The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-07-13


was calamity fighting the battles Of the
country.
Gen. Garfield had reference in the above
speech to various orders, in addition to or
der No. 40, that General Hancock had is
sued as Commander Of the Fifth Military
Department. One Of these orders was as
follows:
To Gorernor PeaH, of TsraS: Brevet Maj.
Gen. J. J. Reynolds, commanding district
OF Texas, in communication dated Aus
tin, Texas, November 10, 1857, requests
that military commission NAV be order.
ed "for the trial Of one G. w. Wall"
1t is true that the third section Of can
act to provide for the more efficient gov
eminent OF the Rebel States" makes 1t the
duty OF commanders Of military. districts
ito punish, or cause to be punished, az
disturbers Of the public peace and criml.
nals;" but the same power, from lts very
nature, should be exercised Tor the trlaI OF
offenders against the laws Of the stale
only in the extraordinary event thst Tue
local civil tribunals are unwilling or una
bic to enforce the laws against crimes;
At this time the country is in state OF
profound peace. The state government oil
Texas, organized in subordination 10 the
authority OF the Government oil the United
States, Is in the full exercise oil all It's
proper powers. Under such circumstances
there is no good ground for the exercise oil
tbs extraordinary power vested In the
commander TO organize military commits
sion for the trial OF the persons haned.
WINFIELD S. HANCOCK.
A correspondent Of the New York 1ri-
bune reviews the history Of HanCock's
administration at the South under john
son. We quote what he says, as follows:
at was the fortune OF the writer to be
in Texas for several years Immediately
after the suppression OF the Rebellion, and
he enjoyed the best Of opportunities ior
observing the effect OF General Hancock's
order by which military interference was
forbidden in the administration OF civil
affairs. Immediately on the promulga.
ton OF this order the rebels were filled
with Joy, and many Government officers
lspd Union men and great numbers OF
negroes were killed, and their murderers
were not punished. The civil statutes
were thus enacted by the rebel Legislature
called into existence by President john
son in 1866, and colored men were denied
admittance to the jury box, and
we're speedily reduced to state oil the
most abiect submission to their former
masters, while Union men and Republl'
cans were subjected to countless insults
and outrages, for which they could lind no
redress. In short, within two years from
the date when General Hancock and his
gallant associates had suppressed armed
treason on the field OF battle, he delivered
over Texas and Louisiana TO the traitors
he had defeated in battle, and turned
deal ear to the cries for protection which
arose from those who suffered, land because
they were loyal to the government he
represented. Upon the head oil General
Hancock must forever rest the responsl,
bility for vast number OF outrages and
murders committed because OF his famous
order and conduct consistent Herewith.
II the traitors who sought TO shoot the
Nation to death found General Hancock
such plant tool in 1867, can they not
well afford to select him as an instrument
to do their bidding in lSSO?"
This statement Of the Tribtne's cores
pondent is amply confirmed by the testi-
mony OF General Reynolds, who was in
the department at the time, in command
OF Texas-the same General Reynolds
referred to above in Hancock's letter to
Governor Pease-and he describes the
state OF affairs as follows:
"The civil lap east Of Trinity river is
almost dead letter. In some OF the coun.
ties the Girl officers are all or a portion Of
them members Of The Kan. They
(the Klans) attend in large bodies the
political meetings under auspices oil the
Democratic Clubs, In several
counties men have been indicated by
name from the speakers stand as those
selected for murder. The muir
der OF negroes is so common as to render
II impossible 10 keep an accurate account Of
them! Free speech and free
press, as the terms are generally under
stood, have neter existed in Texas.
To restore measurable peace and quid in
Texas will require that troops be stationed
at many county seats"
This is the testimony Of General who
was not seeking nomination for the Pre-.
sidency at the hands Of the Democratic
party. Hence he saw things as they really
existed and expressed himself accordingly.
"Order No. 40" sounds very nice on pa
per, but 1t is necessary to read it by the
light of history in order to understand it
properly.