Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-07-09
Gen. Earc:ck's Attitude IN 1876.

Ii was an unkind cut that what is appar-
entity the most serious charge yet brought
against Gen. Hancock should come from
within his own party. While the Democrat
ic convention was in session, the CORES
pondcnt of the Boston Globe sent on to that
paper, from Cincinnati, an interview with
Hiram Atkins, which purported to give al
important piece of secret history connected
with the Presidential dispute of 1867
The substance of the alleged revelation
which was copied into the FREE Press al
the time, was that General Hancock wrote
tn General Sheridan, soon after the Electoral
Commission had reached lis decision that he
regarded Mr. Tildcn as the duly elected
President and that, if after midnight oi
March 3, 1877, he should take the olth OF
office, wherever he might be, and send to
him Gen Hancock any orders as President
of the United States, he should obey them.
In copying this We expressed our doubts -
10 its authenticity regar,iins it, in fact, as d
highly improbable yarn. Gen. Hancock being
Il regular army officer, would hardly it would
seem, obey orders which did not come to
him through the War Department and sener-
al of the armies. or announce his intentions
in advance of the emergency. But in the
meantime the Montpelier IIdtcimaH furnish
cd some corroborative testimony in the
: ape Of statement from member Of the
Democratic State Committee saying that nj
the meeting Of the State Committee held st
Waterbury, on the evening of April lst,
Gen W f. Badly Smith gave 4 version of
Gen. Hancock's attitude in March. 1877.
which exactly tailed with the story sent or
by the Cubes correspondent al Cincinnati
In Saturdays Gi0je Mr. Atkins takes the
floor again, in an interview evidently pre-
pared with much care, and with Il desire 70
put AS good face on the matter us possible.
now that it has excited so much public at-
tenlian, and seems likely TO excite still more.
The essential part Of his revised edition OF
the disclosure is US follows
-itw.H be remembered that during lie cuEi9ovt.-
81 It WI, ,iiim.l hs tue Republicans THAI Senator
F,rr, uf MicunEti. The dstlug NIc1-P.t- -dcut. hal
ri.nI To c,dnt The yJtSs n'i.prndcni of iae il.rC
tlon OF ;le Senate AMI hlg5e Thai they sai"li Ue
The Democrats clInic itIt congress alone iai sh-
right ut ,uutus t'4' Vafr=. and tie Ni:c-FFc5.t-
could only open tue ,iupes 1t also 5Lsiulfl
hy EepulliiilS ma ''eii Grant term "l o-'cS S
mol ~ pire Tut.l ns" PreS;de@- should b. -
augurt,ed While te1e questions Wc.-
pending Iai prior 10 (aJt alter re e.
ilhshincm ct N. elsctUnu commission :.
ersl HlnCucS informed ,'cneral Sherman nc.
.,asrtiia' Thai Il iae 10 him (>leInlan' 80 b
appls,d Of what h4- General Hanr"ck'>' Ja'siiOL
was IN tac matter. Tie therefore Wra.d sdS that Ee
,l.I>l'fr'i TAI Nr. filden hsd been elecie1
sf.. not A ale ~
terra oiiiae vAinIcj az ni'ihIsG On ,it y %
March. taA.. regdr Hos OF an'ih,ng Nj
Ferry uu4at d.. II Congress 'ies.4re'I ihsi
Mr.. tEjla "is elected Fresii'at. NJ t-eH
rrs,l liall,-tA' b-ltrNtu he hdi a ftght 10 'a.Nr
the oaI!t uf ofiir, NhrieNer ne mght hr anu M
u Ns- Ihirn dii lake Tue "il oi ou.S au' Ht
should receive an, orders from NJ. lud-n. a.
PrcS,tai ri the aliri states. alter mlinish' o.
Ght 81 ul March, hr should "heN th"m itd j. th-
-t,-v During the prncr-ses 81 frl'erlp9 mans
ur>,.uH and composition The name ui >l,illtl Wa
changed ta Shrr,iln a1d hy some uI.Ii. or other
Wa mail. To- ii, that the letter Nri;-a t-Ici
the decision Instct ot before 'he c-ia'it'Iii's %.
The Electoral Commission. Gen Han - ihe Nj
TLiei aiii all lrtftctc Americans. guessed IL
tn. 'ctstJu ul hal tri'uusl. ungon7i t"ti a, O.
un.lnGii. .tiiy "J,- A. To- Tue source " -'''t "N-
Itiuri ia. >trtt. - such thai NJ QUE a. o. % ~
ing II crrhrn'c. ntsi heart Il Al i" 20 '''' "a
gave at NV h"m- ti NHdiprlie, last ~ 20 ''t'.
] N;ipau ~tit1 ,riI Btld,' AMI S..-it H.Grt
r,'I.ilIu I'd t.'u. smith afterwards i''''' ~
al Natrthui, pauiirN. in The preseucr" 's-. 7-Nt,
vi tn. plo.uinrsI u, ,u1cratS In the STA
vi. Atkins amended story is les d,ls,i ip=
/ to General Hancock than his first II tie
I alleged letter was written before the electoral
commission WIS appointed, as he now say
+ il WIS not 50 had rs if il had been written
/ after lis decision was announced. In the ia,
ter case il would scarcely fall short OF trsa
son. But ii the revised story II strictly Coz
rect. it places ten. Ilaucnc,, in decidedly BAD
/ light; The production of tie letter or an
unqualified denial by Gen. Hancock would
now seem II he in order.