New-York tribune., 1880-10-08
CLINT QN HINCOCK.

General Grants remarks about General Han
cock make Democrats very angry. When he
has something to say, General Grant sends hls
words like life ball, straight to the marx,
and his explanation of General Hancock S
character, and of the motives which made
him the instrument of the White Leagues
when he was commander in Louisiana, Will
have n marked effect upon public opinion.
That the present Democratic candidate had
his head turned by the fattery of few poll
ticians, so that his political ambition made
him an easy victim of Southern schemers, was
not uulln wn to students OF his character; Dut
the evidence OF General Grant as to his char
acter and conduct will impress the minds OF
multitudes who have not the opportunity to
investigate the record. In truth, the inter-
view deals little more lenienty with Cen
cral Hancock than he probably deserves 1t
does not put the reasonable stress upon the
fact that, as a friend OF General Mcclellan,
Hancock was closely associated with those
who wished the Union cause TO fail If 1t
was to become connected with emancipation,
and who demanded a cessation of hostiliiies
IN 1864, with a view to Il dishOnorable peace
From "A man of such associations and tend
en- les the remark came naturally that he was
"opposrd to nigger domination" In quoting
this remark by General Hancock, given as
his sole excuse for insu5Ordindte refusal to
carry out an act of Congress, General Grant
discloses the temper of the present candidate
with regard to the later phases of the war
and the whole question of reconstruction.
During the war and afterward there was a
sharp division among those who were opposed
to the rebellion. Some wanted to get rid of
the cause OF rebellion, and some wanted
TO save it. Some believed heartily IN eman-
cipltion and impartial suffrage; others were
even willing that the UnCn cause should be
defeated rather than these changes should be
effected Some insisted that rebellion was
crime, and that peace should he made only
when rebels had surrendered. Others,
ike Mcclellan and the Copperheads
who supported him. wanted to negotiate
and sue for peace, even while the rebels were
laundering before the Capital because they
saw That only by negotiation could slavery be
saved and the complete overthrow of the re-
belion be prevented. General Hancocks
course. during and after the war, was not
unlike that of o.her officers who sided with
Mcclellan and the Peace Democrats. Ii other
evidence as 10 his temper were needed, Gen
eral Grant supplies IT.
This "vain, weak man." whose previous
svmpathies inclined the disloyallsts to court
him, was quickly won by their fatteries and
promises of political support. When they
asked him to be their agent III overturnng
the loyal Government which had been reared
in Louisiana under the acts of Congress and
Il. -. ..rS
dan, General Hancock assented, though other
Union Generals had Indignantly refused. The
order respecting the interference OF the mill
taIy with the civil power was issued by HIM
solely as Il means OF giving the White Leagues
absolute immunity III their crimes, and General
Grant shows that the order not only had
that effect bat was contemporary disregardcd
and tramped under foo. by General Hancock
himself, where the existing civil authority did
not suit the purposes OF ms allies, the White
Leagucrs. Whatever o. credit this service of
the dsloyali.tS deserves. General Hancock is
entitled to, and that is absolutely the only
thing ever done by him which is considered, even
bv his friends, to entitie him to consideration
as statesman. He succumbed to ds!oyal
fattery, ISSUED orders calculated to turn over
lDt power W uht Nn''c i'C"S"''' an" "'"io-
garded those same orders when IT pleased them
best 10 have him do so.
II Is not strange that the Democrats arc in
dignant, when the scanty civil record Of their
candidate is placed in so strong and clear a
light by General Grant. For they have had
no hope OF the success OF General Hancock,
exc, pit as mask for disIoyal ams and feel
ings General Grant strips off the mask. To
General HancOck's capacity and fidelity MS Il
soldier he denies no deserved honor. But he
cuts TO the very bone when he shows how Gem
eral Hancock came to do the only thing that
ever brought him into political notice, and
what that thing was.
REBEL CLAIMS ONCE MORE.
"f 7 were President" stammers General