The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-08-04

5 faithful execution of the laws as tn,
e most efficient under the circumstan
, ces. In war it is indispensable tC
t repel force by force, and overthrow
and destroy opposition to lawful au
2 thority; but, when insurrectionary
} force has been overthrown, peace es-
f tablished, 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 lib
, erty are still the lawful inheritance
of this people, and ever should be.
The right of trial by jury, the ha-
beas corpus, the liberty of the press,
t the freedom of speech, and the natu-
raj rights Of persons and the rights
OF property must be preserved.
Free institutions, while they are es-
sential TO the prosperity and happi-
ness of the people, always furnish
the strongest inducements to peace
and order. Crimes and offences
committed in this district must be
referred to the consideration and
Judgment of the regular civil au-
thorities, and these tribunals will be
supported in their lawful iurisdic-
ton"
Democratic orators have made
that order the issue of this campaign.
| willingly accept the issue, and am
ready to retry the questions which
we settled in 1868.
HANCoCK's ORDER REVIEWED.
Briefly commenting on the famous
order, we observe at the outset that
General Hancock was appointed to
execute not the laws of Congress, but
to carry out and execute the policy
of Andrew johnson, which was no
more the law of the land than your
policy or mine would have been. He
superseded n gallant and thoroughly
loyal soldier, whose zeal and patriot
ism were never questioned. He was
appointed against the wish of the
great military leader who never had
any policy contrary to the will OF
the people [Applause.l Thus Sc
lected, he was in position of natu-
raj antigonism to the will of the
people as expressed by their repre-
sentatives in Congress. His duty to
his master, and, as it appeared, his in
clination was to pander to the wishes
of rebeldom in New Orleans
Without the slightest opportunity
for observing the situation, in utter
personal ignorance of the facts of
which he spoke, and III defiance of
the truth, he declared that peace
and quiet reigned in that depart
ment. From whom did he learn,
from whom could he have learned
that fact? From Monroe and his
friends, for the friends of the slaugh-
tered lovalists of New Orleans would
have told him otherwise. Dostie
and Field and Hawkins were peace
able and quiet, for they had been
shot to death by those from whom
/ General Hancock learned that peace
and quiet prevailed in his depart
ment. 1t was very brief interval
of peace and quiet which General
Hancock, as we have since, to our
sorrow. learned. He announces the
maintenance of the civil authorities
as the great end to be secured, but
there were no civil authorities, and
the law declared that no legal State
governments or adequate protection
for life or property exists" in that
State. Hancock by his simple fiat, IN
obedience to the policy OF Andrew
Jonson, lifts up the PROSTATE forms
of the State governments, which
| Congress declares have no legal ex-
istence. breathes life into them, and
nullifes the law of the land, and in
suits and defies the will of the peo-
pie OF which the law is the ex-
preston.
He declares that the military
power under which he alone was
acting, and under which he derived
his authority to make any declara-
ton whatsoever, should cease TO lead,
but the reconstruction measures de
clared that they should lead, and
the civil laws, so-called, in New Or
leans until the State of Louisiana
had placed itself in the proper rela-
tions with the government, should
follow by permission merely, and at
a respectful distance In brief he
he attempted the repeal OF the recon-
struction law, and failed, because
the General of the armies, backed
and inspired by a loyal people, balk-
ed him in his designs, revoked and sus-
pended his orders, and rendered him
powerless for mischief His practi-
cal administration was entirely con-
sistent with the policy which he
was expected to enforce, and with
the revolutionary character of his
manifesto. Loudly asserting the su-
premacv of the civil law, he never
theless proceeds to remove many Of
ficials whom General Sheridan had
appointed, and put in rebel sympa-
thizers in their place. General Sher-
idan finding, from the reconstruc-
ton laws, that there was no legal or
valid State government then existing
in the State of Louisiana, determined
that in the selection of jurors there
should be no discrimination on ac-
count of race, color or previous con-
dition of servitude, and therefore Is
sud an order that in the selection of
Jurors in the federal courts negroes
should not be excluded therefrom.
This patriotic, this wholesome,
this humane order did not meet
with the views Of the advocates OF
my policy" and in elevating and
vindicating the civil authority of the
State of Louisiana to a position SUI
preme above an act of Congress, this
celebrated soldier-statesman revoked
that order and Ostentatiously an
nounced the reasons why he made
this revocation.
The supplementary reconstruction
act pointed out the method of regis
tration of voters, and specifically
Z declared what the Qualifications OF