The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-09-23
A Libel on Gen. Hancock.

We took occasion some time ago in repel-
ling vile accusation against the personal
ch aracter os Gen. NJ Candless. made by the
Hollidsysburg Register, to refer 10 an unfor>
inmate propensity so often manifested of late
by the editor of that journal. The French
in their own peculiarly polite way style it
"ine1dctness," while in cur own pure and
vigorous Saxon it is familiarly termed 'tgiant
lyinq" In an editorial article in last week s
issue of that paper. in reference to the an>
nouncement of the Hollidaysburg Standard
in favor of the nomination of Geo. Hancock
as the next Democratic candidate for the
Presidency. the following language is used ;
"In the next place. he had charge of the
execution of Mrs. Surratt and of course good
party Democrats will not help to elect a
person who was guilty of helping to hang
this innocent woman y"
The idea intended to be conveyed in the
above paragraph is, that General Hancock
Mrs. Surratt. Now, mark how plain tale
will put this slander down. When the per-
sons implicated in the assassination of Pres
ident Lincoln, as well as Payne, who at
tempted the life of MIR. Seward, were arrest
ed, the Attorney General of the United
States, being called upon by Pres't johnson,
fled his opinion in the Department of State
that the prisoners were properly triable bs-
fore military commission. Upon the fling
of this opinion. Gen. William A Nichols
was ordered to detail nine military officers
to act as commission to try the prisoners.
! That order was executed and Major General
| David Hunter was the President Of the Mil
:tary Court. This court sentenced Harold,
Atzerott, Payne and Mrs. Surratt to death.
President johnson approved the finding.
and gave the order for their execution. Gen.
! Hancock was ot a member of the court
he did not order it, nor did he detail its
members or officers. The Presidents order
commanding the execution was addressed to
him simply as tie commanding officer of the
| Middle Military District, and that order was
! transmitted to Gen. John F. Hautraft, spe>
cia Provost Marshal General, and no,o the
Radical Auditor General Of Pennsylvania,
rOho had been appointed by the President to
attend upon the commission and TO execute
its mandates.
This is plain history Of that transaction.
and the persistent and malicious efforts of
the Radical press to misrepresent the con-
nection Of Gen. Hancock with the tragic fate
of the unfortunate Mrs. Surratt only show
how much he is feared as Presidential cam
! didate. Gen. Hancock had no more agency
in the military murder of Mrs. Surratt than
he had with the hanging Of old John Brown.
If we had access to the files of the paper
| published by the editor of the Register in
| 1865. when Mrs. Surratt was hung, it would
reveal the fact that he was jubilant over the
deep damnation Of her taking off. and that
he sanctioned her murder as just sacrifice
on the altar of loyalty. species of counter
felt and spurious patriotism which then dom
mated the country. This loyal hypocrite
now processes a mock sympathy for NJ 8
Surratt and knowingly and deliberately falsi-
fies history by publishing foul libel on
Gen. Hancock when he asserts that he "was
guilty of helping to hang this innocent
woman" Could duplcity and falsehood
assume bolder or more brazen front