Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-07-01

Why should any one wish TO abolish
them? They have committed no trea.
son; nor are hostile to the United
States nor countenance crime: nor
favor injustice. On them, as on d foun.
dation Of rock, reposes almost the
entire superstruction Of social order in
these two States. Annul this code of
local laws and there would be no Longer
any rights, either Of person or PROPERTY.
here. Abolish the local tribunals made
to execute them, and you would yertu.
ally annul the laws, except in reference
to the very few cases cognizable in the
Federable courts. Let us for moment
suppose the local civil code annulled
and that ] am left, as commander #
the Fifth Military District, the sole
fountain Of law and justice. This Is the
position in which you would place me.
al am now 10 protect all rights and
redress all wrongs? ? How is it possible
for me TO do it? Innumerable question
arise, of which ! am not only ignorant.
but TO the solution Of which q miItary
court il unified. One would establish
n will, another a deed; or the question
ia one Of succession, or partnership, or
descent, or trust; a suit Of ejectmeut
or claim TO chattels, or the application
may relate TO robbery, theft, arson or
murder. How am ! to take the fir,
step in any such matterl II turn to
the acts Of Congress ! find nothing on
the subject. dare not open the
authors on the local code, for 1t has
ceased TO exist.
And you tell me that in this per.
picking condition ] am 70 furnish by
dint OF my own hasty and crude iudg.
ment, the legislation demanded hy the
vast and manifold interests of the pco.
pie? ! repeat, sir, that you, and not
Congress, are responsible for the mon.
strous suggestion that there are no local
laws or institutions here 10 be respected
by me, outside the acts Of Congress.
say unhesitatingly, If il were possible
that Congress should pass an act abul.
ishing the local codes for Louisiana
and Texas-whch ! do not believe
and ii should fall to my lot to supply
their places with something OF iAy own.
do not see how. could do better than
to follow the laws in force here prior 10
the rebellion. excepting whatever there
in shall relate to slavery. Power may
destroy the forms, but not the princ..
pies OF justice; these will live in spite
even of the sword. History tells us
that the Roman pandecis were lost for
long period among the rubbish that
war and revolution had heaped upon
them, but al length were dug out of the
ruins-aRain to be regarded as price
less treasure"
These two great papers may be said
TO form the platform of General Han.
cock. As such they were accepted bv
the Democracy Of 1868, and their author
was prominent among the candidates
for the Presidential nomination at the
Convention OF that year. OF course il
was not to be expected that he should
long retain command al New Orleans
and he himself applied to be relieved
February -, 1868, his course having
brought him into conflict with Congress
and with rhe General of the Army
His request was granted March l6. 1865.
and he was shortly afterward sent into
exile as commander of the military
division OF Dakota, where he remained
three years-ls69-72. in 1872 he was
appointed commander Of the military
division of the Atlantic. with head.
quarters at New York city. where he
has since resided. This appointment.
made upon the death Of General Meade.
was creditsble TO President Grant. since
unfortunately. he was not on speaking
terms with General Hancock. The
Democratic nomination for Governor Of
Pennsylvania was rendered him in lSfg.
but declined. He was again a promi.
nent candidate for the Presidential
nomination at Baltimore in 1872.
General Hancock was married in s..
Louis in 1856 TO Miss Elmira Russell.
lie has had two children. One OF
them, Miss Ada Elizabeth Hancock, a
young lady of great promise. died in
New York at the age of eighteen years.
The only surviving child, Russell Han.
cock, is now a planter in Mississippi.
In person General Hancock has Just.
" won the sobriquet of 1.-The superb"
lie is the beau ideal of the gallant
soldier, tall, shapely, blonde, with clear
blue eyes full OF meaning and decision.
He is knight sans peur cf sans reJrorlc.
gentle TO his associates, kindly and
genial to his subordinates, yet possessed
of an innate dignity with which few
would care to trlfe. His dicipline j.
plain and direct, his loyalty to superi
ors unquestioning and undinching, his
devotion to law and justice ingrained
upon his Utmost self The democracy
is to be congratulated upon having
made choice of standard bearer whom
men of all parties delight TO praise, and
in whose hands the reins Of Govern.
ment may securely be trusted.
WILLIAM II. ENGLISH, OF INDIANA.
The Democratic candidate for the
Vice Presidency was born in Scott coun-
ty, Ind, August %, 1890, studied for
three years at the University of South
Hanover, Ind, studied law and was
admitted TO the bar in 1916, but devot.
ed his time chiefly to agriculture, being
the owner of an extensive estate. He
was clerk of the Indiana House of
Representatives in lS43. in the Treasu-
ry Department at Washington during