New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-03
LET Us NAVE THE FACTS.

IF IL IA the deliberate judgment or senator
Eaton. of Connecticut and other outspoken
Democrats. that it would help General Han
cocks candidacy and largely increase his vote
In have il known that he was ready in 1876 to
assist in thc Inauguration Of Mr.. Tilden, they
should take steps to have the correspondence on
the subject if any there were, made public 1t
cannot be doubted that knowledge OF this fact
would materially stimulate the zeal OF many
stiff Democrats who find General Hancock s re-
cord as a soldier hard to swallow, and are not
entirely Ieccncilcd TO il even 10y the General :
issuance of Judge Blacks famous Order No. 40.
There are probably many Of this class; men
who during the war were called Copperheads,
whose opposition to the Union and It's defenders
was too decp-seated to be cJncilated by mag
nanimity or mitigated by lapse of time. 70
know for a certainty chat General Hancock, not
vithstanding his service III the Union Army,
was willing to take part in new revolutionary
movement in behalf Of the Democratic party,
voula 60 far to remove all cause Of dissatisfac-
ton with the ticket OF lukewamncss in its
support. Senator Eaton and others like him
who are outspoken and frank in expressing
their own views, and who believe that the
policy of plain speaking is the best and winning
one. no doubt would like to have the facts pub
lishpd and the issue therein fairly put to the
people.
On tie other hand, there may be Democrats,
and there certainly are great many doubtful
and unattached voters, who, even if they were
9isDosed to vote for Hancock on account of his
services in the war for the Union, would be de-
tered from doing so if the fact were made
4 t1,oAb no ho1 roI
the views and avowed the purposes in 1876
which have been ascTibed 10 him. 1t Is due to
them and due to the people of the whole
country that the truth concerning this matter
should be brought ont. If General Hancock did
believe in 1876 that Mr.. Tilden ought to take
the oath of office and assume to exercise the
functions of President Notwithstanding the adj
verse decision of the Electoral Commission and
the constitutional declaration of the result of
the election it is proper that it should be known.
We believe there can be no two opinions among
lust and fair-minded men as to the improperly
of his continuing to hold his high military COM
mand under the circumstances. This is a real
peril. before which the dangers of military die
tatorship which the candidacy of General
| Grant was said to threaten become insignificant
| and shadOWy Holding the views that are at
i
tributed to him concerning the use of the mill
| tary arm in the settlement of disputed cleo
ton, it is a garing improperly for him to con-
tinue in command of the most important mill
tary department in the country, at the same
time that he is q candidate for the Office of Presi-
dent. If this report is true he should at once
| resign.
However it may be, his first plain duty is TO
| let the truth be known. This can only be done
satisfactorily to the public by his own statement
of the facts under his own signature. lie
should lose no time in making it. This is no
revamped publication of an exploded libel like
those which the Republican candidate has been
called upon to explain by the Democratic press
1t is something which has only recently come to
light and it must necessarily be factor of vast
importance in the settlement of the Presidential
question. General Hancock cannot afford mol
can the Democratic party afford TO have him
put it aside c. avoid it, The columns Of
THE TRIBUNE are open to his statement of the
facts and bis explanation of them.