The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1880-07-22
HANCOCK, THE STATESMAN.


hANCVCA, IhE SIAIESMANs- e-si
Hfs Famous Orders and Letter. while In
Command as New OrIrans.H ~
General Winfield 8. Hancock rendered
services in the field during the war of
the highest Importance to the country;
but the services he rendered at the close.
of hostihties were of incalculable value,
and deserving of everlasting remem-
brance. As commander of the Depart
ment OF Missouri QS66-'D Iand of the
Department of Louisiana and Texas,
Q867-'S) he had to deal with civil qles-
tions requiring the best statesmanship
and the soundest Judgment; and the way
in which he dealt with them showed that
he possessed the qualities necessary for
their proper decision. In times of peril
to the constitutional rights of the States,
and to the fundamental liberties of the.
people, ne went to the full extent of his
power in maintaining those rights and
liberties, and made for himself q record
that the American people must keep be-
fore. their eyes in the days that are now
upon us. We have brought together
from his orders, letters and speeches,
while commanding the department Just
named, few passages of profound, per-
manent and practical interest:fi s..bly.t
GENERAL ORDER, No. 40.-In accord
ance with General Order 81, ,Headquar-
ters Of the Army, Adjutant Generals
Office, Washington, d. c., August 27,
1857, Major General W. s. Hancock
hereby assumes command of the Fifth
Military District and of the department.
composed of the States of Louisiana and
Texas. -sa.;., .s,! r..ts- ,i.1..a,,,s 4.
q The General commanding is graft
fed to learn that peace and quiet reign
in this department. 1t will be his pur-
pose to prererve this condition of things.
As a means to this great end he regards
the maintenance of the civil authorities
In the faithful execution of the laws as
the most effective under existing circum-
stances. In war it is sindispensable to re-
pei force by force and overthrow and de-
stroy opposition by lawful authority.
But when insurrectionary force has been
oyerthrown and peace established, and
the civil authorities are ready and viii
ling 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
liberty are still the lawful inheritance of
this people and ever should be. The
right of trial by jury, the habeas corpus,
the liberty of the press, the freedom of
speech, the natural rights of persons and
the rights of property must be preserved.
Free institutions, while they are essential
to the prosperity and happiness of the
people, always furnish the strongest in
ducements to. peace and order. Grimes
and offences committed in this district
must be referred to the regular civil tri.
bunals, and those tribunals will be sup.
| ported in their lawful jurisdiction.
While the General thus indicates his
purpose to respect the liberties of the
people, he wishes all to understand thai
armed insnrrection or forcible resistance
| 70 the law Will be Instantly suppressed
by arms. By command of -.
| MAJ. GEN. HANCOCK.
| To Gov. Pease, of Texas:
REFUSING MILITARY COMMISSION, FOR OF
TENDERS AGAINST STATE LAWS:
Brevet Maj. Gen. J. J. Reynolds, com
manding district of Texas, in commu
nication dated Austin, Texas, Nov. 19
1857, requests that Military Commits
sion may be ordered 'tfor the trial of on,
G. w. Wall. I" -
a. y
It is true that the third section of sAl
act to provide for the more efficient gov
ernment of the Rebel States" makes j
| the duty of commanders of military dis
| tricts ''to punish, or cause to be pun
ished, all disturbers of the public peac,
| and criminals" but the same power
from its very nature, should be exercised
for the trial of offenders against the law
of the State only in the extraordinar,
event that the local civil tribunals ar
unwilling or unable to enforce the law
against crimes At this time the coun
try is in state of profound peace Th
State government of Texas, organized il
subordination to the authority of tn
Government of the United States, is il
the full exercise of all its proper powers
Under such circumstances there is n
good ground for the exercise of the extra
ordinary power vested in the commando
to organize military commission for tn
trial of the persons named.
x
''-'-.- WINFIELD 8. HANCOCK.
TO PREVENT MILITARY INTERFERENCE.
4 TX. Military interference with cleo
1 tions, .sunless it shall be necessary h
keep the peace at the polls, is prohib
tied by law, and no soldier will DE al
lowed to appear at the polling place, un
less as citizens of the State they are reg
istered as voters, and then only for tn
purpose of voting; but the commander
of posts will be prepared to act promptl.,
if the civil authorities fail to preserv
peace. WINFIELD 8. HANCOCK.
December 1S, 1876.
THE MILITARY AND CIVIL POWER.
cit must be matter of profound re
gret to all who value Constitutional goy
ernment. that there should be occasio
in time of civil commoton, when th
public good imperatively requires the il
tervention of the military power for th
repression of disorders in the body pol
tic and for the punishment of offense
against the existinglaw of the countr
framed for the preservation of social o
der, but that the Intervention of tn
, power should be called for, or even SUI
gested by civil magistrates when the Law
are no longer silent, and civil magistrate
. are possessed, in their respective sphere
of all the powers necessary to give effe
| to the laws, excites the surprise of tt
: commander Of the Fifth Military Di
trict. t
J Gin his view it is of evil example ar
full of danger to the cause of freedom al
good government, that the exercise of Il
I military power, through military trib
nails, created for the trial of offens
against the civil law, should ever be pc
mitted when the ordinary powers of Il
: existing State Governments are amy