The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-07-08


The political record of the next Presi- |
dent of the United States is brief. 1t
is comprised in a single general order
issued from his headquarters at New
Orleans on November %, 1867. That
order should be emblazoned upon every
Democratic banner throughout the
country, for it embraces the true theory
of government advocated by the DEM
ocratic party during the entire period
of reconstruction. The order i'll full is
as follows:
HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY
DISTRICT, New ORLEANS, La, Nov.
%, 1867. General Orders No. 4O.-In
accordance with general orders No. 81,
headquarters of the army, adjutant
generals office, Washington, ID. c.,
August 81, 1867, Major General Win
field 8. Hancock hereby assumes conf
mand of the fifth military district and
of the department composed of the
states of Louisiana and Texas.
The general commanding is gratified
to learn that peace and quiet reign in
this department. It will be his pur-
pose to preserve this condition of
things. As a means to this great end
he regards the maintenance of civil
authoritis in the faithful execution of
the laws most efficient under existing
circumstances.
In war it is indispensable to reply by
force, and to overthrow and destroy
opposition to lawful authority. But
when insurrectiOnary force has been
OverthrOwn and peace established, and
the civil authorities are ready and
willing to perform their duties. the
military power should cease to lead,
and the civil administration resume
its natural and rightful dominion.
Solemnly impressed with these views,
| the general announces that the great
principles of American liberty are
still tile lawful inheritance of this peO-
ple, and ever should be. The right Of
trial by jury, the habeas corpus, the
liberty of the press, the freedom oi
speech, the natural rights OF persons,
and the rights of property must De
preserved.
Free institutions, while they are
essential to prosperity and happiness
of the people, always furnish the
strongest Inducements to peace anu
| order, Crimes and offences committed
i'm this district must be referred to the
consideration and Judgment of the
regular civil tribunal, and those tribu-
nails will be supported in their lawful
Jurisdiction.
Should there be violations of exist
ing laws which are not inquired into
by the civil magistrates, or should
failures in the administration of JUS
I tice by the court be complained of,
the case will be reported to these head
quarters, when such orders will be
made as may be deemed necessary.
While the general thus indicates
his purpose to respect the liberties O1
the people, he wishes all to under
stand that armed insurrection or forci-
BILE resistance to the law will he in
stantly suppressed by arms.
BY command of Major General W.
S. Hancock.
When military pretenders all over
the South were grasping at imperial
powers that they thought the fact
Of conquest entitled them to assume
General Winfield Scott Hancock
mindful of his oath to support the
constitution of the United States in its
integrity, had the manhood to stand
forth alone and enunciate the doctrine
that in time of peace the civil was su.
perior to the military, at the same
time declaring that armed insurrection
or fOrcible resistance to the laws would
be instantly suppressed by arms. He
was offered a dictatorship he accepted
the post of a mediator, with strong
Recommendation that all disputes be
settled before the civil tribunals, and
that his mediation should be asked
only in cases of the direst emergency.
His order was an edict emanating from
a commander, yet it breathed the
spirit of q subject to law-of a man
who, though soldier from the day Oi
his manhood, had retained the in.
stincts of tho citizen and risen to the
dignity of the statesman.
Gen. flancock's military record is
untarnished. Civil record he has none
except that quoted. But of itself this
single order is sufficient to entitle him
to the esteem and confidence of every
lover of constitutional liberty in the
land. Though his opportunity to SUBJ
vert civil law was abundant, he re-
fused to take advantage of it, but cOun.
selled obedience to the civil law as the
first duty of every citizen, threatning
q recourse to force only when the civil
authority bad proved impotent to re-
press armed insurrectiOn. He was a
soldier in the full meaning of the WORD
and, therefore, a respectOr Of the laws
of the country in Whose cause he haG
so bravely fought.
No party could wish for a more gal
liant captain to lead them forward Il
victory than Winfield Scott Hancock.
list. Paul Globe.
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