Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-08-19
HANCOCK TO SHERMAN.

HANCOCK TO SHERMAN.
There has been g great deal saie
in the Radical press, about letter
written by Gen. Hancock to Gen
Sherman, in 1876, relative to tho
political situation at that time. lr
it, according to the same Radical
press, there was some very black
! treason to the SKI commission ano
a determination expressed to seat
Mr.. Tilden if called upon to do so,
as soon as he could be inaugurated.
Gen. Hancock was approached on
the subject ane stated that if Gen.
Sherman had any such letter in his
possession, he (Hancock) was en-
tireIy willing that it should be
published. Through the enterprise
of the New York World it has
been published and we reproduce it
here. 1t is one Of the most ad-
rniraole documents that this or any
other age has produced and no
wonder our gallant leader was
willing that II should be given to
the world. We thank the Repub-
iican press for thus having been
the means OF bringing it to light.
1t will help the good cause wherev-
er it is seen and read. 1t is worthy
of the wisdom of a Washington
and as State paper has never yet
been surpassed. Here it is:
ST. LOUIS, Dec. 27, 1S76.-Dear
General Your favor of the 4th
inst, reached me III the west. ! in
tended to reply to it before leaving,
but the cares incident to my de-
parture interfered. Again, since
my arrival here, [ have been SO oc-
cupied with personal affairs of a
business nature, that l have defer
red writing from day to day until
this moment, ana now | find my
self in debt to you for another let
ter, in acknowledgements of your
favor of the 18th, received few
days since.
| have concluded to leave here
on the 20 (to-morrow), so that
may be expected in New York on
the 3lst inst. 1t has been cold and
dreary since my arrival here. !
have worked ''like Turk"-I
presume that means hard work-in
the country, in making fences, cut.
ting down trees, repairing buildings,
&c, &., and at least able to say
that St. Louis is the hottest place
in summer of any that L have en-
countered in a temperate zone. I
have known ST. Louis in December
to have genial weather throughout
the month this December has
been tIigid, and the river has been
frozen m-re solid than l have ever
known i. When L heard a rumor
that I was ordered TO the Pacific
coast thought it probably true
The probabilities seemed to me to
point that way and had it been
true, ! should of course have pre-
sented no complaint nsr resistance
of any kind. l would have gone
quickly, if prepared to go promptly.
| certainly would have been re-
lieved from the responsibilities and
anxieties concerning Presidential
matters which may fall to those
near the throne or in authority
within the next four months, as
we'll as from incidents or matters
which | could not control aud act
on, and concerning which l might
not approve. 1 was not exactly
prepared to go to the Pacific, how
ever, and l therefore felt relieved
when l received your note inform
ing me that there was no truth in
the runor. Then / did not wisl,
to appear to he escaping from the
responsibilities and possible dangers
which may cluster aronnd the mill
tary command, especially in the
critical period fast approaching.
"Aips we'll that ends WE'LL" The
whole matter OF the Presidency
seems to me to be simple, to admit
of peaceful solution. The ma
ch:nery for such a contingency aa
threatens to present itself has been
carefully prepared it only requires
fabrication owing to disuse. The
army should have nothing tn do