Weston weekly leader. [volume] (Weston, Umatilla County, Or.) 1878-189?, 1880-07-03
oUR NEXT PRESIDENT.

General Hancock is native of Penn
having been born in Montgom-
sry county, in that State, on the l4th Of
February, 1924. He graduated 1t West
Point in 1874, and served mainly on
frontier duty until ls46, and afterwards
in the war with Mexico, being breveted
as first lieutenant for gallant and meri-
torious conduct in the battle of Contreras
and Cherubusco. From I948 to 1855 he
was again employed in frontier duty,
and from 1855 to 1861 was quartermas-
ter of the southern district of California.
In August of the latter year he was re-
called to Washington, and when the
army of the Potomac was transferred to
the Peninsula in 1862, he was already a
brigadier-general, with the appropriate
command, in the Fourth Corps His
first opportunity to make mark occurred
at Williamsburg, and he made a brilliant
one. He next distinguished himself in
the battle of Frazer's Farm, and subse-
quently took an active part in the cam
paign in Maryland, at the battle of
South Mountain and Antietam. Being
made Major-General, he commanded a
division at Fredericksburg and Chancel-
lorsville. At Gettysburg he did msgni6-
cent work. On the first day of the bat
tie, July l, 1868, he was sent by General
Meade to decide whether decisive bat
tie should be given, or whether the army
should fall back. He reported that Get
| tysburg was the place to fight, and took
immediate command until the arrival of
Meade In the decisive action of July
Sd he commanded on the left center, sus-
tanning the terrific onset of Longstreet's
Confederates, and being severely wound
ed The thanks of Congress were former
ly rendered him for his conduct in these
engagements. Being disabled by his
wounds, he was Oh sick leave until March,
1864, being meanwhile engaged in re-
cruiting the Second Army Corps, which
was placed under his command. At the
opening of the campaign of that year un-
der General Grant, he took the active
command of the corps, and bore promi-
nent part in the battle of the Wilderness,
Spottsylvania Court House and Anna,
the second battle of Cold Harbor, and
the operation around Petersburg, until
June 10th, when, his wounds breaking
out afresh, he was again for short time
on sick leave. He afterwards resumed
command, and participated in several ac-
tions, until November Goth, " hen he was
called to Washington to or ganize the
first corps of veterans.
The name of every great battle in the
East is inscribed on Hancock's. flags.
After the close of the war he was placed
successively in command of the Middle
Department, the Department Of Missouri
of louisiana and Texas, of Dakota, and
of the Department of the East. He has
his headquarters on Governo RS Island.
In the Democratic National Convention
of 1868 he received 1444 votes for the
Presidential nomination. In 1876, in
the National Convention of the same
party, he received IS votes for the same
nomination.
General Hancock has uniformally
maintained the doctrine that the mill
tary power should in time of peace bt
subordinated to the civil law. This wa.
| particularly shown in his address to the
, court Of inquiry constituted totry Genera
5 Babcock, in 1875, in which he urged tina
that officer having been formerly indicted
: at st Louis, it was right and proper tina
S the military inquiry should adjourn i,
e order that the ordinary civil rrocesse
n might take their course-which sugges
/ tion was duly adopted. In 1868, Will
in command of the Fifth Military Dis
/ trict, General Hancock, in letter t
o Governor Pease, said: "On them 9TH
e laws of Texas and Louisiana), as on
t foundation of rock, reposed almost tn
e entire structure of social order in thes
t two States. Annual this code of law.
Il and there would lie no longer any right.
e either of persons or property, here.