Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-08-11

| AbA ~ bAANA HNiiph nv DNANNh hh'NA ~
command, bnt as the matter stands
can't see any likelihood of his beinl
declared elected by the people unles
the Senate and House come TO be il
accord as to that fact, and the Hous
would, of course, not otherloiSe elec
him. What the people want is ;
peaceful determination Of this matter
as faira determination as possible ant
u lawful one. No other determination
could stand the test, The country, i
not plunged into revolution, woulC
become poorer day by day business
would languish, aud our bonds woulC
come home to find dopreciateC
market.
| was not in favor OF the military
action in South Carolina recently, ant
if General Ruger had telegraphed t.
me, or asked for advice, | would hav,
advised him not under any circumstan
ces to allow himself or his troops tC
determine who were the lawful mem
bers of the State Legislature. coulC
not have given him better advice thar
TO refer him to the special message Of
the President in the case OF Louisiana
some time before. But in South Caro-
lima he had the question settled by Q
decision OF the Supreme Court of the
State-the highest tribunal which had
acted on the question-so that his line
OF duty seemed even to be clearer thar
in the action in the Louisiana case
If the Federal Court had interiered
and overrued the decision OF the State
Court there might have been a doubt
certainly, but the Federal Court only
interlered to complicate, not to decide
or overrule.
Anyhow, it is no business Of the
army to enter upon such questions,
and even if tmight be so in any event,
if the civil authority is supreme, as the
Constitution declares it to be, the South
Carolina case was one in which the
army had a plain duty. Had General
Ruger asked me for advice, and if |
had given, it | should OF course have
notified you Of my action Immediately,
so that it could have been promptly
overruled if it should have been
deemed advisable by you Or other
superior in authority. General Ruger
did not ask for my advice and | inferr.
ed from that and other facts that he
did not desire it, or that being in dl.
rect communication with my military
superiors at the seat Of Government
who were nearer to him in time and
distance that / was-he deemed it
unnecessary. As General Ruger had
the ultimate responsibility of action,
and had really the greater danger to
confront in the final action IN the
matter | did not venture TO embar-
rass him by suggestions, he was a
department commander and the law
iul head Of the military administration
within the limits of the department
but, besides, knew that he had been
called to Washington for consultation
before taking command, and was prob
ably aware Of the views of the Ad.
ministration as TO the civil affairs IN
his command. knew that he was in
direct communication with my supe-
riors in authority in reference to the
delicate subjects presented for consid.
GRAFTON, or had ideas of his own which
he believed to be sufficiently in accord
with the views of our common supori.
ors to enable him to act intelligently
according TO his own judgment and
without suggestions from those not
on the spot and not as fully acquainted
with the facts as himself He desired,
too, to be free to act, as he had the
eventual greater responsibility, and so
the matter was governed as between
him and myself
AS | have been writing thus freely
to you / may still further unbosom
myself by stating that | have not
thought it lawful or wise to use Fed.
eral troops in such matters as have
transpired east of the Mississippi with
in the last few month, save SO far as
they may be brought into action under
the article OF the Constitution which
contemplates meeting armed resistance
or invasion of State more powerful
than the State authorities can subdue
by the ordinary processes, and then
only when requested by the Legisla-
ture, or, If it could not be convened in
session, by the Governor, and when
the President of the United States in.
torvenes in that manner it is state of
of war-not peace, The army is 10.
boring under disadvantages and has
been used unlawlully at times in the
judgment of the people (in mine, Ger.
tainly) and we have lost a great deal
of the kindly feeling which the com.
munity at large felt for us.
1t is time to stop and unload. on.
GERS in command Of troops often find
it difficult TO act wisely and safely
when superiors in authority have diff.
ferent views of the law from theirs
and when legislation has sanctioned
action seemingly in conflict with the
fundamental law, and they generally
defer to the known judgment of their
superiors. Yet the superior officers Of
the army are 30 regarded IN such great
crises and are held to such response.
bility, especially those at or near the
head Of 1t, that II is necessary on such
momentous occasions to dare to deter.
mine for themselves what is lawful
and what is not lawful under our sys.
TEN. If the military authorities should
be invoked, as might possibly be the
case in such exceptional times when
there existed such divergent views as
to the correct result, the army will
suffer from its past action If il has act
ed wrongfully. Our regular army has
little hold upon the affections of tho
people today, and its superior officers
should certainly, as far as lies in their
power, legally and with righteous in.
tent aim to defend the right, which to
us is THE LAW and the institution
which they represent. 1t is u well.
meaning institution, and it would be
well If It should have an opportunity TO
be recognized as bulwark in support
of the rights OF the people and Of THE
Law. | am truly yours,
WINFTELD s. HANCOCK.
To General W. T. Sherman, com
manding army Of the United States,
Washington, d. G.
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REspEcr YoUR MoTHER.-How my