Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-08-04
GIVE US ALI THE CORRESPONDENTS.


the character of Gen. Hancock's letter to
Gen. Sherman is scarcely disguised. 1t was
broadly asserted that it was trimming over
with reasonable utterances, and that Gen.
Hancock was anxious for the opportunity of
unsheathing his sword in order to assist Mr..
Tilden in Selling upon the government in
spite of the decision of the electoral COM
mission. Instead it proved to be calm,
dignifed, temperate and statesmanlike dis
cussion of constitutional questions that
proves Gen. Hancock not only to be pa
triotic soldier and citizen, but statesman of
great intellectual grasp and erudition who
wrote of the issues then imminent from the
plane of one thoroughly versed in constitu-
| tional law and the science of our govern
ment. To say that the Republicans are dis
appointed with the character of the letter but
feebly expresses their feelings. They feel
that they have been instrumental in furnish
ing the Democrats with one of the most eff
fective campaign documents that could have
been issued, and want, like the disguised
boy, to kick themselves all over ten acre
lot for their stupidity in calling it forth.
The latest development in this rather
laughable affair-the Democrats are doing
the laughing and the Republicans the ours
ing-is the effort of some of the papers
wearing the Republican party collar to create
the impression that the letter published is
but a fragment of the full correspondence
between the two generals. A Washington
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune gives
publicity to this surprising statement:
One of the most surprising facts revealed by
| it is that Gen. Sherman, early March 4,
| the day Congress met, and SO before any de-
bates had taken place upon the methods of
counting the electoral vote, had opened cor
| respondence with subordinate officer with
view of ascertaining what he thought the army
! ought to do in the various contingencies which
might arise. As matter of fact there had
| been no discussion in either House of the sub
| ject of counting the electoral vote up to the
date of Gen. Hancock's reply. For this reason
| there is now great curiosity here to ascertain
| more fully than that part of the correspondence
| now made public shows, just what consulta-
| tions were going on in the regular army in
| regard to what belonged exclusively to Con-
gress. The letter of Gen. Hancock, now
printed, shows that it was in answer to two
from Gen. Sherman, one dated March 4, 1876,
| and the second March 18th. 1t is now known
| that several other letters passed between these
ohcers-about six in all-and from the quiet
| talk of the friends of Gen. Hancock it is clear
| that the whole story covered by this interest
| ing and important correspondence is by no means
brought out by the one letter now before the
public. The two letters of Gen. Sherman, to
which the one is reply, are absolutely neces-
| sary to explain some passages of that reply,
| and the succeeding letters on both sides are
| said to be quite as necessary as the other to
| full understanding of what was passing be-
tween the highest officers of the army in con-
| nection with the electoral count.
The truth of the matter is that Gen. Sher-
mans letters to Hancock, were written on
the 4th and 18th of December, when the
public mind was greatly agitated over the
electoral complications, and when it needed
but spark to kindle anew the flames of
civil war. The controversy was being dis
cussed with bitterness in the public prints
and by the politicians, and the air was full
of rumors of conspiracies and counter con-
spiracies. 1t was natural that the general of
| the army should, under these circumstances,
take means to prevent riot and bloodshed,
and as he could not call his subordinates
| together for consultation, he naturally wrote
to them asking their counsel, and received
what he asked, at any rste from Gen. Han
cock.
But if it is true that this letter is but one
of six written by Hancock upon the same
subject, it is to be hoped that the other five
will be published also. Gen. Hancock has
given full permission for the publication of
any or all Of his written utterances on politi-
cal subjects. 1t is quite likely that the re-
naming letters will be as disappointing to
the generals enemies as the one Just pub
lished, for the Democratic nominee is not
the man to place himself in an equivocal po-
sition before the people. His record as
patriot is without stain, and to presume that
he would be guilty of any reasonable utter
ance or word, is to presume an impossibility.
By all means let us have the whole CORES
pondence. and confound the Vaccinations
of our candidates enemies at once and for
ever.
MARSHALL JEWELL announces that he
proposes to conduct an aggressive campaign
in several of the Southern States, with
plenty of money and speakers, and the New
York Herald asks why he does not conduct
such campaign in all parts of the South,