National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1880-07-31
ORDER NO. 40.
Operation in tho state of Texas.

Texas was part Of General Hancock's com.
mand when his order No. 40 wasissued A Ger.
man paper, the WochenJldH, published at Aus.
tin, Tex, prints the report of a committee APP
pointed by the constitutional convention of
that state in 1868 which investigated the con-
dition of the state during the Hancock rule.
The committee consisted OF seven members
G. Caldwell, J. q. Ball, q. w. Whitmorc, ID. p.
Cole, A. J. Evans, A. Bledsoo aud J. w. Sum.
ner. Every ono Of these men had lived in
Texas from fifteen to thirty-one years., They
know what they were investigating.
The report, unanimously signed, charges
General Hancock with being directly respon-
sible for the murder of hundreds Of loyal citi-
zens of Texas, aud they sustained the charge
by showing that under bis dministration and
under effect of order No. 40 the number Of
murders in the state had increased from an
average Of nine per month to an average Of
forty-fve per month. Aud on tho strength Of
these facts the committee charged Hancock
with gross neglect Of duty. Here is lib
eral extract from the body Of the report
II Is by no means difficult to locate tho
responsibility OF the increase of crime Before
General Hancock assumed command of tho
fifth military district there existed, to q GER
tain degree, somewhat Of regard and respect
for human life in Texas. Tho numerous ar.
rests Of criminals by the military authorities
and the prospect of an examination aud trial
before q military court imbued bad men with
q wholesome fear. After the issuing and
publication of general order No 40 by the
headquarters of the fifth military district,
dated November 90 1867, decidedly different
and troublesome spirit manifested itself all
over the state. This order was interpreted
and expounded as proclaiming military au-
thority subordinate to civil laws in the trial
Of criminals, and, therefore, 1t was regarded
because criminals have little fear and respect
for civil authority In this state, as we have
already demonstrated-as a sort of protection
or license for the commitment of all sorts of
outrages and crimes. This was proven and
demonstrated in public speeches and by the
defiant tone of the rebel press, but far more
through the unopposed preparation of the
most terrible outrages. During the three
months Of the administration of Governor
Pease, protected aud strengthened by Generals
Sheridan and Mower, before General Hancock
took command Of the district, the murders
committed in Texas averaged nine per
month. The number of murders during
the other months of the same year aver
aged eighteen per mouth, and If we
base our estimate upon the official re-
port of the Freodmen's bureau, tho average
number Of murders committed in Texas since
the LIST of December, 1867, reached the as
founding figure of thrty.ono per month.
During the first month of Hancock's admins.
tration December 1867 thirty murders were
reported by the bureau. In other words, tho
peace administration" of Generals Hancock
and Buchanan has to bo held responsible for
double tho amount OF murders that were COM
mitted under the Sheridan-1 hrockmorton adj
ministration, and for three times as many as
were committed during tho Sheridan Pease
administration. Besides this, the reports show
that since tho inauguration of the policy of
General Hancock, supported by President
Johnson, the murders committed in Texas have
reached tue average of flly-fve per month";
and that during tho last five months they have
reached the average number of sixty. And it
is tho commander OF the fifth military district
who is responsible to the people for at least
two.thirds Of the $3.50 murders which have
been committed in Texas since the LIST of De-
cember, 1867. Authorized by law to uphold
the peace and TO protect life and property,
having at his disposition the army oil the
United States 10 uphold the authority of the
laws, Hancock has neglected to perform his
duties. He has refused to punish murderers;
ho has refused the requests of the governor
and the general commanding in Texas for tho
creation OF stronger courts, and was deaf to
the wall of the terror stricken, prosecuted and
dcfensees loyal men. Aud, knowing what we
assert and maintain in the face Of the civilized
world, we place the cause and the response
biity for the death of hundreds of loyal
citizens of Texas upon his (IancoclI's) shoul-
ders. IL Is responsibility which should
cover his namo with iniamy and his memory
in years to come with curses aud excavations.
The responsibilities of the government and of
the citizens are mutual and co.relative If
the latter promises loyalty and obedience the
former is obliged TO protect him. And for
us individually, and in tho name Of all white
and black loyal men, we proclaim that we
have always been true and steadfast in our at.
tachment to the government of the United
States. In tho face of all prosecutions in the
face of social prescription, in the face of the
ropo and in tho face of all conceivable and in
conceivable dangers, we stand true in our
fidelity to the union. II there are people on
earth who have right TO claim the protec.
ton of the government they are certainly the
loyal citizens OF Texas And particularly now,
while the government has tho power to grant
us protection, we demand tagainst the wrath
of those who prosecute us because of our
fidelity to the union cause. May the respon.
sibility rest wherever it will, we say openly
and freely that this protection has not been
granted us.
Here, then, we have the terrible story of
the result of Hancock's boosted display of
craftsmanship, Murder runs riot under the
very arm of the great general" who had the
powor to arrest the terrible carnival of blood,
but whose theories he allowed to outweigh all
evidence Of fact until the highest coustitu.
tional authority Of the state, in sheer despera-
ton, arose in selfdeiense and called for tho
protection of congress, after making the above
terrible arraiGnmcnt. This report was written
twelve years ago and it comes like II voice
from the past, "A protest from the hundreds Of
dead victims Of order No, 40 against the ecva.
tion OF its author to the position where every
day he would have it in his power to visit like
curse upon every sout hern state in the union.
National Bank Losses,
The comptroller of the currency has Just
completed table showing tho losses charged
off by national banks during six months eud-
ing March /, 1880;
Tho total losses by all these banks during
that period amounted to 81 ,563,s5G.
The losses for the corresponding neriol I'm