Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-09-02
HANCOCK AND SHERMAN.
The Letters Written During the
Crisis of '76.
GENERAL smERMAN's CONFIDENCE IN THE
NEXT PREsIDENT-HE rs OPPOSED TO
GRANTS METHOD or Using TROOPS

| SOMETHING ABOUT BROTHER JOHN
THE PRESIDENTIAL QUESTION.
New YoRK, August 26.-The "Life OF
General Hancock" published to-day by
Appleton q Co., contains his CORES.
pondence with General Sherman oil
December, 1875, and January, 1877, in
the course of which the letter already
given to the public, written at Caron-
delet, Missouri. December 2S. wss ad.
dressed to General Sherman. The
latter wrote December 4, granting Gen.
Hancock's application for leave of alb.
sence to go to Carondelet and in his
letter made the following allusion 1.-THE
only one) to political affairs. Referring
to the orders sent by the President to
Gen. Ruger. commanding the depart.
ment OF the South, General Sherman
said
BAD PRECEDENT.
"The political orders to Ruger at
Columbia | preferred should 90 from
the President to him through the Sec.
retary of War. They were not military.
| dislike much to have our soldiers used
in connection with n legislative body,
but orders coming from the President
have to be obeyed. They form q bad
precedent, but thus far have prevented
collision of arms between innamed
partisans."
A letter from Hancock mot included
in the Published correspondence ex.
| presses some uneasiness on account of
a newspaper report he had seen stating
that he was to be order ed from New
York. and appears 10 have furnished
occasion for the following letter from
Sherman, dated December, 1876:
Lest your peace of mind may be
disturbed by foolish reports bahdied in
newspapers about your being ordered
from new York | will tell you that
there Is not a word OF truth in il. Nei.
ther the President or Secretary of War
has ever intimated to ne such purpose
and know have never said word or
written syllable to the effect. | see
in the Republican (of st. Louis) that not
only was the order made but that
destroyed it and tore out the leaves of
the record book containing the copy.
The whole thing was and is an invention
by somebody who wanted to create a
sensation.
BROTHER Johns ASPIRATIONS.
The same Is true about John Sher.
man intriguing to be President of the
Senate that he might be President af
interim he has told me that he has
never heard the subject broached, that
he would not accept the place as he
prefers to be where he Is now, Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Finance. :"
The letter concludes: "No serious
changes in the con nand are being con.
templated and when they are you may
be sure that will give you the earliest
notice. There are men on mischief
intent who would gladly SOW the seeds
OF discension among us OF the Army.
Truly, your friend,
"w. T. SHERMAN"
This letter is followed by the Carop.
delet letter TO which Sherman replied
as follows:
THE REPLY TO THE CARoNDELET LETTER.
DEAR GENERAL: did not receive
your most interesting letter of Decem.
Der 2S. ! am very glad TO have your
views IN ertenSo upon subjects of such
vital importance. Our standard opin.
ions are mostly formed on the practice
OF our predecessors, but great change
was made after the close of the civil
war by the amendments TO the Consti.
tuition, giving to the freed slaves certain
civil aud political rights, and empower.
ing Congress TO make the laws neces.
sary to enforce these rights. This
power is new and absolute and Congress
has enacted laws with which We are not
yet familiar and accustomed. TSee
pages 34S, 349 and $50 of revised stat
utes, section 1889, edition of 1884.
As a matter of fact dislike to have
our army used in these civil conflicts,
but the President has q lawful right 10
use the army and navy, and has exer.
cised the right, as he believes lawfully
and rightfully, and our duty has been
and Is to sustain him with zeal and sin.
cerity. As TO the Presidential election,
we are in no manner required 10 take
the least action, but to recognize him
rs president whom the lawfully appoint
ed officers declare to be such person. |
hope and pray that Congress will agree
on some method before the day and
hour arrive, but in case OF failure to
elect By or before the 4th 6f March
there will be a vacancy in both the
Offices of President and Vice President.
In which event the President OF che
Senate becomes President pro tem., and
q new election will have to be held
under the law of 1902. [See title 3,
chapter !. pages 81, % and %, Revised
Statutes. IL Is well we should com.
pare notes and agree before the crisis Is
on US. but | surely hope we may pass
this ordeal safely and peacefully. /
will be pleased 10 hear from you at any
time.
(Signedl w. T. SHERMAN.
The next letter published IL from
General Hancock to General Sherman,
dated New York, January 2. IL i a.
follows
A LETTER FROM HANCOCK.
GENERAL: An anonymous commmuDi.
cation TO The Secretary OF War dated
Louisville, KY, December l6, 1870,
reached my headquarters on the 9th
nf that fnunfh f~r.xs H. 0EEg.~ =