Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-09
Hancock and the Presidency in
1877

nxhUCOCh aINl tuC hCSAuGutv Ah
1877.
There is no doubt that General Hancock
has record in regard to the election of
President in 1877 which places him in a
new and unenviable light before the peo-
pie of this country. 1t was divulged by
accident but is none the less real on that
account. IT appears that General Han
cock, during the excitement about the
electoral count in 1877, wrote letter to
General Sherman, in which he declared
his intention to obey the orders Of Mr..
Tilden, as President of the United States,
should that gentleman take the oath OF
Office. This gratuitous tender of his SER
vices to support MIR. Tilden if the latter
had seen fit to claim his election is stain
upon Hancock's character. 1t was not in
true loyalty to his country and his duties
n an officer in the army that this offer
was made, but as partizan, and to en-
courage Mr. Tilden and his friends to
stand out to the last extremity. 1t
smacked of disloyalty. 1t was a step
calculated to be provocative of public dis.
order in very important crisis. 1t as
sured the Tildenites that they would have
man Of large military experience and
reputation 10 lead them if they concluded
to plunge into revolutionary resistance to
the election Of Hayes. 1t was just the
thing that soldier Of true loyalty to his
country should not and would not have
done.
The facts in regard to this matter first
appeared in the Boston Globe They were
divulgcd to correspondent of that paper
while he was at Cincinnati attending the
national democratic convention, by Mr.
Hiram Atkins. delegate to the conven-
ton from Vermont and editor of the
Montpelier Argus and Patriot. The state
ment IN the Globe was as follows:
at will be remembered, says Mr.. Atkins
(Hiram Atkins, a delegate to the Cincinnati
Convention from Vermont that during the
controversy it was claimed by the republi-
cans that Senator Ferry of Michigan, the
acting Vice President, had a right to count
the votes independent of the direction Of the
Senate and House; that they should be mere
spectators Of the count. On the other hand
the democrats claimed that Congress alone
had the right Of counting the votes, and the
Vice President could only open the enve-
lopes, TWAS claimed by republicans that
Gen. Grants term of office did not expire
until new President should be inaugursted
While these questions were pending, and
,,rs,p 20, ~, th., al of he,
Electoral Commission, General Hancock in
formed General Sherman mot Sheridan) that
twas due to him (Sherman) to be apprised
Of what his General nancock's) position
was in the matter. He therefore would say
that he considered that Mr.. Tilden had been
elected President of the United States, and
General Grants term of Office expired at
midnight on the Sd Of March: that regard
less Of anything Mr.. Ferry might do, if Con-
gress declared that Mr.. Tilden was elected
President, he General Hancock) believed he
had right to take the oath of Office where
ever he might be; and that il Mr.. Tilden did
take the oath of Office. and he should re-
ceive any orders from Mr. Tilden. as Presi.
dedt Of the United States, after midnight on
the third of March, he should obey them.
That is the story. During the process of
Geographic transmission and composition
the name of Sherman was changed to Sher-
idan, and By some means or other was made
to say that the letter was written after the
decision, instead Of before the establishment
of the Electoral Commission. General
Hancock, like MIR. Tilden and all patriotic
Americans, acquiesced in the decision of that
tribunal unconstitutional as il undoubtedly
was. As to the source whence obtained the
story, il 10 such that no man can help giving
il credence. first heard il at a dirner
v1irh ~ M hNusp N Monfnpliar last
April to General VIM. F. Smith (Old Baldy)
and several other gentlemen, and General
Smith afterward repeated it at Waterbury
publicly in the presence Of over sixty of the
prominent democrats in the State"
It will be seen by the above that Mr.
Atkins gave General w. F. Smith as his
authority for the facts disclosed to the
Glo0e correspondent. In order that there
should be no doubt about the matter, a
reporter of the New York Tribune called
upon General Smith-who resides in that
city-Tuesday and interviewed him in
relation to it. The report of the inter-
view is IS follows:
General, The Boston Globe prints q state-
ment in which you are represented ~ impugn-
ing General Hancock's loyalty"
THAT must be incorrect. Allow me to
read t." he replied. The slip was handed to
him By the reporter and carefully examined.
lis that correct, Gencral?'' the reporter
asked when General Smith handed back the
Newspaper slip.
..Yes. suppose il is correct enough; but
this refers to Mr.. Atkins. not to me-"
.sBut be Gays that he got the statement
from you."