The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-08-03

The more they read al hts writings, tue
more they admire them, He Il evidently
not merely a soldier. TIE ,sa statesman ss
well. II there had been any doubt on tue
subject before, u would have disappeared
on the appearance ct his letter ~ Is'o 10
GENERA, SWxwsax, about which tie Repoo-
lIcans have had 20 much 20 say. rus ''''e'
we print this mosusus.
The reader wiz remember thai 'n's 'e''es
has hren published because u ~ss cua'seo
chs, n contained sae declaration toat u MI
Tunrx should take tue oath o. Office rs
pr..,seot Of the United Sis,es General
HANCOCK would bring to his support tue
traanS upder his command. We neeo not
saw tia, nobody who knew Generai HAN.
cock wen ever believed that be had msde
such declaration. His letter, however,
was needed TO satisfy people who did moi
know him well. These will be more Than
satisfied. They viii admire the wisdom OF
the man as Indicated by the ut,erances
OF this letter. Though written when Gen
eral HANCOCK was away from home. and III
the confidence OF private frendsh'p--for u
does not appear to have been ofbelai-lh's
letter marks It's author as no ordinary man.
He Is thoughtful student OF the Constitu-
ton OF his country as well as OF It's history.
Asa weil.known Democrat who would
not msnifest as much alacrity IN ses'ipg
Republican President as a Republican gen.
ersl would, General HANCOCK rather ex-
pecfed. IL seems, 10 be ordered 10 the Pacihc
coast, where he would have been out OF the
way. 81 would have gone quietly" he
says. whyi First, because his duty would
have required him so to do; and secondly,
because be would have been relieved OF
those very responsibilities in regard to the
presidency which his enemies charged h'm
with being anxious to assume. he candidly
iatimated that IL the Republicans should
use the army to seat HAYES, he had no
mower to control events otherwise though
he might not approve OF such conduct.
The army" he says, "should have no.
thing to do with the selection or Inaugural
ton Of President" That saying cut him.
self of from all right to use his troops to
seat Mr.. TILDBY or anybody else.
"The Congress declares in session who
is President. True, General. And Con-
gress did provide the means OF settling the
title to the presidency. 1t was settled; and
Congress, both houses concurring, declared
Mr.. HAYES President. That was all that
General HANCOCK expected or required.
Fortunately. his letter covers the case OF
the next President. 1.-THE Congress IN
session - will again declare who is Presi-
dent; and as both houses are Democratic
no Electoral Commission will be needed.
Congfees will decide for itself What then!
General HANCOCK tells General SHERMAN
what bis duty, and every army 0fhcer's
duty, is, in these words: We OF the army
have only TO obey its mandates THAT Is,
the orders OF Congress. Isn't that the
right sort OF talk for soldier! The Con-
stitution makes it the duty OF Congress to
declare who Is elected President. Suppose
General GRANT had ordered General HAN
COCK TO obey man declared by Congress
not 10 have been elected. As an
intelligent General, in free country,
and living under a written Constitution,
II would have been General HANCOcK's duty
to obey the mandates OF Congress. He knew
the requirements OF the Constitution OF his
country. He knew that GRANT could not
possibly give lawful commsnd to the army
after the Sd OF March, 1877. He knew that
/ he Secretary Of War had no authority eX-
cept when there was President over him.
And he drew sharp and clear the distinc-
tion between General SHERMAN's right to
command the army, and what would have
been usurped power il exercised by the
Secretary OF War. elf l were in Wash.
ingion," says General HANCOCK TO General
SHERMAN, "you would be my superior in
authority" And he adds that not himself,
who IS Democrat, but General SHERMAN,
who is Republican, may have thrown upon
him ga great deal OF responsibility"
"You," a Republican, " bold over" The
Secretary of War does not, The shows he
does not, after saying he probably would.)
"You will have power and prestige to
support you,'' he tells General SHERMAN.
He had already proclaimed himself one Of
the officers bound to obey General SHER-
NAN. Then he goes on to try to convince
General SHERMAN that il the two houses OF
Congress could not agree as to the fact, and
therefore could not declare either HAYES or
Tn.DEN elected, 1t would be his (SHERMAN'sl
duty to obey the President chosen by the
House OF Representatives and the Vice.
President chosen by the Senate. In the in
term, II one occurred, the President OF the
Senate would be the lawful President. All
this Is mere exposition, or rather rebear-
sal, Of the Constitutions provisions; and II
there be any treason in 1t, there is treason
ia the Constitution itself. Mr.. FERRY. the
President OF the Senate spoken OF by Gen.
eral HANCOCK, Is Republican. Gen. SHER.
MANI Republican and HANCOCK declared
be would obey SHERMAN, and that SHERMAN
ought to obey FERRY II there were no Presi-
dent nor Vice President elected before the
Atm OF March. There Is no partisan feeling
shown here, but real craftsmanship.
There are one or two ambiguous sentences
In General HAYcOcK's letter. They are as
follows:
"Oficers In command OF troops often find
il difficult TO act wisely and safely when
superiors In authority have different views
OF the law from theirs, aud when legislation
has sanctioned action seemingly ia conflict
with the fundamental law; and they gene.
Gally defer 10 tue known judgment OF their
6uDfriors. Yet az tue SuDeri0r Officers al