The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-09-02
NOBLE WORDS.
That Famous Letter of Gen. Han
cock to Gen. Sherman,
About Which So Many Dark and Mys-
teriOus RumOrs Have Been Cir.
culated by the Repub-
hcan Organs.
eff This Be Treason, Then Make the
Most of IT,
cAnoNDELEr PosTorrIoE, |

My DEAR GENERAL: Your favor of the 4th |
inst. reached me in New York on the 5th-the |
day before left for the West. I intended to
reply to it before leaving, but cares incident to
departure interfered. Then, again, since my |
arrival here have been so occupied with per- |
sonal affairs Of business nature that have !
deferred writing from day to day, until this
morning, and now find myself in debt to you
another letter. In acknowledgment Of your fa-
vor of 18th, received few days since, have
concluded to leave here on the 29th (to-morrow
afternoon) SO that I may be in New York onthe
31st inst. Ithas been cold and dreary since my
arrival here. have worked like q Turk q
presume that means hard work) in the country
in making fences, cutting down trees, repairing
buildings, etc.. ETC., and am at least able to say
that st. Louis is the coolest place in the winter
and it is the hottest in summer Of any that
have encountered in a temperate zone. have
known st. Louis in December to have genial
weather throughout the month. This December
has been frigid, and the river has been frozen
more solid that have ever known it.
When Iheard the rumor that was ordered
to the Pacific coast thought it probably true,
considering the past discussion on that SUD-
ject The possibilities seemed to me to point
that way. Had it been true should OF course
ance Of any kind. would have gone quickly,
il not prepared to 20 promptly. 1certainly would
have been relieved from the Responsiveness
and anxieties concerning Presidential matters,
| which may fall to those near to the throne or
| in authority within the next four months, as
well as from other incidents or matters which
| I could not control, and action concerning
| which might not approve. was not exactly
| prepared to go to the Pacific, however, and
therefore felt relieved when received your
| note informing me that there was no truth In
the rumors.z Then did not wish to appear to
be escaping from responsibilities and possible
| dangers which may cluster around military COM
nands in the East, especially in the critical pc
| Rod fast approaching. All's well that ends
| we'll The whole matter of the Presidency seems
| to me to be simple, and to admit OF peaceful
1 solution. The machinery for such a contingent
| cy as threatens to present itself has been all
carefully prepared. It only requires fabrication,
| owing to disuse. The army should have nothing
to do with tbs election or Inauguration OF Presi-
dents The people elect the President. The
| Congress declares in Joint session who he is.
| We Of the army have only to obey his mandates,
and are protected in SO doing only so far as
| they may be lawful. Our commissions ex-
press that. like Jefferson's way Of inaugura-
ton. 1t suits our system: He rode alone on
Capitol") tied his horse to a rail fence, entered
and was duly sworn, then rode to the Execu-
tive Mansion and took possession. He inaugu-
rated himself simply by taking the oath of Of
fice There is no other legal Inauguration in
our system. The people or politicians may in
stitute parades in honor of the event, and pub
lie officials may add to the pageant BY assem-
bling troops and banners, but all that only
comes properly after the Inauguration, not be-
fore, and it is not part Of it. Our system
does not provide that one President should in
augurate another. There might be dam
ger in that, and it was studiously left
in an exceptionally important position
in connection with coming events. The
capital is in my jurisdiction, also, but ]
am q subordinate and not on the spot, and
if were SO also would be my superior In ar-
thority, for there is the station Of the General
in-Chief. On the principle that q regularly
elected Presidents term of Office expires with
the Sd of March (of which I have not the slight
est doubt, and which the laws bearing on the
sbat bs s1a
President may not appear until the 9th Of
March, a great deal of responsibility may neces-
sarily fall upon you. You hold over. You will
have power and prestige to support You. The
7 r no PFeEdens appears ne rnay not be able to
exercise functions in the name of q President
for his proper acts are those of known supe
rior-a lawful President. You act on your OWE
mission only restricted by the law. The
Secretary of War is the mouthpiece Of the
President. You are not If neither candidate
has q constitutional majority Of the Electora
sion of the count, do not unite, in declaring
some person legally elected by the people, thert
, is q lawful machinery already provided to NEE
that contingency and decide the question peace
fully. 1t has not been recently used, no occa
sion presenting itself, but our forefathers pro
, vided it. It has been exercised and has beel
recognized and submitted to as lawful on ever.
hand. That machinery would probably elec
Mr.. Tlden President and Mr.. Wheeler Vic
, President. That would be right enough, TO
the law provides that, in failure to elect b.
the people, the House shall Immediately elec
the President and the Senate the Vic
President. Some tribunal must de de
elected President. / presume, of course
that it is in the joint affirmative action of tn
, Senate and House, or why are they present :
: witness tho count # not to SEQ that it is fai
: and Just? If a failure to agree arises betwee
the two. there can be no lawful affirmative de
cision that the people have elected a Presiden
and the House proceeds to act, not the Senat
The Senate elects Vice Presidents, not Pres
!. dents. Doubtless, in case Of failure by Il
. the President of the Senate Cf there be on
# would be the appropriate person to exerci
e Presidential authority for the time being,
n until the appearance Of a lawful President,
9 .or the time laid down in the constitutlo
s Such courses would be peaceful, and have
q firm belief lawful
II have no doubt Gov. Hayes would make
lie
q of him. For brief period he served under 4
IS command, but as the matter stands I can't 8
10 any likelihood of his being duly declared elect
ia by the people unless the Senate and Hou
:, come to be in accord as to that, and the Hou
y would of course not otherwise elect him. WI
J. the people want is peaceful determination
Z. this matter, as fair determination possib
2 and lawful one. No other determinah
s. could stand the test. The country, If 4
= plunged into revolution, would become poo,
| nv and n
u. bonds would come home to find q depreciat
Te market
o. was not in favor of the military action
~ South Carolina recently, and If Gen. Ruger b
b. telegraphed to me, or asked for advice, wor
of have advised him not, under any circumstanc
=, " to allow himself or his troops to determine W
Ill were the lawful members of State Legislatul
es could not have given him better advice tn
s. to refer him to the special message of t
f. President in the case of Louisiana some til
: before But in South Carolina he had b
=, the question settled by decision Of
LII Supreme Court of the State-the high
wv tribunal which acted on the question
+. SO that his line of duty seemed ey
10 to be clearer than in the action in I
er Louisiana case. If the Federal Court
at interfered and overruled the decision of I
:, State Court, there might have been a doubt G
III tainly, but the Federal Court only interfered
comphcate, not to decide or oyerrule. Al
how it is no business of the army to enter up
Id such questions, and, even if it might be 80,
o. any event, if the civil authority is supreme,
. the constitution declares it to be, the Sor
C. Carolina case was one in which the army ha6
ne plain duty. Had Gen. Ruger asked me for
al vice, and if I had given it, should, of cour
ne have notified you Of my action Immediately,
10 that it could have been promptly oyeTruled
y it should have been deemed advisable by
eo or otLer superior in authority. Gen. Ru
IN did not ask for my advice, and
fered from that and other facts t