Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-15
The Supremacy Of Civil Over Mill
farY Law.


tary Law.
muscular Christianity was quite a
current phrase a few years ago, and though
we hear less of it now the thing itself is
doubtless quite common. There are
plenty of good Christians, just In their
dealings with thsir fellow men and peace
ably disposed, as all real Christians must
be, but who are not to be imposed on
because of either unwillipgness or
inability on their part to take
care of themselves. Such men are
utterly opposed to bullying and have no
disposition to take improper advantage of
their strength, and those among them who
are teachers of young people are earnest
counsellors of peacableness and they are
listened to with respect by all right
minded boys and young men who come
under their influence. 1t does not re-
quire any very vigorous imagination to
enable any one to comprehend the
difference between admonitions from
such men in favor of peace and for
bearance, and precisely similar admonitions
from some puny and undeveloped man
whose very walton rests on the
general maintenance of peace. When a
man of strength and muscle breaches
peace it is to be presumed he does so from
principle and conviction, while similar
preaching from one utterly incapable OF
self-defense would call out derisive re-
marks from youngsters.
In the nomination of General Hancock
as its candidate for President the Demo.
cratic party has secured for itself posi-.
ton in making its protests against military
methods in government somewhat akin to
that enjoyed by the muscular Christians
who advocate peace. General Hancock is
the one soldier who, having had the arbi.
trary power of military commander over
people deprived of all civil rights placed
in his hands, refused to exercise it and
voluntarily declared the supremacy of the
civil over the military power. Others
have preached the same doctrine, but they
had never been tested by the temptation
of possessing the power they opposed, but
Hancock had it in his power to make him
self the supreme ruler over a wide area Of
thickly inhabited country and he re
fused to accept the invitation of hii
own superiors to make his owr
will superior to the law. No one car
question the sincerity of his conviction
nor doubt the clearness of his comprehen
sion of the essential conditions of an,
really free government. The sword tina
could have slain the law was in his hand
and like the soldier Of a republic, ant
unlike the ambitious minion of despot
he sheathed the sword and bowe,
his head 10 the majesty of tn
law. He thus made himself til
exemplar and incarnation OF the doctrin
of the subordination of the military to tn,
civil law in the time of peace. So ia
from his nomination being an abandon
ment of the Democratic protest agains
military methods it was the one nomins
ton which, above any other possible
emphasized that issue and brought it t
the foreground.
The Democratic party has no objection
to soldiers simply because they are SO
diers. Its bright particular hero, Generi
jackson, was soldier, and always spoke
of as such. 1t was the fact that undo
Grant the ideas and manners of the cam
were carried into the White House, an
military force took the place in men
minds which the consent of Il
governed" had held in the mint
of the trainers Of the Declaratio
of independence which called forth IL
protest against soldiers in civil Office, al
as this was wilfully misinterpreted to ind
cate hostility to soldiers because of the
achievements in battle, where soldiersh
was needed, there was no way by Whit
the Democrats could SO completely s
themselves right, demonstrate the
principles and refute SANDER, as by tskil
as their standard bearer the soldier of o
own time who though First in war" W
also "frst in peace" and trying to ma
him first in the hearts of his eountr
linen"