The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-04-14

Genera, w. S. Hancock.

Genera, w. S. Hancock.
n rvonsca seem from the tone Of the news
,,.por press In speaking Of General HANCOCK
that many eyes are now turned towards him
a. . prospective candidate for the presidency
on the Democratic ticket. IL we are not
mistaken. the ssme state of things existed
four years ago, but experienced sudden
change 10 consequence of an article which
appeared in some paper exposing Gen.
ersl HAacocK's connection with the SUR
HArr trial. We had lost sight Of this expo
sure ourselves, snd were but recently very
much Inclined TO regard him as the most
available man that tho Democratic Nationai
Convention could fix upon.
That Convention, however, must act with
. full knowledge Of bis record, seeing that
whilst his friends may be disposed to shut
their eyes to anything that might be dam
aging to his prospects his opponents would
take care to spread all injurious facts before
the public. We are not ready TO affirm that
General HAScocK's connection with the
hanging OF Mrs. NARY E. SUaaATr, DAVID
e. HAROLD, G.. a ATzgRoTr, aud LEWIS
PAYNE was such connection as would
: necessarily make him a guilty party. But
ANDREW JoHNsoN's eoward!y fears OF assassi-
nation would seem TO have Influenced Gene"
raj HANCOCK and all the other persons con-
cerned in the affair. None Of them remem'
bered that the war was at an end. Let US
look back to the records Of 1865.
The military commission that tried these
civilians in time Of peace, consisted Of Ma
jor.Geaeral DAVID HUNTER, president, and
Generals LEW. WALLAcg, A. Y. KAUTa, a.
P. Howe, r. s. Foster, j. A. EAKIN, L. n.
HARRIS {of Virginia, or rather west VIZ
efnia. we grieye to admil, and Colonies q.
Fl. ToHPK1ss and Z. d. CLENDENiN. Ids
commission was detailed by the assistant
Acknowledgement at Washington. So General
HANCOCK had nothing to do with Its consti-
tuition. The prosecution was conducted oy
the notorious JOE Holt, Judge Advocate
General, assisted by q. l.. BURNETT, OF In
diana, and JonN A. B1sGHAH, OF Ohio, which
last BEAST BUTLER once charged upon the
floor OF the House of Representatives win
having murdered q woman.
The farce Of a trial was played out to the
end, and all the parties named were found
guilty and sentenced to be hung. There
upon ANDREW JOHNSON issued sn order 40.
dressed IS follows:
"To Msjor- General W. S. Hancock, U. 8.
Volunteers, commanding the Middle Mill.
tary Division, Washington, D. g."
The order ended as follows:
uTberefore, YOU are hereby commanded
to cause the foregoing sentences, in the cases
of Dayis g. Harold, Il. A. Atzerott, Lewis
PAYNE, and Mary E. surratt, to be duly ex'
ecnted in accordance with the Presidents
order"
This order was dated July 8, 1865, in
time OF profound peace. General HANCOCK
obeyed it. What his degree of guilt is, we
will not undertake to say. But we have long
felt confident that no person who with guilty
knowledge as to the unIawfulness Of the
deed, took part in the hanging Of Mrs. SUR
RAFT and the other victims Of JoHNsoN's COW.
ardice mot malce) would ever be elected to
any Office of honor or profit by the people OF
the United States. We state the facts as they
appear upon the record, and leave them to
work out their own results.
II our theory on the subject be correct,
another one Of Pennsylvania "favorite
SONS" will be dropped by the Republicans
when they learn that whsteVer may be said
in mitigation OF HAsceck's offence, General
HARrRASrr's connection with the case
cannot be defended. he was the Special
Provost. Marshal General, appointed "for
the purpose Of said trial and attendance
upon said commission and the execution OF
its mandates"
1t may be interesting to some to recall the
fact that PRESTON KING, OF New York, and
Colonel LANE, of Kansas, who were charged
with having been instrumental in prevent
ing Mrs. suRRArT's daughter from securing
an interview with President JOHNSON, both
afterwards committed suicide.
It is a bloody page of history. HANCOCK
and HAnTnAsPr will never cease to hear Ii
read. They are both Pennsylyanians.