The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1880-08-18
TEXTS FOR PATRIOTS.

1 i n i
QUoTABLE SENTENCES FROM GENERAL
| HANcoCK's STATE PAPERS.
Public Office is a trust, not a
bounty bestowed upon the holder.
The bayonet is not fit instru
ment for collecting the votes of
freemen.
Power may destroy the forms,
but not The principles of justice;
these will live in spite even of the
sword. @
The great principles of Ameri
can liberty still are the lawful inner
itance of this people, and ever
should be.
1t is a vital principle in our
system that neither fraud nor force
must be allowed to subvert the rights
of the people.
The army should have nothing
to do with the selection or Inaugural
ton of Presidents. The people elect
the President.
Il would, under no circumstances,
allow myself or my troops to deter
mine who were the lawful members
of State Legislature.
The regular army should be Sc
directed by its superior officer as to
be recognized as bulwark in sup.
port of the rights of the people and
of the law.
No form of government, however
carefully devised, no principles, how.
ever sound, will protect the rights Of
the people unless the administra
tion is faithful and efficient.
Woe to us whenever it shall
come to pass that the power of the
magistrate-civil or military-is per-
United to deal with the mere opin.
ions or feelings of the people.
The right Of trial by jury, the
nabeas corpus, the liberty of the
press, the freedom Of speech, the
natural rights of persons and the
rights of property must be preserved
! The people elect the President
Congress declares who be is. We Of
the army have only to obey its man
dates and are protected in so doing
only SO far as they may be lawful
i he army has been used unlaw-
fully at times in the judgment of the
people, and we have lost great dea'
of the kindly feeling which the com
munity at large once felt for US. l,
is time to stop.
1T is only by full vote, free
ballot and fair count that the people
can rule in fact, as required by tht
theory of our government. Take
this foundation away and the whole
structure falls.
This Union, comprising gene
raj government with general powers
and State governments with STATE
, powers for purposes local TO th'
State, is the Union our fathers mad,
and which has been respected abroad
, and is benefcent at home.
III called to the Presidency,
; should deem it my duty to resist
with all my power, any attempt tt
, impair or evade the full force ant
, effect Of the Constitution, which, i,
!, every article, section and amendment
r is the supreme las of the land.
The true and proper use Of til,
, military power, besides defendin,
the national honor against foreigl
nations, is to uphold the laws an,
r civil govnrnment and to secure {,
: every person residing among US th,
, enjoyment Of life, liberty ant
, property.
!, In war it is indispensable to re
! pei force by force and overthrow an,
: destroy opposition to lawful authori
ty. But when the insurrectionar,
forces have been overthrow an,
peace established, and the civil au
thorities are ready and willing t
: perform their duties, the militar,
!. should cease to lead, and the civi
e administration resume its natura
c and rightful dominion.