, 1880-08-23

isiatuTe Wy UTuto IOTCe, TO lnauSufate Tor
Governor shameless adventurer known
to have been defeated at the polls, or to
pin the people down with bayonets while
they were plundered by alien thieves who
claimed to be their representatives and
officers, somebody else was employed to
the infamous work. Still more carefully
did they avoid his presence when the
whole Nation was to be swindled at a
Presidential election. It was for such
reasons that the heart of the country
warmed to General Hancock as its pre>
destined deliverer.
1t has often happened that the best
things of the greatest men are attributed
to others who are wholly incapable OF
them. The opinion was industriously
propagated and accepted by a great
many as true that Hamilton wrote the
farewell address of Washington, but the
evidence is conclusive which shows that
every word of that immortal production
came from Washington himself; and
Hamilton could not have written it any
more than he could have made world.
Some OF Jackson's most characteristic
papers, bearing the full impress of hie
own mind, were habitually credited to
persons OF far inferior ability. When it
was charged against jefferson that he
wrote Logan's speech. he solemnly de.
clared that he was unequal to such =
composition. am not affecting NODES
ty when I claim credencs of my present
denial for similsr reason. I conld not
have written Hancock's No. 40-not be-
cause pretend to be dumb or altogether
unskilled in the use of English words,
but because if had undertaken to write
it the chances are ninety-aine to a hun
dred that my augmentation would have
marred its majestic simplicity and great
ly diminished its power When public
man, especially a military man, meets a
grave responsibility, saying no more nor
less than just the thing he ought, but
says that with unequivocal clearness, you
may be sure hs is the interpreter of his
own thoughts. At any rate, the attempt
is unjust to bastard;ze No 40 by assign
ing to it an origin totally different from
the true one.
Why should my opinion be asked or
volunteered on Gen. Hancock as civil
ian A? Anybody else who has watched
his life is as good judge as 1; there are
thousands who know him much better.
But since the question is propounded I
will answer, subject to fair correction,
that he has in him the highest and best
qualities of Republican ruler. think
his fidelity to sound principles, coupled
with his sound judgment, will entitle
him to rank we'll with the great Presi-
dents of former times. I do not COM
pare him with Washington, for the gran
deur of that character is and will remain
forever uuapproachable, but 1 do say that
Washington, if placed in his situation,
would have acted precisely ~ he did -
His patriotism has not the impulsivs ar
dor of Jackson's, but his fidelity to the
truth, his love Of justice and his scorn of
wrong, are quito a. unnlstakable. He
is net dectrinaire like Jefferson, for his
busy life has loft him no time to study
the abstract philosophy of politics, but
his practical good sense knows the right
intultively, and always catches the near
est way to do it. If he be elected, the
ability Of his administration will inspire
universal respect, and his moderation and
magnanimity will concillate even his enc
mics. I bave the fullest faith that he
will not only keep his oath to preserve
protect and defend the Constitution, but
will so carry out its provisions that the
great object of its trainers as expressed
in the preamble will be fully accomplish
ed-"Ts form more perfect Union, to
establish justice, to insure domestic tram
guilty, to provide for the common de
fense, to promote the general welfare and
to secure the blessing Of liberty to our
selves and posterity." j. s. BLACK.
Grasshoppers are r. 70 lug s utherr