The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-09

st. Louis lRepublican.

The Republican WAS the FIRST paper to
call attention to the Suggestive fact that
Mr.. Garfeld-who now finds Il convent
emit TO thrust his stalwartwism as far out
| of sight as possible introduced o bill
having for its avowed object what was
tnothing less than an outrageous wrong
upon Gen. Hancock, We allude to the
bill for the reduction of the number Of
major generals 10 the army. which the pre-
sent Republican candidate for the presi-
dency, then chairman OF the military
committee of the house. brought forward
on the 18th of January. 1868. while Gen.
Hancock was in command at New Orleans.
As the Republican press. for reasons
easily understood. seems disposed to throw
| veil over an act as contem ptibie as IL Is
ungenerous and unjust we publish the
| official record OF the transactions. taken
| from the Congressional Globe of the above
date; E~oE N5s
Mr.. Garfield ask unanimous con-
sent to offer for consideration aud action q
bill to reduce and improve the military
establishment by dischsrgeing one msior-
general
MIR. 4. 3. Washburne OF Illinois:
Read the bill.
THE bill was read, LIZ proves that the
army of the United Etates shall be reduced
by the discharge from the military service
of the major general who was the last
commissioned in that grade before Janu-
airy 1868, to take effect from ite passage
ais in the army.
"Mr,E Garfield: / hope the bill will be
allowed to come 10 aud then we can act on
| il in the morning.
Mr.. s. j. Randall: I object. -.-.'
"Mr. Garfield moved to suspend the
rules.
The yeas aud hayes were ordered.
sir. Randall: / move that when the
house adj ,urns to day (Monday) it ad-
j,urn to meet on Wednesday next, You
| cannot rush this through 10 night.
MIR. Randall moved that the house
adiourns, and the motion was agreed.
It will be observed that Mr. Garfsld
protested to have no other purpo.e than
"the improvement of the military estab
| meut" The real animus of bis action
is shown in foilosing extract fro N pri-
| vate letter written soon afterwards to bis
| Intimate friend. President Hiusdale:
You were surprised that | introduced
the Hancock bill; so was L
introduced the Hancock bill not so much
for the purpose OF passing il a. 20 show
him how COM pletely he was in our hands.
IL 4 could readily havs carried the
| bill through, but preferred 10 let II bang
suspended, / think it has. had the desired
effect. for the general has kept his place
ever since. So long as he continues to do
| so [ shall let him alone"
Two mistatements--to call them bv the
miIdest are embodied in the above.
He could not'hsve carried the bill
through" His Republican colleagues.
whatever they might have wished to do,
were afraid of the public sentiment which
such blow at distinguished soldier who
had received the thsnkscf congress would
have surely reused. The chairman of the
military committee was duly warned. and
the bill dropped Nor did it's introduction
have the desired effect" that is the
sileucinR of Hancock. Only two days at
terward be sent letter to the auditor of
accounts at New Orleans, refusing military
aid in the collection of taxes; week later
came another letter of the same purport
to a special committee of Republican car
pet baggers, who seconded the request OF
the auditor: and next month his letters to
Gen Howard of the Freedmau's bureau
and Gov. Pease of Texas were published
In all these documents, as the public is
aware, Gen. Hancock took precisely the
same views of the legitimate relations be-
tween the civil and military power preyi
ously expI essed in Order No. 40" which
provoked Garfeld's action. If the bill
could have been been passed, why was il
not carried through" when the ofense il
was designed to punish was repeated oyer
again2 The whole business, 80 far as the
Republican candidate for the presidency is
concerned, is thoroughly mean, and. we
may remark, thoroughly characteristics.