The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-08-12


The legitimate person TO exercise the
authority for the time
being, or until the appearance of the
lawful President, or for~the time laid
down in the constitution. The course
would be peaceful. and l have firm
belief lawful. / have no doubt Gov
ernor Hayes would make an excellent
President. l have met him, and know
of him. For brief period he served
under my command. But as the mat
ter stands cannot see any likelihood
of his being declared elected by the
people, unless the Senate and House
come to be in accord as to that fact,
otherwise elect him. What the people
want is peaceful determination of
this matter, as fair a determination as
possible, and lawful one. No other
determination could stand the test.
The country, if not plunged into a
would become poorer day
by day, business would lapguish, and
our bonds would come home TO find q
deprecated market. l was not in fa
yor OF military action in South Caro-
lima recently, and if General Ruger
had telegraphed to me, or asked for
advice, l would have advised him not
under any circumstances to allow
himself or his troops to deter mine
who were the lawful members of a
State legislature. / could not have
given him better advice than to refer
him to the special message of the
President in the case of Louisiana
some time before. But in South Car
olina he had had the question settled
by decision in the Supreme Court of
the State, the highest tribunal which
had acted on the question, SO that his
line Of duty even seemed to be clearer
than in the action in the Louisiana
case. If the Federal Court had inter-
fered and Overruled the decision of
the State Court, there might have been
doubt certainly, but the Federal Court
only interfered to complicate, not TO
decide or Oyerrule. Anyhow, it is no
business of the army TO enter upon
such questions, and even it 1t might
be so, i'm any event the civil authority
is supreme,as the constitution declares
it to be. The South Carolina case was
one in which the army had q plain
duty. Had General Ruger asked me
for advice, and if l had given it, l
Should, of course, have notified you of
my action immediately,so 80 that it could
have been promptly Overruled if it
should have been deemed advisable
by you or others superior in authority.
General Ruger did not ask for my ad.
vice, and l inferred from that and
other facts that he did not desire it, or
that being in direct communication
with my military superiors at the seat
of government, who were nearer to
him in time and distance than / was,
ne deemed it was unnecessary. AS
General Ruger had the ultimate re-
spOnsibility of action, aud had really
rfIo greater -faaa9os- TO OuufrUnt in ffuuf
action in the matter, did not venture
to embarrass him by suggestions. He
was q Department Commander, and
the lawful head of the military ad-
ministration within the limits of the
department but besides l knew that
he had been called to Washington for
consultation before taking command,
and was probably aware of the views
of the administration as to the civil
affairs in his command. l know that
he was in direct communication with
my superiors in authority in reference
to the delicate subjects presented for
his consideration, or had ideas of his
own which he believed to be sufficient
ly in accord with the views of our
common superiors to enable him to
act intelligently according to bis judg-
ment, and without suggestions from
those not on the spot, and not as fully
acquainted with the facts as himself.
He desired to be free to act, as he had
eventually greater responsibility
and so the matter was governed as
between him and myself. As l have
been writing thus freely TO you, l may
still further unbosom myself by sta
ting that l have not thought it lawful
or wise to use the federal troops in
such matters as have transpired east
of the Mississippi within the last few
months, save SO far as may be brought
into action under the article of the
constitution which contemplates the
meeting of armed resistance, or an
invasion of the State more powerful
than the State authorities can snbdue
by ordinary processes, and then only
when requested by the legislature, or
if it could not be convened in session,
by the Governor and when the Pres
ident of the United States interviewed
in that manner. it is a state of war,
not OF peace. The army is laboring
under disadvantages, and has been
used unlaw fully at times in the judg-
ment of the people, in mine certainly,
and we have lost great deal of kind
ly feeling which the community at
large once felt for us. 1t is time to
stop and unload. The officers i'm com.
mand Of troops often find it difficult
TO act wisely and safely when the su-
periOrs in authority have different
views of the law from thoirs. and
when legislation has sanctioned action
seemingly in conflict with the funda-
mental law, and they generally refer
to the known Judgment of their su-
periors; yet the superior officers of
the army so regarded in such a great
crisis, and one held to such RESPONSE
bility, specially those at Or near the
head of it, that it is necessary on such
moment0us occasions to dare to de-
termlne for themselves what is lawful
and what Is not lawful under our sys-
tenn. Ii the military authorities should
be invoked, as might possibly be the
case i'm such exceptional times, when
there existed such divergent views as
10 The correct result, the army will
suticr Ipvl ite Hpst oItto"s "A ~ uoS
acted wrongfully. Our regular army
has little hold upon the affections OF
the people of to day, and its superior
officers should certainly, as far as lies
in their power, legally and with right
eaus intent, aim TO defend the right,
which is.tO US the law, and tho insti-
tuition which they represent. 1t isYa
well meaning institution, and it would
be well If it shOnld have an Opportu
nifty to be recognized as a bulwark in
support Of the rights of the people
and of the law. At
Signed. w. s. HANCOCK
To Gen. w. T. Sherman, commanding
Arpy of the u. s., Washington, d. G.
---------...s .sss------
THE Republicans begin to think the
money furnished by them to General
Weaver, to pay him for stumping the
South, is an unprofitable investment.