Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1872-01-13

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fact (yet the fact is undoubtod) tha
honorable and brave mon who figh
each other never SO desperately arr
more ready than cttsrs to be friends
when the strife hns ceased. Why
may not Hancock command Tho
aspect and admiration of southern
soldiers? Thoy behold in him tho
cheraiier withom fear and rithom re
proach the Union leader of all 9th
crs the most terrible in rush ofbat
tle-the most generous, magnani
nous in victory. Has not this nat
ural sentiment, powerful in its in
fuence on the minds Of gallant men
been stimulated by facts occurring
since the war? In 1867 Hancock
was ordered to command the Fifth
military district (Texas and Louis
iana) with all the unlimited powers
conferred by tho reconstruction
acts. Other officers holding simi.
lar commands had converted their
districts into petty despotisms, such
as were found elsewhere only in
Turkey and Russia. The liberty
of person and property had disap
peared from the South. The ci' il
courts had been replaced by militia
ry commissions; and military pris-
ons were cramhed with victims
obhuxiohs to military ccnsure, but
innocent of offence against the laws.
This was tie condition of things
when Hancock arrived in New Or
leuts. With that quick conception
and steady Judgment Which saved
the Union ARMY at ticttysburgh,
and which ncvef fails great char
actef, lie saw that the situation per-
mitted neither hesitation nor com.
promise. lie therefors reversed at
once the whole system Of admins.
tration in Louisiana and Texas
An angel from heavsh proclaiming
peace and Justice would hardly
more have astounde9 of more de-
lighted the Southern people than
Order No. 40. Let us here copy
this inimitable order, that tho read
er may ponder it's golden words.
and imagine, if he can, with what
delight it was read bv a people in
the condition mentioned into what
immediate universal familiarity it
must have brought his name among
them, and with what unbounded
admiration of him it must have fill
ed their minds:
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH J
DISTRICT.
New ORLEANS, La. Nov 80, 1867. }
General Orders. No. 40.
|. In accordance with general
orders No. 81, Headquarters of the
Army, Adjutnnt Generals Office,
Washington, D. G, August 27, 1867,
Major-General W. $. Hancock here
by assumes command of the Fifth
military district, and of the depart
ment c0mpUsrdt Usrdtof Of til h . states of Lou.
isiana and Texas.
II. The general commanding is
gratifed to learn that peace and
quiet reign in this department. 1t
will be his purpose to prcservb this
condition of things. AS means to
this great end he regards the main
tenancc of the civil authorities IN
tho faithful execution of the laws as
the most efficient under existing
In war it is indispensable to repcl
force by force and overthrow and
destroy opposition to lawful author
ity. But when insurrectionary
force has been overthrown and
peace established, and the civil au-
lhorities ale ready and willing to
perform their duties, the military
power should cease to lead, and the
civil administration resume its ma
tural and rightful dominion. Sol
emnly impressed with these views,
the general announces that the
great principles of American liberty
are sill the lawful inhcri ancc OF
this people, and ever should be.
The right of trial by jury, the ha-
beas corpus, the liberty ofthc press,
the freedom of speech the natural
rights of persons, aud the rights of
property must bc preserved.
Free institutions, while they are
essential to the prosperity and hap
pincss of the people, always furnish
the strongest inducements TO peace
and order. Crimes and offences
in this district must be
referred to the consideration and
Judgment of tho regular civil tri-
bunals. aud those tribunals will be
in their lawful jurisdic.
tiun.
Should there hr f,plnl ZOOS of ek-
irurg law which ere rot inquired
into by the civil magistrates. or
> h"uld fiilurcs in The admlnlstra.
,ou f jnstir, by ihe courts he COM
p.alucd 81 the eases viii bc report.
ed tc these headquarters, when
such orders will be made w. may be
deemed recessary
While the general thus indicates
his purpose to respect the liberties
uf the people, he wishes all to un-
1erstand that armed insurrection
or frriblc resistance TO the law
will be instantly suppressed by
arms
BY command of Major Gen. W. 5.
Hancock l0fficial
An order like this at the end of
a proiracted sanguinary revolution,
from one Of its most victorious mil.
itary chiefs, is Of itself a great his
toric event 1t has moral gran
1eur which surpasses all that is
possible in the heroism and renown
Of war. In few brief lines it CON-
prises whatever lawyers and phil
Dsophers have taught of the purpose I
Of government. II defines the use
Of war, subordinates all its aims to |
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