Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1880-08-06

The material portion of the now famous
letter Of Gen Hancock 10 Gen. Sherman IS
as follows. 1! Is dated nj 81. Louis Dcccni-
Der IS, 1876.
The whole matter of the Presidency seems
to me TO lie simple and 10 admit of a peace
full solution. The machinery for such con
tingoncy as threatens 10 present itseli has
been all carefully prepared. Ii only requires
fabrication, owing 10 disusc. The army
should have nothing TO do with the election
or Inauguration Of President. The people
elect the President. and Congress declares IN
Joint session who he is. We oil the army
have only 10 obey his mandates and are
protected in SO doing only 50 far as they
may lie lawful | like Jeiferson's way OF
inauguration lie inaugura,cd himself SIM
ply by taking the oath of Office. There Is
no other legal inauguration in our system.
The people or politicians may institute a
parade in homer of the event, and public OIL
ficials may add TO the pageant by assembling
troops and banners. but all that only comes
properly after the Inauguration, not before,
and il is not 4 part Of it. Oar system docs
not provide that one President should IN
auguratc another. There might he danger
in that, and.it was studiously left out OF Tie
charter, but you are placed iii an exception
ally important position in connection Win
the coming events. The capitol is in my
jurisdiction also. but | am a subordinate and
not on the spot, and il were, SO also would
be my superior in authority, for there Is The
station of the gcneral-in-chcf.
On the principle that regularly elected
Presidents term of Office expires with the
Sd of March (of which have not the slight
est doubt and which the laws bearing on the
subject uniformly recognize), and in consi-
dcration Of the possibility that the lawfully
elected President may not appear until the
9Th of March. great deal Of responsibility
may necessarily fall upon You. You hold
over. You will have power and prestige To
support YOU. The Secretary OF War, too,
nrol,ably holds over But if no President
anpcars. he may not be able 70 exercise his
functions IN the name Of Il President, for his
nropcr acts are those of u known superior, a
lawful President. You act oa your own re
sponsibility and hy virtue OF a commission
only restricted by law The Secretary OF
War is the mouih-piGc1 OF President.
You are not.
If neither candidate has constitutional
minority of the electoral college, or the Sen
ate and lIo;,sc on the occasion of the count
do not unite In declaring The same r'is".i
legally elected by the people. there Is law
full machinery already provided 10 meet
that contingency and decide Tie question
peacefully II has not bccn recently used,
10 occasion presenting Itself, bull or
fcreraihcrs provided 1t. IL has been
exercised and been recognized ana
submitted +, as lawful on every
hand Tia. machinery would probably elect
Mr.. Tilden President and ar Wheeler Vice
Ia, ,t,,l,s .srsnitel tpf
the law provides tia. in :. failure 10 eject
tiuly hy the people, the House shall immc-
,ii,itlv elect the President and the Senate
line President. Some tribunal must de-
eide whether The people have duly elected Il
President. presume, Of c,utsc, it is in the
Joint. affirmative action Of the Senate and
House. or why are they present 10 witness
The counting? SO il is fair and just il II fail
IRE to agree arises between the two bodies,
there can he no lawful affirmative decision
that the people have elected "a President and
the ilouS,. must Thea prarrcd To act, not the
Sruaic The Senate elects tho Sicc-Bres-
i,lcni. not the President. Duubcless, IN :..sc
of a failure lT the House 10 elect President
by The 18th Of March the President of the
Senate (if there be onc) would he the legiti-
mate person to exercise presidential author
ity for the time being. or until the appear
ance of Il lawful President, or for the time
laid down in the Constitution. Such course
would be peaceful, and have a firm belief,
lawful
have no doubt Coz. Hayes would make
an excellent President, have met him and
know of Kim. For brief period he served
under my command BAT as the matter
stands can't see ANY likelihood of his being
duly declared elected by the people, unless
the Senate and House come 10 be in accord
as to that fact and the House would Of course
not otherwise elect him. What the people
want is peaceful determination of this mat
ter, ms fair a determination as possible, and a
lawful one. No other determination could
stand the test. The country, if not plunged
into revolution, would become poorcr ,iay by
dav, business would anguish. and her bonds
would come home 10 find II deprecated
market.
In the concluding portions of the letter
Gen. Hancock says he WAS not IN iayor oil
military action in South Carolina and that
he had mot thought il lawful or wise to use
the Fedora! troops in such matters as have
transpired east Of the Mississippi within the
last few months, save so far as they may lie
brought into action under the article Of the
constitution which contcmplatcs meeting
armed GtSl~tsiltf, bi iilt Va
hy Il force more powerful than the State au-
;hnsi'i;.s can Suh,!uc hy ordinary processes,
and !is.u only When requested Icy the l.r:,;s-
latur,. or. if il cuald moi be- convened in scs-
sion, 10y the governor"
- lie adds 'Our regular army Las l!tllc
hold upon the affections of the people of to-
day, and its superior Officers shouldccrtainy,
as far IA lies in their power, legally and with
righteous intent, aim To defend the right,
which to us is the law and the institution
which they represent"