The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-08-13
Jnisc Black on General Hancock.


The following letter from Hon. Jeremiah
=. Black speaks Cor itself and needs no com
ment: 49,,
To the Editor oJ hfe World
SIR: a cable dispatch reached me al london
whence I answered 10 moro briefly perhaps than
Won exueefcd but I thought intcllglbIy enough.
Your latter dispatch. which came 20 me here yes
Inferred from your inicrros-at0ry that some Evil
Disposed persons had been atfributing % me ihe
Hancock while he commanded in Louisiana aud
Texas. lIy denial 10y telegraph wH- intended %
pcrs nor suggested q word oi them hat no pre-
coSuition Of bis views on the subject - which they
relate. and heard E0thiug from him ahgnf u until
I, ne ii 1I.s s,,T ,,i1tarre ,rth hsm ,var
then very slight. and 1ur relations not at ai init
mate. The opinion thar } would oier "r he would
require NY aii ia producing such aH order O. bis
~ a4 f- 5F-5frF His Determination % stand bg
the Constitution AMI the laws needed no eNpfe-lon
but what he could give better than any alive.
II was not an argument. not an expedition oi the
law. not essay on the rights oi man Thar vas
wanted at that critical time. The 4'oksa 0ct oi q
r,atriot soldier i'm high command alone could save
civil liberty from the destruction with which t Ws
was the timeiiest iit that the great cause ever got
from any hand except that Of Washington
and the gratitude have felt 90 him for issuing it
can be reasonably accounted Jog without hll'-I-I
that trained OF had any share IN raining IT, lL1
belief was general among the friends Of c9u7il-
tuuonal liberty and eAI,Iessed by man! otiief, as
strongly ~ by me- that General Hane"tk Hal
done much. and done 30 braycly. 10 rescue tie ut-
and alive. lr-t lEftfu
priucipIcd oiiarchy into whose hands it fci after
the war. At the date OF his service in louisiana
mll operation at Washington. conducted by men
sr,rc riyfs and "a. "a fear5Sa-. con scgs7curr in
divfdual liberty were violently troddcn down. and
was hahItually 0ver-ridIen and insultcd. What
those men called .'tho Government was not only
in modern times Between its force and its fraud
the people were pOwCrlcss, and their despair was
Hrn HrH.H HHafHH M #HH q HHHHH HH
army might at any moment De used 20 sink the ma
tiUn into stiu further degradation % below ihal
lowest depth lower dcep could De reached II
nt tiiasc ,r.rs of frrfh and so6crrcs. which rs-
assured the friends Of free government and in
Fpired them with new hopes All who were near
enough TO watch thc current uf that unequal con
test between aDsulutism and law can remember
how the enemies of the constitution were startled
and scared when thew found that the most brilliant
General Of the niun had officially declared him
self opposed 20 their savage policy. They could
not 20 upon him. send upon hiu. nor in any
manner DESTROY him. for not only wa- the law 6f
the land un hi> side. but the army was found 60 be
fun Of sympathy with it, cousuieuous.y gallant
themselves with harmless succrs and petty prose
cutions; But they removed him from the place
where his devotion Co the Consrituti"a was spe-
ciaIiy interfering with their scerncs 10 suhyert IT,
W men u.e! madt W. liclf names N -tiau-te llle
liberties oi q state. % diSperse legal Legislature
by brute force T. nu@ urtc Tor o'erncf "a -l'ine-
less udyeutuTcr hho"h @" nave hceh 1tlehied az
the polls or 10 pin the people down with 1yonets
while they Were pIuudcred 10y alien Thieves who
claimed 10 he their relrescul"tiyt- ana uiiecIs-
somebody else was employed % DO the infamous
work. SfglI more carefully LlI ines avoid ms
presence when the nation was % be -Nindiei ~
Presidential election. II was for such reasons that
the heart Of The country warmed 10 General Han
cock its predestined deIverer-
Il has often happened that the best things oi the
wholly iucap paulc of them The o. inion indus
triou~ly Irupa@atet and acccIycd hy "a great many
OF Washington. but the evidence is conclusive
which shows that every word u! ihlI lmmorral pro-
@ ltgn 12I-1 @ M l.' nave wIit'e1 ,l any more L. ne
..I $50 FrarH H.F
his own mind were haLItuallr credited % persons
OF far inferior ability When it was charged against
ton ann not sfIeetfr.- 1ia,elt, wien ril5I1
credeucc of my present denial Tor similar reason
could not have written Hancock y fH-unt De
cause pretend 20 be dumb oraltogcther uuskiIIeI
in the use of English words but because ID had
undertaken Go write 10 the chances are uinety-iue
in "a huudred that my aI-slmcatatfan would nave
ishcd its power. When % public man. especially
military man. meets grave rcspgus .tllity. saying
bat saying that with uurgutVosal eielrues-- yuu
thoughts. At any rate. the attempt IS unjust 10
haSts-l.ze n" - iy assigning 60 itan origin totally
why should my opinion De asked or volunteered
ou General fiaUeock as a-clyillGur Anybody else
and there are thousands who SNOW Him much oct
ger SUI -iHre ihe question b l.rs5- uuaet ] viii
aH-"ai- 5l'.trt l' iF geITt ltl c. az He .is ia
him iae highest and best qualities ut Republican
ruler. I think Ills fidelity TO sound principles.
coupled with IBIS Judgment. svlIl eutitfe him
% rank well with 90. great Presidents ut former
ior the grandeur o.. taaf as.ar-ttr j. ami UFII
main forever uutIrrule-a'ie. lut I DO SHy that
acted precisely Eg did. His 1IrI#lfSIu Bias
the iWpui~iEc lrdur of Jaeh-on's uur his fidelity
90 CD. truth. Es lHyr Ul lu~ti-e and his scgrn 0i
wrong. ore sHitc as EEtui ztrEaHt0 Tie i- uut
dny,rIu..ire bc Jes-~.n tar li- busy Is ri- lctt
bin goo time go study tle abstract philosophy of
I"l!ttS- but DIS ir-tie..l -.ui sense knows the
ri--t -tf.ltfrt j aud always catches tie
way z" tH IT, D. hC lr elected tire af.I--g his
atall1t-iltt.a s. ia-l lrr universal Iusf-rar. and
Jus inrtc5it.Jn and HIa-la-tEity Will ruIcI.Iate
even DIS cuein fc-- nave the fullest ttft that he
VIII NOT only keep bis DATA tu reserve. IT,Ttclaut
defend tle Constitution. b-- viii e-frrv aut Its
provisions thut JHa great object its frHUers ais
expressed lE thr preamble viii lee iully le-ugl
e--"Il ialfl go more perfect uiHu. 90 e-trhIE~n
Justice. 90 Insure domestic tranquility, o. provide
Tor iHe common Gcieu>H, 20 Promote the general
welfare and secure thr blessings ul liberty T.. our
selves auG uur posteIi;E.-' =. -. i5I.tJE-