Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-08-26
General Hancock and order NO. 40.


The fame of General Hancock as a
| soldier is secure. Now and then, it is
true, some Republican pole-cat exer-
| cises its powers of proclamation, hut with
out avail. In the list of the world s
great Captains, the name of Hancock
| will be forever illustrious. Whether in
camp, on the march, or in the fierce
shock of battle, he was always the same
sef-pOised, self-sustained man. No
matter what the ordeal, he met and
passed it with a courage that COM
manded the applause of all who were
capable of approaching valor. "Napo-
leon at the passage of Lodi, at Arcola,
when he stood with the standard in his
hand midst a tempest of balls and grape
shot, and at Wagram, where he rode on
his white steed before his shiverng
lines" did not show more dauntless
courage than Hancock in battles in
which he led the armies of the Union to
victory. 1t is easy to underrate mill
tary genius, to assign it low rank
| when classifying the elements of true
greatness. 1t is easy to assume that a
great soldier is only a great soldier, and
that his highest enjoyments are in camp
or in battle, surrounded with carnage.
General Hancock does not belong to that
| class. He is not more a soldier than he
is civilian. If he has studied thor
oughly the science of war, he has mas
tered as completely the Constitution
and the science of civil government,
and hence his triumphs in defending
the rights of the people with his
pen have been as grand as
his triumphs when at Gettys-
burg, in the Wilderness and on other
battle-felds he contended for the
rights of the people with his sword.
His fame as a statesman is as bright as
his fame as soldier. Indeed, the les
sons to be drawn from his triumphs in
New Orleans will shine with fadeless
luster when wars and rumors of wars
shall cease to disturb the Nations of the
earth. Nothing can be of more i'm
portance to the American people than
to have perfect knowledge of General
HancOck's triumphs of craftsmanship
in Louisiana. The Constitution declares
that:
"The privilege of the writ of habeas
corpus shall not be suspended, unless
when in cases of rebellion or invasion
the public safety may require it.
1.-THE trial of all crimes, except in
cases of impeachment, shall be by jury.
Congress shall make no law abr1dg-
ing the freedom of speech or of the
press"
Such is the language of the Constitu-
tion--guaranteeing to the people of the
United States their liberties General
Hancock, as military commander, was
clothed with almost absolute power.
The supreme moment had arrived to
test his patriotism, his craftsmanship
and his loyalty to the Constitution of
his country. Two sovereign States
were under his military heel. if he SO
elected. The lives, property and lib
erty of thousands of his fellow citizens
were at his mercy. If he faltered, he
fell. If he thirsted for power the
tempting cup was within his reach, brim-
full. Under such circumstances he
issued the famous order, No. 10, as fol-
lows:
General Orders No 40.1
HEADQR'TERs FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
l. In accordance with general orders No. 81,
Headauarters of the Army, Adjutant Gener-
Major General W s. Hancock hereby assumes
command of the Fifth Military DISTRICT, and OF
the ;n ne aIlu r. e.s: 800 or .hs
learn that peace and quiet reign in this De-
partment. 1t will be his purpose to preserve
this condition of things. As means to this
great end he regards the maintenance of the
civil authorities in the faithful execution of
the laws as the most efficient under existing
circumstances
In war it is indispensable to repel force by
force, and overthrow and destroy opposition
to lawful authority. But when Instruction
airy force has been overthrow and peace es-
tablished, and the civil authorities are ready
and willing to perform their duties, the mill
tary power should cease to lead. and the civil
administration resume its natural and right
full d ominon. Solemnly impressed with these
views, the General announces that the great
principles of American liberty are still the law
ful inheritance of this people, and ever should
re- re- Ins r,g f -, OF .a tyJ9 ne haeeas corpus
natural rights Of persons, and the rights of prop
erfH must be pres }Jred
Free institutions. while they essential to
the prosperity and happiness of the people, al
ways furnish the strongest Inducements to
mitted in this District must be referred to the !
consideration and judgment of the regular |
civil tribunals. and those tribnn Ills will be sup
ported i'm their lawful jurisdiction.
Should there be violations of existing laws |!
which are not inquired into by the civil magis- |
trates, or should failures in the administration |
of justice by the Courts be complained of, the |
eases will be reported to these head quarters, |
when such orders will be made as may be |
While the General thus indicates his pur-
pose to respect the liberties of the people. he |
wishes all to understand that armed insurrec-
ton or forcible resistance to the law will be |
instantly suppressed by arms
BY command of
MAJoR-GENERAL w. s. HANCOCK
Every subsequent order issued by !
General Hancock, while in command of |
Louisiana and Texas, breathed the
same spirit that has made Order No. 40 |
famous, and for this fidelity to the Con-
stituton the Republican party sought
to disgrace him, and did finally remove
him. Such triumphs enraged the Re-
publican party. They gave the people
their constitutional rights; they were
exhibitions not only of exalted patriot
ism, but of the highest order of states
They are worthy of the study
of the American people:-Indiaraa State
Sentinel.
- The New York Evening Post
thinks the Democrats would be no i'm
plovement upon the Republicans in the
civil-service because they have been
twenty years out of office and are
hungry. The beauty of this argument
is that like rum it grows stronger by
I aaninO SuppnSiOr tho Ropuhlioon,