Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-07-21

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Hancock has ever been the soul o
chivalry and honor. Our country pre-
sents no nobler type OF citizen thar
this worthy scion of a pure old family
this sign manual of which is inscribed
among the very records of our revolu
tionary war His own political life
has been as blameless as his mill
tary record has been proud. Invul
nerable either as soldier or man he
compels admiration and naturally
draws about his name the solid phal
anx of the Democratic party.
Hancock in fact united in his person
every virtue Of which a Presidential
candidate can be possessed. He was
a Democrat when the Republican par
ty achieved its great mission. But he
helped the Republican party do it be
cause he fought their cause, They
cannot wave the bloody shirt at Han
cock, for he wore it, They cannot re
vive the Issues of the war as against
him, for he helped to settle them.
They can only say, Being not one
of us he fought for us, against us he
was with us, he did nothing that We
did not make him do
This is the peculiar element oi
strength in Hancock as a candidate
The Republican party can reproach
him with nothing, for all he did was
at their behest. In spirit Democrat,
ho has been compelled by bis probes.
sion to obey in all things Republican
administration. When in tho. South
he refused to-as Sheridan subsequent.
ly did-override the civil authority by
the military. Grant and Hancock
have been the only two soldiers Of
the war who instinctively understood
where the military function in a Re
public began and ended.
In Hanoock's career there has been
but one accusation made against HIM.
1t is an absurd one, but political con.
tests in this country became so bitter
that, absurd as it was, IL was made
That accusation was that he was in.
strumental in the hanging of Mrs
Surratt.
The answer to this is, that General
Hancock being in command of the de.
partment at Washington, he was oblig.
ed by his duty to see carried out the
warrant of execution signed by the
President of the United States and the
Secretary of War To have refused
would have been to forfeit his com.
mission. But who can reproach Han.
cock with thisl Surely not the Re.
publican party, which was responsible
for that execution.
During and before the war General
Hancock was brave soldier, Since
the war he has simply and modesly
done his duty to his country. Never
a politician, he sought no political pre-.
ferment and would have refused any
lesser office than that now rendered
MN.
We speak the sentiment of two.
thirds of the nations citizens when
we say that Hancock will be the next
President of the United States, The
mistake made at Chicago is now irrep.
arabic, Garfield might have with.
drawn two days ago, but it is now too
late. But one man in that party could
have carried the Republicans to victory
That man would now decline to be a
candidate, even in the event of Gar.
fields withdrawal.
Now Garfield must stand up and
be knocked down, and the Republican
party must go out of power for many
years to come. The Democracy has
been enabled to profit by the errors Of
the past, and their reward has come.
With Winfield Scott Hancock in the
Presidential Chair, we shall have no
reason to fear that any of the results
of was will be undone. He himself
purchased those results too dearly to
allow any one of them to be thrown
carelessly away. Endowed with firm
convictions and an unalterable pur-
pose, General Hancock will preserve
to his beloved land all that il bled and
suffered for. He will with wise pur.
pose take advantage of all that has
been done by the Republican party
that is good, and at the same time,
push aside all the rottenness and cor.
ruption that cngrafts itself on body
polite which has had too long lease
Of power
The time has come for change.
Let us be grateful that it will be made
under the guidance of a man so chiv-
alrous, so noble, 30 public spirited as
Winfa1d Coott IIonnnoi,