The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-11-28

For Superintendent Public Education,
f. III. FAY,
of Fact Feliciana.
GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK.
We republish tho letter of Gen. Han
cock to Gov. Pease of Texas, written
in the days of Reconstruction
My Dear Sir: am not a lawyer,
nor has it been my business, as it may
have been yours, to study the philoso-
ply of statecraft and politics. But I
may lay claim, after an experience of
more than half lifetime, to some
poor knowledge of men, and some APP
probation of what is necessary to So
cial order and happiness. And for the
future of our common country could
devoutly wish that no great number of
our people have yet fallen in with the
views you appear to entertain. Woe
be to US whenever it shall come to pass
that the power of the magfstrate-civiI |
or military-is permitted to deal with
the mere opinions or feelings of the
people.
have been accustomed to believe
that sentiments of respect or disrespect,
and feelings of affection, love, or hatred,
SO long as not developed into acts in
violation of law, we're matters wholly
beyond the punitory power of human
tribunals.
will maintain that the entire free
dom of thought and speech, however
acrimoniously INDUCED, is consistent
with the noblest aspirations of man,
and the happiest conditions of his race.
When a boy I remember to have
read a speech of Lord Chatham, de-
1ivereu in Parliament. 1t was during
our Revolutionary war, and related to
the policy of employing the savages ON
the side of Britain. You may be more
familiar with the speech than am.
II am not greatly mistaken his lord
ship denounced the British Government
his Government-in terms of I'M
measured bitterness. He characterized
its policy as revolving to every senti-
ment Of humanity and religion; pro-
claimed 1t covered with disgrace, and
vented his eternal adherence of it and
its measures. 1t may, I think, be safely |
asserted that a majority of the British
nation concurred in the views of Lord
Chatham. But who ever supposed that
profound peace was not existing in
that kingdom, or that Government
had any authority to question the alb
solute right of the opposition to ex-
press their objections to the propriety
of the Kings measures in any words or
to any extent they pleased? It would
be difficult to show that the opponents
of the Government in the days of the
elder Adams, or Jefferson, or jackson,
exhibited for it either staffection" or
s'respect." You are conversant with
the history of our past parties and po-
litical struggles touching legislation on
atlenage, sedition, the embargo, ma
tional banks, our wars with England
and Mexico, and cannot be ignorant of
the fact that for one party to assert
that a law or system of legislation is
unconstitutional, oppressive and usur-
pative, Is not n new thing in the
United States. That the people of
Texas consider acts of Congress uncon-
stitutional, oppressive, or insulting to
them, is of no consequence to the mat
ter in hand. The President of the
United States has announced his opin-
ion that these acts of Congress are un-
constitutional. The Supreme Court, as
you are aware, not long ago decided
unanimously that a certain military
commission was unconstitutional. Our
people everywhere, in every State,
without reference to the side they took
during the rebellion, differ as to the
constitutionaiity of these acts of Con-
gress. How the matter really is, neither
you nor may dogmatically affirm.
If You deem them constitutional
laws, and beneficial to the country, you
not only have the right to publish
your opinions, but it might be your
bounden duty rs citizen to do so.
NOT less Is 1t the privilege and duty of
any and every citizen, wherever re-
siding, to publish his opinion freely |
ana iearlessly ON this and every cues
tion which he thinks concerns his in
terest. This is merely in accordance
with tho principles of our free govern
ment; and neither you nor L would
wish to live under any other. It is
time now, at the end OF almost two
years from the close of the war, we
should begin to recollect what manner