The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-07-08
HANCOCK.
Ills Record as a Statesman.

mands which was effected by President
johnson in November, 1867, General
Hancock was commissioned as Comman-
der of the Fifth Military District and the
Department of the Gulf. with headquar-
ters at New Orleans. The powers of a
military commander in the South at that
chaotic epoch of reconstruction were
large and indefinite. 1t is one of Gener-
al Hancock's principal titles to civic
renown that he took statesmanlike
view of his powers and responsibilities.
His reputation was that of a somewhat
stern disciplinarian, but at New Orleans
he showed himself superior to the pas.
sion for discipline. The wisdom and
policy of the legislation under which the
South was parceled out under the rule
of several irresponsible military dictators
will not now be seriously maintained,
but at that time the passions of the
Northern States were too violently ex-
cited by the contest between President
johnson and Congress to admit of impair.
tial reasoning upon the proper line of
demarcation between military and civic
powers. The constitutions of ten South
ern States had been nulli6ed by Congress
and personal liberty was everywhere in
jeopardy.
Under these circumstances the advent
of General Hancock at New Orleans
was marked by the promulgation of a
document which rang through the South
like new Declaration of Independence
and was greeted with delirious enthusi-
asm as the dawn of happier day. On
taking command at New Orleans Han
cock issued his famous General Orders
No. 49," the text of which is as follows !:
HEADQUARTERS 9TH MILITARY DIST,
"NEw ORLEANS, La, Nov. %, 1857.
ri. In accordance with General Orders
No. 81, Headquarters Of the Army, Ad-
jutant Generals Office, Washington, D.
c., August 81, 1867, Major General W. S.
Hancock hereby assumes command Of
the Fifth Military district and of the
department composed of the States of
Louisiana and Texas.
I'll. The General commanding is graf
ifed to learn that peace and quiet reign
in this department. 1t will be his pur-
pose to preserve this condition of things.
As means to this great end he regards
the maintenance of the civil authorities
in the faithful execution of the laws as
the most efficient under existing circum-
stances.
"In war it is indispensable to repel force
by force and overthrow and destroy oppo-
stion to lawful authority. But when in
surrectionary force has been overthrown
and peace established, and the civil
authorities are ready and willing to per-
form their duties, the military power
should cease to lead, and the civil ad-
ministration resume its natural and
rightful dominion. Solemnly impressed
with these views, the General announces
that the great principles of American
liberty still are the lawful inheritance of
this people, and ever should be. The
right Of trial by jury, the habeas cor
pus, the liberty of the press, the freedom
of speech and the natural rights of per-
sons and the rights of property must bA
preserved.
Gree institutions, while they are es-
sential to the prosperity and happiness
of tile people, always furnish the strong
est inducements to peace and order.
Crimes and offences committed in this
district must be referred to the consider
alton and judgment of the regular civil
tribunals, and those tribunals, will be
supported in their lawful jurisdiction.
"Should there be violations of existing
laws which are not inquired into by the
civil magistrates, or should failures in
the administration of justice by the
courts be complained of, the cases will
be reported to these headquarters, when
such orders will be made as may be
deemed necessary.
"While the General thus indicates his
purpose to respect the liberties of the
people he wishes all to understand that
armed instructions or forcible resistance
to the law will be instantly suppressed
by arms.
"By command of Major General W. S.
Hancock,
"W. G. MITCHELL.
"Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, Acting AS
sistant Adjutant General.
On March 9, 1868, General Hancock
supplemented this order by his long,
able and Justly celebrated letter to Gov
ernor Pease, of Texas, from which the
following extracts will now be read with
revived interest Ut is rather more
than hinted in your letter that there is
no local State government in Texas and
no local laws outside of the acts of Con-
gress which ought to respect, and that
should undertake to protect the rights
of persons and property in my own way
and in an arbitrary manner. If such be
your meaning l am compelled to differ
with you. After the abolition of slavery
ian event which l hope no one now
regrets) the laws of Louisiana and Texas
existing prior to the rebellion, net in
conflict with the acts of Congress, COM
prised a vast system of jurisprudence,
both civil and criminal. 1t required
not volumes only, but libraries to con-
tain them. They laid down principles and
precedents for ascertainiDg the rights and
adjusting the controversies Of men in
every conceivable case. They were the
creations of great and good and learned
men, who had labored in their day for
their kind and gone down to the grave
long before our recent troubles, leaving
their works an inestimable legacy to the
human race. These laws, as am in-
formed, connected the civilizations of
past and present ages, and testified of
the justice, wisdom, humanity and pa
triolism of more than one nation,
through whose records they descended
to the present people of these States. [
am satisfied, from representations of
persons competent to judge, they are
as perfect a system of laws as may be
found elsewhere, and better suited than
any other to the condition of this people,
for by them they have long been govern
ed Why should it be supposed Con-
gress has abolished these laws? Why
should any one wish TO abolish them
They have committed no treason; nor
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