New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-08-23

| statement that there was such letter anu
that il was written to General Sherman. Ueh-
eral "Baldy" Smith declined to he ques-
toned upon the subject, and General Hancock
himself, who could not help knowing whether
he had written such letter or not, reiuseu
to answer regarding it. Senator Eaton, VI
| Connecticut, was reported to have said tha'
the story was undoubtedly true, and to nave
added his belief that if it were Gencraliy
credited it would increase his vote ny
thousands.
It soon became evident that whether han
cock had written any such letter or NOT, the
report that he had had been diligently c'rcu-
lated at Cincinnati, not by his enemies, pu'
by his friends, Badly" Smith and Others
who used it for effect upon those
who were in favor of the proposed new rebel
lion in 1877, and who opposed Tildcn because
he showed cowardice in refusing to lead II J;
and that upon the strength of this argument
he was nominated. The significant feature "'
this report was that it did not come from be-
publican sources at all, but had been circulated
by General Haucock's friends among those
who, 1t was hoped, wOuld he influenced Dy
the argumtnt that a~man who WIS 50 reay
TO assist in q revolutionary movement III ~
half Of the Democratic party four years 's'
would not shrink from leading siMh'ar
NOV ment, if necessary, now, when ne sgou'H
be its legitimate leader and tituaT chiei. Ire
truth is that il very large potion OF the Dem
ocratic party wanted Mr. TiiGen inauguratcd
by force, and were mortally angry with him
that ne did net consent to If. his lm' they
wanted n man who, - come o. them mt y
would b. inaugurlted whether ne was eirctcd
"or not" 70 this feeling Badly 5mlth and
the resi- appealed when they ppt this report IN
circulation. The writing If such 4 letter by
General II ncoc!, would have been proof OF
his willingness to embark in q reasonable en-
teri. Use HIS nomination IN tue belief AID
upon the strength o. his having written sncn
letter is proof Of the purpose ana cxpect"-
ton Of his parry.
In this state or arlrs TIE T.wUyE insisted
that General Hancock owed il % Use pnbli'
20 define his position and state the facts, and
offered lis columns 10 him FOR dat purpose.
II would have been q simple thing 10 havo
denied the statement if 1t were untrue. OF If
he had desired 10 contradict II. But he WAS,
doubtless, too well aware Of the iafluence this
story circulated 10y his friends had h d III
procuring his nomination, and neither by
letter or in conversation would he IN h any
sign. Only when it was found that his silence
was beginning 10 lie accepted rs confession
and The confession WAS seriously damaging
him in public q tecm, did the managers ..
General HancOck'5 canvass decide to bring
out the Sherman letter as the basis for
the report and endcayor thereby to show
that the "Bady' 'hailh and Hiram Atkins
story Lad roth IL in it. The publication OF
+ K was brought about IN characteristic fashion.
Had il been sent % Igz TRIBUNE by General
Hancock in accordance with our 0tier OF even
by any Of bis fri nd5, "a IN explanation of
the report and a reiu-auoH OF H. W. Should
have 50 accepted and published it. But it
was sent c.u,iYcy to The Deme cr4tic press.
with the nassl statement that /. was the only
letter upon which Boldly" nith could have
founded his stor,, and without tie addition ol
word of verif,ation from G,aorl' Hancock.
As for the document Itself il is simply
letter IN the Hancock vein. ! unveils n0
reasonable purpose. though it shows tlat the
writer was interesting hin self some what more
in politics than j. usual with Army officers.
and was exceedingly anxious 10 find q pr.teXi
either for supporting the claim Of the Demo
cratic candidate or refusing 20 obey the COM
mands of his superior oilicrr il the event OF
Mr. HAYES being declared elected. There WAS
nothing in II to entltlc it to publication, though
manifestly written with that end in view.
TIE TRIBUNE consequently dill not fail IN,
tveuty-four hours in the wake OF its Demo
cratic contemporaries, and print it. Oar offer
WAS TO give General Hancock the benefit
of our columns to explain the facts con
corning this Badly" Smith story. The cffr
has not been accepted, nor has he attempted,
so far as we learn, any explanation whatever.
letter of his to General Sherman has been
published in the Democratic newspapers.
which IS said TO be the only foundation for
the report, and it is now insisted that TIE
TRIBUNE ought to have mcekly copied this
and accepted it as coming from General
Hancock Business is not done in this Office
In That way.
And now TO give our Democratic friends,
who have been foot-baling this story about
for fortnight as u charge" made by The
TRIBUNE, q fresh start, we call them back to
first principles by reminding them that the
story that General Hancock offered to recOg-
nize Tilden as President if he should take the
oath of Office in 1877 was originated by
Democrats, credited by Democrats, and circu-
lated by Democrats, to secure his nomination
at Cincinnati that he has not yet denied it
authoritatively, and that the columns of THE
TRIBUNE are still open to him for that pur-
pose, though not to publish either bis biogra-
ply or correspondence in full.