO refer
back 10 the peculiar circumstances that in the
trying days OF 1855 surrounded those whose names
are now canvassed as possible candidates for the
Presidency in 1872 as 1t might have been to refer
back in 1858 to the circumstances which surrounded
General Grant previous to his appearance at Spring.
ned, Ill.,, when summoned from comparative OBJ
security to position OF responsibility. a.
The institution OF comparisons as between the
various candidates in the field representing both po-
itca parties Is not the object OF rhi, letter; but
determined seem TO be those who misrepresent his.
tory in the matter OF General Hanc0ck's 0ficia re-
iatiOns with the trial and execution OF Mrs. Surrai
that your correspondent has taken the trouble to
furnish the country. through the columns OF The
HERALD, with all the official orders bearing upon
the subject These will least prove that General
Hancock was not m ,mber OF the Military Commls.
son. and that lie was NOT assigned TO duty TO attend
upon the Commission or to execute Its mandates.
General Hancock at the Eime was the command
ing Ofcer Of military department OF great extent,
Including Pennsylvania and other States. as well as
the District Of Columbia. His headquarters were at
Washington; and as such commanding oflcer he
was served win writ Of habeas corpus granted by
Judge Wylie. He appeared before the Court, but
his superior ofhcer, the President, had suspended
the writ OF habeas corpus and tnereupon the Judge
decided that the Court possessed no further power
In the premises.
This was all the ofncial relation General Hancock
had with the arrest, trial execution OF Mrs. Sur
1att Now let the Onacial record speak, j.
ORDERS FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF THE MILITARY
COMMISSION FOR TnE TRIAL OF MRS. SURRATr AND
OTHERS IMPLICATED IN IHS MURDER OF PREsI-
DENT LINCOLN. - t
.stl-see WASHINGTON CITY, May ], 1866.
Whereas the Attorney General OF the United
pllcated In the murder or the late President Abra-
ham Lincoln, ana the attempted assassination OF
sno 10 an sasd to 81 oae
Officers OF the federal government a. Washington
city and their saeIs and aoettors subject to the
jurisdiction OF and lawfully triaDle before mill
taIy commission; II is ordered, hiltial.
First That the Assistant AdJutant General detail
mission Tor the trial or said parties, end that the
Judge Advocate General proceed 10 prefer charges
bring them 10 trial before sal1 military commission;
that SAID trial or trials be conducted by the said
Judge Advocate General, and recorder thereof in
person, aided Dy such assistant ana special Judge
advocates as he may designate; aud That said trials
ends or justice; the said Commission to sit without
Second-T6aS Brevet Major General Hartranft
be assigned 10 duty as special Provost Marshal
General the purpose OF said trial and attendance
upon said commission, and the execution 0i It's
TAtrd THAT the said commission establish such
order or rules OF proceeding as may avoid unneces
'ay delay and '0n00's to Inc
SPECIAL ORDERS NO. 2il.
WAR DEPARTMENT,
1i ADjUrANT GENERALS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON. May 4 1865. }
[Extractl
4. military commission Is hereby appointed to
meet at Washington, DISTRICT OF Columbia, ON Mon
day. the SIN day OF May, 1866, at nine O'Clock A.
trial M Ue 81 Il Dava S1Sn Herd eoss a. Lewis
I'ayne. Michael OLaughlln, Edward Spanocr,
Samuel Arnold, Mary E. surratt, Samuel A. Mudd
mpoased 1r IL the murder % Of Inc ate President
Abraham Lincoln ana the attempted ASSASSINATION
and In alleged conspiracy to assassina!e other
onicers Of the federal government government at washington
DETAIL FOR THE COURT.
Major General David Hunter, United States Vol
Major General Lewis Wallace. United States Vol
nnteerBL ,.tt..
Brevet Major General August v. Rantz, United
Brlgaaier General Albion p. Howe. United States
Brigadier General Robert S. Foeter. United States
Drevet Brgadler General Cyrus W. Comstock.
Brigairer General 1. NJ Harris, United States
Volunteers. uhe
Brevet Colonel Horace Porter, Aide-deCamp.
Lieutenant Colonel David r. Cendenin, Eighth
ILLINOIS cavalry.
Brieadier General Joseph Hols Judge Advocate
Advocate and Recorder OF the Commission, to be
aided by such assistant special Judge Advocates
The Commission will SIT without regard to hours.
BY order OF the President OF the United M, states.
Assistant Adjutant General.
COURT RoOM, WASHINGTON, d. C.,)
May q, 1Se5-l0 A. NJ.
The Commission met pursuant to the foregoing
All the members present; also the Judge Advo.
Tie Hon. John A. Bingham and Brevet Colonel
II. l.. Burnett Judge Advocate) were then intro.
duced by the Judge Advocate General as assistant
or SPECIAL Judge Advocates. M Os
The accused.pavid Il: .Herold. George A. Atzerodt
Samuel Arnold. Lewis Payne, Mchaci OLaughlIn,
Nudd-were then brought into Court and being
asked whether they desired to employ counsel re-
piled that they did. aral7r -rl
To afford the accused opportunity to secure coun-
sci the Commission adjourned to meet ON Wednes.
day, May 10, at 10 O'Clock "A. NJ.
COURT Room, WASHINGTON, ID. c., %
-lt, May 10, 1s65--i0 A. NJ. I
The Commission met, pursuant to adjournment
Present. all the members named IN the foregoing
order: also present, the Judge Advocate General
ana Assist ant Judge Advocates Bingham and Bur-
nett. n ttt. ni1
The Judge Advocate General then read the follow
ing special Or,ler:- N
SPECIAL ORDERS NO. 216.
WAR DEPARTMENT.,
20 ADruTANT GENERALS OFFICE,
WASHINGTON, May 8, 1885. } Pei
[Exract.l 80 Hl4 ls.fe