Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-06
PRESIDENT JOaNSON'S PRAISE OF
HANCOCK

Andrew johnson is not very highly es-
teemed by the Republican press, though his
tory will accord him high place among the
patriots of the republic. Though he had
many OF the frailties of humanity he was
nevertheless man Of fine impulses, of in
corruptible personal character, and was ami
mated by sincere and patriotic desire to
maintain the republic in It's integrity, and
by constitutional methods render complete
the work of the army In the field. He was
guilty of no act that could in any way COM
promise him as a man, or as chief executive
of the republic. The opinion OF such q
man-clear- headed and devoted to the coun-
try which he served so long and SO WELLS
worth considering. In communicating Gen.
Hancock's now famous order No. 40 to Con-
gress in 1867, President johnson said:
When great soldier with unrestricted power
in his hands to Cypress his fellow-men velun-
tarily foregoes the chance uf gratifying his
selfish ambition and devetes himself to the
duty of building up the liberties and strength.
ening the laws Of his country, he presents an
example of the highest public virtue that hui
man nature ia capable of practiciDg. The
strongest claim of Washington to be " first in
war; first in peace, and first in the hearts of his
countrymen" is founded on the great fact that
in all his illustrious career he scrupulously alb
stained from violating the legal and constitu-
tional rights of his fellow.citizens. v
I am far from saying that General Hancock is
the only officer of the American army who IL
Influenced by the example of Washington.
Doubtless thousands of them are faithfully de-
vote to the prioci piles for which the men of
the Revolution laid down their lives. But the
distingu, 81 ed honor belongs to him of being
the first fficer 10 high command south of the
Potomac since the close of the civil war who
has given utterauce to these noble sentiments
in the form of military order. respectfully
suggest to Congress that some public recogni.
ton of General Hanco,k's patriotic conduct is
due, if not to him, to the friends OF law and
Justice throughout the conntiy. OF such an
act as his, at such time, it is but fit that the
dignity should be vindicated and the virtue
proclaimed. SO that its value as an example
may not be lost to the nation.
Praise from Sir Rupert is praise indeed,
and words of commendation such as these
from President Johnson are as high praise
as any person could desire. He could not
have uttered more glowing eulogy upon
the character of Gen. Hancock. The fact
that he laid aside his personal ambition and
devoted himself to building mp the iber-
ties Of the people at q time whom
he might have invested himself with almost
regal powers, proves him to be patriot of
the highest order-one who regards the in
terests of his country as of paramount inn
portsnce to any personal aspirations of his
own. In the hands of such man the fate
of the country will be safe. As President
he will be no less jealous of the liberties of
the people than he was as commander of the
military department of the Southwest.
The public recognition of Gen. Hsnoock's
devotion 10 the laws 30 earnestly recon-
mended by President johnson was never
given. Congress at that time was intensely
partisan. It had honors to bestow only upon
those who had proved subservient to the de-
mands and the interests of the party. But
if Congress failed to give a fitting recognl-
ton of the services of the distinguished
soldier, the people have NOT proved
direlect, and to-day Hancock's conduct Is
universally praised, while the names Of those
" no pursued different course are execrated
wherever the principles of republican lib
erty are cherished. Gen. Hancock had no
idea of aspiring to the Presidency when he
issued his order in defense of civil law, but
even then many clear-headed men foresaw
that such man would in time be necessary
to guide the ship Of state through the peril
GUS waters that it was entering upon. Han
cock as President will be the defender OF
the majesty of the civil law as against the
encroachments of military force, as he was
in 1867 almost the only officer who insisted
upon obedience to the civil law rather than
submission to military dictation.