, 1880-07-14
HANc0cK'S' SECRET LETTER,
III fhf Edttuf n( Ifa6 fAlfaan Tfihulik.

~ Ate %sNA%VF ~ AfA1 Ah<t<&HV @Ftu4H<s
CmcAuo July 13:-It is ctargetl' tlsat IN
tho secret letter Which Gen. Iluncocl sent to
Ills superior officer. Gen. Sherman. after tho
Presidential election Ut 1870, lie {IInncocll)
announced his purpose, In tho event of TIL
den taking the oatll. OF 0tlice, ia. obey. hts
(Tilden's) orders nfter ,nltnIgiit OF the Ill at
aIarcl,, 1B77 There Is ITO difficulty In deter.
mining just what this alleged secret .lecl;irn-
tlon Ut Getl, Inrcock meant. It meant thNt,
II the President Of the Senute should count
tho Electoral vate mud declare Hayes to be
chosen, he (1Inncock), Us n subordinate
officer Of tho army, would recognize ridden,
and obey his orders rather than the orders
eMal,ating from 1Inyes and reaching i,isn
(llancock) through his superior oiIlcUr, Gen.
Sherman. In.n word, 1t oylncesl n purpose
OIL the part Of Gen. Hancock to
decide tho Presidential dispute himself, to
draw his sword. III support Ut his decision,
Mt d different letLioi,, to wiold Il uguiist iiis
superior OlllcEr. ;.
M more gravo charge thnn this l,as ever
boei, p1uierred agninst my American cttixen,
Hancock deserved then Gld there to bs sum.
inMrlly driven from tho army lit dlsgrnce. II
y to true, It blasts his. reputation forever.
II u ba trlte, 80 so1n s Its truth shall Clearly
1Qya! citize,! ut tlle United States, aud lii tic
Presidential rAca he will euIltlitiitt tile sup
port q mono but englnt,.s Of their couii.
try. To4clltnR. this cllnrRc, Gen. Hancock
piaiatons aboat it. = slaii s"1H ,iot ""i 'uaise Ike
uny reply to my statement wlatovur. Iwill
leavo tl!nt to others." Yl!ls is an extraor-
4lnary position orGcn. linncoek to assu,no.
cv!donce Ut tle truth 0r fAlslty' Ut tho charge
exists llt q letter bearing llIs signature A
slngle word from hiul, VIII give that letter to
~ bubble, AlM II by thnt the charge IL unsus-
s'uilder. Gen.: 1laneock's rutusul 10 .spenk
teitds to confirm the truth. Ut tho cllargg.
LIS silsl,rd co!iAsitutea Il ur[tnn fActe c,lsu
nSl','st ,!Iel ~, hlm: Tit!s silence long cnlitin!e
H. M VIII kllrely render. q verdict Of guilty.
Thousands nf Democrats look uilxiOusly for
tlls publication Ut to lutter. c0ntiltent thas
snsl. naolIteaton wili explode tl!s cllarxs MS
weakels, md llancock's i,ot,.lcnt declaration
mqnt tISai I 70 ! sl,o ~ ,nas1eW. sa
1mro1t'S'tsly 1 for Ge lHcoc there !s
tify tho now gra.lually-growllig btliUf III ti,o
truth ri the chArko linngtng over him mid
antkenillg l!ls Presidential pt,specta- There
srnor ii tAS Dlstrct II i.oalsia,ss oiias uSx ND
Texas, III 1Ht7, ie 1HsnGl I'LL order III Hut viu-
latlon u tue yeIy lazy OF Congress under
Which ~ WIZ nctlng. III II word he Nse1 the
NuNV1AkT G0hACllCN Nl1l ulI uY lAN.AU Qt4-
Tent the letter ind the spirit Of tic lnW, liz
Atteinpta!l to yltat1xc and gtyo force aid, ,qf-
feet to ,Stato Governments Which haI Heel..
bSeInTfee; 81 Ifea; bs s v;y T ors # conErsss II Is
nylnE that by these lIlglI-hallded acts
Cen. llancock uaurl>ea authority aud
Violated tho luw In Was nnpointeGl to execute.
the alleged net ill embryo disclosed IN tie
fnnlons aecrut letter. lii Louisiana, In 1867,
Gen. liuncock tEal,lpled the law contcihptli.
ously 4!dtr foot, ll.l fur II substituted not
tlssaslhs. Why, .lhon, should lle not III 1876
{!so " tie nutiAclous hight ot debating tlo
Presidential Incumbent OF tls cliUice with
agatnst him; aiui, when asked II It Is true,
l!o lius i,otlnE " .Bay,-nUth!ng to say to tho
aglna,M' 9f tho American pe1ple to know
whether. In ls7'l h0 wrute to tiel,. Sherman
thrGatolinE ~ draw lls sword la support Uf
Illien anI ,ngninst llis, superior officer alll
tho Jaws Of tho lal.d. Xxx.