The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-08-02
THE FAMOUS LETTER
OF GENERAL HANCOCK TO GENERAL
EN SHERMAN, ,
Written In the rroabrous Times Pending
the Decision OF the Last. Presidsn.
tIai ElsciIoB, and Made Famous
Since the Nomination Of =
the Writer for the
Presidency.

NEw YoEx, July S1.-This letter wa
written in reply to two letters on the stu
alton received from General Sherman. ]
Is furnished to the Associated Press by tn
New York World:
CARoSDELEr P. O., ST. LOUIS, No. /
December 2S, 1879. =
My DEAR GESERAL.-You favor Of tn
14th inst. reached me in New York tn,
day before left for the West. IintendeC
to reply TO 1t before leaving, but cares in
cident to departure. interfered. Then
again, since my arrival here l have beer
SO occupied with personal affairs oil bust
ness nature, that l have deferred writing
from day TO day until this morning, anc
now find myself in debt to you for anoth
er in acknowledgment OF your favor OF the
18th, received few days since. have
concluded to leave here the 10Th (to.mor.
row evening", so that may be expected
in New York on the 3lst inst. II has been
cold and dreary since my arrival here. ]
have worked "like a Turk" Il presume
that means hard work. in the country ID
making fences, cutting down trees, repair.
ing buildings, &C., and am at least able to
say that st. Louis is the cOldest place in
winter, and it is the hottest in summer, oi
any that have encountered In the tenn
perate zone. have known st. Louis in
December to have genial weather through
out the month. This December has been
frigid and the river has been frozen more
solid than have ever known it.. ..
When l heard the rumor that was or
dered to the Pacific Coast, / thought II
probably true, considering the past discus
sion on the subject. The possibilities
seemed to me to point that way. Had It
been true, should, OF course, have pre-
sented no complaint, nor made resistance
OF any kind. would have gone quickly,
II not prepared to go promptly. l GER
tainly would have been relieved from the
responsibilities and anxieties concerning
Presidential matters which may fall 10
those near the throne, or in authority
within the next four months, as well as
from other incidents or matters which
would not control the action concerning
which might not approve. was not
exactly preparel,to 20 10 the Pacific, how
ever, and therefore felt relieved when l
received your note informing me that
there was no truth in the rumors. Then
did not wish 10 appear 10 be escaping
from the responsibilities and possible
dangers which may cluster around the
military commanders in the East,
especially in the critical period fast
approaching. "All's well that ends
we'll" The whole matter OF the
Presidency seems to me to be simple and
10 admit OF "a peaceful solution. The ma
chinery OF such contingency as threatens
TO present itself has been carefully pre-.
pared. Il only requires luhrication lowing
10 disuse. The army should have nothing
to do with the election or Inauguration OF
Presidents. The people elect the President.
The Congress declares in joint session
who he Is. We of the army have only to
obey his mandates, and are protected in 80
doing only so far as they may be lawful.
Our Commissions express that. like
Jetferson's way OF inauguration It suits
our system. He rode alone on horseback
TO the capitol'(I fear it was the old 0api.
tol''), tied his horse to rail fence, entered
and was duly sworn, then rode to the Ex.
ecutiye Mansion and took possession. He
inaugurated himself simply. by taking the
oath Of office. There was no other legal
inauguration in onr system.
The people or politicians may institute
parades in honor OF the event, and public
officials may add to the pageant by. Assem-
bling troops aud banners, but all that
only comes properly after the eihaugprs-
ton, not before, and It is nota part OF 1t.
Our system does not provide that one
President should inaugurate another
There might be danger in that, and 1t was
studiously left oat Of the charter.
But you are placed in an exec ptionally
important position In connection with
coming events. The Capital is my iuris.
diction also, but i ap q subordinate and
not on the spot, and II ! were SO, YOU
would be my superior in authority, ioi
there is the station OF the General-in'
chief. Ont principle that a regularly
elected Presidents term oil Office expires
viththe Sd (of March,, OF which 4 hsye
not the slightest doubt and which the
laws bearing on the subject uniformly
recognize; and in consideration OF the
possibility that the lawfully electAd Preai,
dent may not appear until the 9TH oi
March, great deal OF responsibility may
necessarily fall upon you. Sou hold over
you will have power and prestige 70 sup
portyoH.
The Secretary OF War too, probably hold
over, but il no President appears be may
not be able to exercise the functions II
the name Of President, for his proper
acts are those OF q known superior, law
ful President. You act on your own re
sponsibility and by virtue Of commits
sion, only restricted by the law Of tht
land. The Secretary Of the War Is tht
mouth piece OF President, you are not
II neither candidate has . constitutions
majority OF the Electoral College, or II th'
Senate and House, on the occasion OF thu
count do not unite In declaring some per
SON legally elected by the people there /
lawful machinsrY already provided Il
meet that contingency ana feslae TN
question peacefully. 1T has not been re-
Gently used, no occasion presenting itse!l
but our foreiathers provided it II ha
been exercised and has been recognize,
and submitted to as lawful on every hand
That machinery would probably eleC
Mr.. Tilden President and Mr.. w wheele
Vice President. That would be +righ
enough, for the law provides the
In o failure to elect duly by the pee
Die the House shall Immediately elect th
President and the Senate the Vice Pres
dent, Some tribunal must decide whethe
the people have duly elected . Presiden
| i presIme, OF course, that 1t ls in the iolF
affirmative action Of the seuRte or Hous'
or why are they present 70 witness tn
count II not TO see that It Is fair and Just
II 4 failure 70 agree arises between th
two bodies there can be no lawful attirm'
tive decision that the people have eleCte
President, and the House must then pr
ceed TO act, not the Senate. The Senai
elects Vice Presidents, not President
Doubtless in case Of failure by the Holi
to elect a President by the 4ih OF Marc
the President OF the Senate III there
one) would be the legitimate person to e,
ercise Presidential authority for the TIN
. being, or until the Appearance Of lawi
=, Il. Nkn ks...n III