The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-06-30

against this local government. crested by rnfI
1tary pow er prior 10 my coming here. and so
| friends, that you have preferred the most
grievous complaints. It is OF them that you
nave asserted that they VIII not do their duty;
they will not maintain Justice; will not arrest
Offenders: will not punish crimes, and that
out. OF 100 hom1cioes committed in the last
twelve months, not over ten arrests have been
made, and by means OF such gross disregard OF
duty, you declare that neither property or life
is fe In Texas
CerlasnIy you could have said nothing more
TO The discredit OF the officials who are now in
office IL the facts be as you allege, mystery
is presented for which / can imagine no ex
planation. Why il il that your political
friends, backed up and sustained by the whole
military.Fower of the United States in this Dis
trlct, should be unw JluL TO enforce the laws
against that part o! tae population lately in
rebellion, and whom you reprt sent as the Of
tenders? In all the history OF these troubles
have never seen or heard before of such fact.
repeat, IL the fact be so, IL is profound mys
terry, utterly SURPRISING my comprehension.
am constrained to declare that believe you
are IN very great error as 10 facts. On careful
examination at the proper source, find that
at the date of your letter four cases only
OF homicldes had been reported to these
headquarters as having occurred since No
vember 20, 1871, the date of order No. 40 and
these cases were ordered TO be tried and inves-
tigated as soon as the reports were received
However, the fact OF the TO homicides
may stu be correct, as stated by you.
The Freedmans Bureau in Texas reported l6J;
how many of these were by Indians and Mex
leans, and how the remainder were classified
Ill i
data are accurate.
The report of the commanding officer of the
District of Texas shows that since assumed
command no applications have been made TO
MIN Dy you Tor the arrest OF criminals in the
State OfTexas.
To this date eighteen cases of homicides
nave been reported TO me as having occurred
since November 20, 1857, although special in.
structions have been given TO report such cases
as they occur. OF these, five were committed
by Indians, one by a Mexican, one by an in
sane man, three by cOlored men, two OF
women by their husbands, aud of the
ma1nder some by par.ie unKnown-all of
which could be scarcely attributable TO order
No. 40. III the reports received since the issu-
ing of order No Az are correct thew exhibit no
increase OF hOH icides in my time, if you
correct that 100 had occurred in the past twelve
mouths,
That there has not been perfect administra-
ton of Justice in Texas am not prepared TO
deny.
That there has been no such wanton disre-
gard OF duty on the part of officials as you al
lege, 1 am well satis fed. A very little while
ago you regarded the present officials in Texas
the only ones who could safely be trusted
with power. Now you pronounce them worth
less, and would cast them aside.
have found little else in your letter but in
d1catlons OF temper, dashed into excitement by
causes which de EN- most imaginary, a great
confidence in the accuracy of your own opin-
ions, and an intolerance of the opinions of
others, desire TO punish the thoughts and
feelings OF those who differ from You, and an
Impotence which magnifeS the shoItcom-
ings of officials who are perhaps as earnest
and conscientious in the discharge of their
duties as yourself, and a most unsound conclu
sion that while any persons are TO be found
wanting in affection or respect for govern
ment, or yielding In obedience from motives
which you do not approve, war, and not
peace, is the status, and all such persons are
the proper subjects for military penal juris-
diction.
If have written Anything to disabuse your
mind of so grave an error, shall be gTatlfied.
am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient
servant,
w. s. HANCOCK,
Major General Commanding.