New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-07-27
GENERAL HANCOCK As 4 STATESMAy.

WIN Sucn poor BucOcSS luaL HldlJ Vi luCli
are already abandoning it and falling back on
the more prudent policy of making the most
of his military record, and forgetting that he
ever tried to play part in politics. Taken
by itself the order sounds well enough. 1t
contains some fine phrases about the right of
trial by jury, the habeas corpus and the lib
ery of the press Taken in connection with
the circumstances under which it was issued,
however, it was an open defiance OF the Re
construction acts of Congress, which General
Hancock was bound to enforce, and bid for
the Democratic Presidential nomination in
1868 The civil law. which Hancock
glorifed in his order, had not been
fully restored in the South in 1867.
The communities lately conquered by the ma
tionaI armies were in a transition period be-
tween war and peace, and were in process OF
being reconstructed into self-governing States
by special acts of Congress. During this pc
rod and pending the working out of this pro-
cess they were placed under military control.
1t was the duty of General Hancock, as a mill
tary officer put in command of a portion of
the territory recently in rebellion, faith
fully to carry out the will of Congress, one of
whose acts enjoined upon him to protect all
"persons in their rights Of person and prop
"erty; suppress insurrecton, disorder and
" violence, and punish all dIsturbers of the
"pubIic peace, and criminals" To these ends
he was directed to use the military forces
under his command.
Instead of faithfully executing the laws of
Congress he proceeded to assure the people of
his department that he should not interfere
with the quasi civil authorities they had
set up themselves, and he delivered to
them homily on the subOrdinatiOn
of the military to the civil power, which had
the effect of encouraging them to despise and
resist the Reconstruction acts. He asserted
that law and order prevailed in the territory
under his control. This was pure assumption.
| He arrived in New-Oreans late in November,
1867, and on the 29th of the same month
issued his Order No. 40. in which he said he
was gratifed to learn that "peace and quiet
"reign in this department" From whom did
he get this infOrmatlon7 Probably from the
Democratic politicians in New-Orleans. Ger
tainIy not from his subordinate officers, for
| he did not wait tor their reports. Texas was
| in his department. What sort of peace and
quiet prevailed there may be learned from
the report of Major-General j. j. Reynolds
made to General Grant for the year begin
ming September 30, 1867. Here are a few
extracts from that report:
Armsd organizations, generally known KnKlux
Klans. existed in concert with other armed bands In
many of the State The precise object OF the
CARNATIONS In this State to be to d5arm rob- and
| In many cases murder Union and negroes and
occasion may Offer murder United States officers and
soldiers. The civil law east OF the Trinity River
Is almost dead letter In some OF the counties the
| civ re- a them,
| Khan. They (the Klan) attend In large bodies
the political meetings under auspices OF the Demo
cratic cubs In several counties have
been indicated by name from the speakers stand as
| those selected for murder. The murder OF
groes to render 1t impossible to keep
| accurate account OF them Free speech and
free press as generally understood, have
never existed in Texas. To restore measurable
peace quiet in Texas will require that be
! TONED many county seats, until the
civil law be placed la the hands OF reliable officers
and executed This Will be the work of years.
| Louisiana was in General Hancock's depart
ment. In the annual report of the Freed
mems Bureau, dated November 1, 1857,
| General o. o. Howard said:
The complaints Of freedmen against tire whites. so
common throughout the South. unusually frequent
in louisiana Murders and ourages OF the most revolt
ing description have been perpetrated upon the
people In some sections almost with impunity Gen
orally the State officers and tribunals in the rural dis
permit criminals 10 escape. openly thon.
A year later General Howard thus described
| the condition of affairs in louisiana
In some sections the OF the coored people
has been deplorable. Outrages aud crimes Of every
description have been perpetrated upon them with
| punity. . Many OF the local magistrates have
connived the escape Of offenders, while some have
even participated IN the outrages. . Ku-Klux
Klans disguised by night have burned the DWELLINGS, and
sned The blood OF unoendng freedmen In many cases
OF brutal murder brought before the civil authorities
verdcts OF jusnabe homicide In self-efence have been
rendered.
The course pursued by the civil authorities
in Louisiana toward the reconstruction laws
was thus described by General Sheridan in
the report he made to General Grant on being
relieved of the command of the department
by General Hancock:
/ found, upon animation in the two States, that
nearly every civil functi0nary, from the Governor
down, had been soldiers aiders ahetors in the
Rebe lion aud that nearly all c-ses they had been
elected Confederate grounds solely for services rem
in their attempts 10 destroy the General Govern
nent. In fact, many. not all, had advertised when
they were candidates their this respect as
meritorous appeal for votes. IL Ia scarcely nee
essay that from this condition Of affairs nearly
every evil officer within my command was eisher
openly secretly opposed TO the law and to myself
the authority held responsible for its faithful execu.
ton.
To such civil authorities as these, elected as
| a reward for their participation in the Rebel
lion, and pledged TO resist the operations of
the Reconstruction laws, General Hancock
made haste to subordinate the power he was
! directed by Congress to employ to maintain