Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-07-09
OLYMPIA. WASHINGTON TER.
FRIDAY, JULY 8, 1880.
A Fair Fight and no Favor.

A Fair Fight and no Favor.
I, is fortunate circumstance that
the issues which divide the two great
parties will be more clearly defined
in the present canvass than they
have ever been since the close of the
war. And there is an irrepresalble
reason for it: the record of Gen.
Hancock is impregnable, even from
the most ultra position. There is no
doubt, in the mind of anybody, but
that the heroic deeds of the gallant
commander on the field of bat
tie, were directed by heart which
beat in unison with that of the nation,
and this removes one of the most
potent weapons used by the Repub-
leans since the rebellion. While
many citizens would gladly have
welcomed change in the Admins
tration, a lingering fear, aroused by
the systematic accounts of Southern
outrages, has impelled them to" bear
those ills we have, rather than to fly to
those we know not Of" Popular
sentiment cannot be longer swayed
by such appeals to passion or preju-
l,nn ,,,.l Al, xr,lI
test down to fair vote on the real
points of difference between the two
parties.
What is this difference Obviously
a tendency to central despotism, OPP
posed by the truly Democratic idea of
popular sovereignty. All other is
sues ale dwarfed by the importance
OF this great principle, which an over
ruling providence seems to have
decreed should be settled now on
its own merits and the decision
made a finally.
The letter written by Gen. Han
cock while in command of the Fifth
Military District with headquarters
at New Orleans, to Gov. Pease of
Texas, is not only plain statesman
like exposition of this principle, but,
adopted as his rule of action, indi-
Gates that it was something more
than a mere profession of belief.
Gov. Pease held his commission
from abe Federal Government, and
i'll utter disregard OF the popular
will, demanded of the military COM
mauder subsection of the State to
despotic power. Gen. Hancock re-
piled that it was not part of the duty
Ot the army to interfere with the
civil authorities and that he would
su-tain them in their efforts to pre-
serve the peace and uphold the laws.
President johnson commended this
action in special message to Con-
gress, in these words:
"When a great $ ldier with unrestricted
power IN his hands to suppress his fellow
man Voluntarily forgoes the chance of
sratI!inL his selfish ambition, and de-
votes himself to the duty of building up
tHe i!b'ilie> aud strengthening the laws
OF the country he presents an example OF
the highest public virtue that human ma
lure Is GA able ot pfdCllclnS. The strong
tsl Claim OF a>ilng.on to he first in
war, irSt III peace ANA first in the hearts
al LIS Cpui!trNincn, i founded on the
great fact that IN al! his illu,trluus career
DE sciuiulUCS.y ah>talucd from violating
4he legal ANA tae Constitutional rights OF
ms /, llun-r!tzrns. " hen hc surrendered
h.s ruiI.iIi!>s! II L. Congress the Preside nj
Oi ls.at body sIrhe lis highest praise in
sdNLu1 thtl n Ii.I ALWAYS regarded tAr
rights OF the ii, II authorities through al
Dangers and DISASTERS. Whenever power
Gb'N-. lac law cuurtcd his acceptance. he
Ias,.,., Jut tuc temptation aside by such
nih Unanimous acts ~ inrbearancc, that he
VII the universal admiration OF man
KIND, ana let a name Inch has no rival
sn the history %! the world"
the question thus presented to a
Republican Congress did not wait
]ons for solution The President
was impeached, Gen. Hancock
transferred to TIE North and Gen.
Sheridan p!a ced Ill command of the
Fifth Department, under whom mil.