Newspaper Page Text
THE ATLANTAW EBKLY SUN, FOR THE WEEK ENDING AUGUST 14, 1872
THE ATLANTA SUN
The State Road Lens**.
THE ARTFUL DODOES AND TRICKS.
The shrewdness and artful dodging of
the Brown-Cameron-Delano-Kimball
Company, in their frantic efforts to re
A he Majority Report #■ the state Road | did not know. Honest man, as he is, he
i^u<~Ka. 4. | so said. Others who were there all the
time did understand it—did know—and
3
The first examination of Capt. White
was in January, 1872. He was called and
examined again on the 27th June.
He was examined now by General
Toombs, an able lawyer, and known to
is refreshing.
Knowing the weakness of their cause
they are misrepresenting the issue by
telling the people that it is “whether the
road should be leased or not.” This is
not the question. The real question is,
shall the State take their $25,000 per
tain possession of the State’s property, j be the feed counsel of the notorious
Seago-Blodgett company.
The attorney of the lessees was in his
office, about two hundred yards, or less,
from where this examination was held,
and was neither notified nor invited to
be present at this remarkable examina-
conth, when another company is offer- tion. The excuse for allowing this ex-
ing to give $34,500 per month?
I parte examination by an adverse attor-
ful, able men,” and Gen. 'A'oomos was a
citizen! The committee knew that Capt.
vV hite was not then a lessee. The com
mittee knew that none of these witnesses
were lawyers. The committee knew Gen.
ButJ sav these immaculate patriots, the j n0 y is that the witnesses—White, Holt
Seago’ Company tried to bribe Bnllnck an d Morrill—“were all lessees, ah skill
ed are only trying to get the Road as a able men,” and Gen. Toombs was «
(peculation, with a view to turn it back
tothe State if it does not pay. This
ji the sum of their charges against the
rival company. This is a dodge to di
vert public attention from the real issue. .Toombs, though a citizen, was also a law-
The charge of bribery is not sustain-per—an adroit, able lawyer, and the feed
attorney of the Seago-Blodgett company.
If an attorney were to attempt to read to
a jury testimony taken as this was before
an honorable judge, who was fairly ad
ministering justice, in any court in
Christendom, he would be fined or sent
to jail for contempt of coart, and ought
to be! No fair-minded man ought even
to consider it.
But the manner in which questions
were allowed to be put was in the most
palpable violation of the known rules of
evidence to ascertain truth. Let any
lawyer turn to page 251, and read the
first and nearly all the questions pro
pounded by Gen. Toombs. See how
adroitly the questions assume as certain,
that discrepancies existed between Capt.
White and others, and how the others
were clearly mistaken; and then ask Cap
tain White to confirm the assumption !
As another specimen, I ask any lawyer
to turn to page 2G0 and read a question
propounded by Judge Reese, and see
how industriously he seems to seek to
put in the mouth of the witness, by the
question, the answer he wants !
There is not a style of examination
deemed more reprehensible in all the
works on evidence than that so mani
festly pursued in this exparte examina
tion of Capt. White.
But this examination not only seeks to
put in the questions, the answer desired,
but carefully avoids putting any question
.vhich would have brought out the real
truth on the main point, as to who was
the outsiders alluded to, and for what
the expenses were incurred. By every
form of illegal question all the suspicions,
conjectures, and hearsays possible, are
td by the evidence; and no candid man
can read it without being convinced that
the Brown Company are only crying
“stop thief,” to divert attention from
the damaging facts of their own misdo
ings, and their true condition, as dis
closed by the evidence.
But suppose, for the sake of the argu
ment, that the opposing Company did
make a mistake in connecting Blodgett
with them ; what was their objeet? It
was to try to get the State about $120,-
ooo per annum more for the property
than the Brown Company was offering.
Can this be denied? Then, again, they
have kicked Blodgett out, which is more
than the Brown party have done with
men in their Company who are as bad as
Blodgett. What Georgian will say that
Simon Cameron, Jno. S. Delano and
Hannibal I. Kimball are any better than
Blodgett?
But, say these immaculate patriots, the
opposing Company intond to run the
road down, and then turn it back to the
State. Is it any more likely that such
en as John Collier, Moore & Marsh,
C. & B. F. Wyly, and the others, will
this thing than that the spotless gen-
lemen who compose the Brown Coinpa-
ij will do it ?
Already Capt. White, the best man ol
e Company, bos left it. Judge King
ills his convention of stockholders that
ey need not be scared; that they are
running any risk, for the Brown
mpany can turn the property back to
eBtate whenever it fails to pay. Gov.
rown may change his views abont the
iter, £8 he has with regard to Presi-
ut Grant, whom he helped nominate
d elect, and lias now gone back on.
ren Benj. H. Hill has been known to
ge his mind several times,
ow is it with Simon Cameron, of
'ennsylvania, and John S. Delano, of
rant’s cabinet? Will they bo likely to
on to a losing game? We would
;e to see the man who says they will.
Have Georgians more confidence in
men than in such men as John
illier and his associates, all good and
e men ?
seems to us that it is sufficient to
ce the Legislature to take this
iperty from the Brown Comnuny, to
a look at the men who compose it.
Hore you are. March out to the front
spotless patriots, and show your de
table visages. Let the people look at
u and then say to their representatives
[hether they are willing their property
1 remain in your hands!
IANN1BAL. 1. KIMBALL.
SIMON CAMERON.
JOHN S. DELANO.
JOSEPH E. BROWN
|These aro most prominent. These are
[menin the Brown Company; we
i nothing to say against them.
|As to Gov. Brown, it does seem to us
at Georgia has nearly paid her debt to
[She made him Governor four times,
somebody made him Chief Justice,
pw much he has made by these offices
1 the other good things which have
en thrown in his way, we cannot say,
|he is allowed to keep his present po
pon, let us see how'much Georgia will
for him. His salary, we learn, is
|),000 per annum. We think it a sm all
fimate to say that he will make $10,000
year out of his share in the lease—
I in twenty years, $100,000. A very
Mty little start for a poor man
now, we can’t seq how Georgia owes
n this sum, unless it is for the part he
Jk in fastening Grant on us. We think
are high for this service to
'State. Let us do a little figuring,
see what Georgia will pay the four
above 6eth forth, if the lease
tins os it is
j h E. Brown for 20ycars. $400,000
> Cameron for 20 years 200,000
1. Kimball 20 years 200,000
8- Delano for 20 years 200,000
Tot»l $1,000, 00
v, to some of these admirers of
men, this sum of money may seem
considering their distinguished
to the State; but there are some
foolish enough to prefer that this
should go towards paying the
>'s debts.
conclusion, it seems to ns, that the
question with the Legislature
dl>e, can this lease be taken from
men ? If it can, surely Georgians
t wish it to stay where it is.
Qtlemen of the Legislature, are you
g to allow Georgians to enrich
men ? If you are, you differ from
Manx Georgians.
host
W
is Courier-Journal says: “Horace
ley is no new convert to the doc-
i he is now advocating.” Certainly
He has been preaching the same
ines for the greater portion of half
atury. The “higher law” doctrine;
loctrine of the irrepressible conflict;
[‘abolition” doctrine; the “subjuga-
|of the South;” the humiliation of
outhem people; Enforcement and
•lux acts are some of his doctrines,
preached them persistently for
ui' 1 not one of them has he yet
iced.
r-—
[COHMUXICJLTXD.]
FatU.
I Editor—I have read with much interest, the
I to the present Legislature, of Hon. John
> Moore and Marsh and others. It is a dear
exposition of facta which none aeem
P‘..-overt. I believe the facts therein recited
Mwerable. A Tax-Pay**.
drawn out of Captai*. Mjhite abont
“money for outsiders,” abonr “unknown
outside expenses,” and about “owJDg
seats to thqs^ expenses;” and questions
us to whether that outsider was Bollock,
or whetheftlie expenses were incurred
in procuring the lease contract irom
Bullock—the very points in issue—seem
to be carefully avoided ! Captain White
had sworn previously, and over and over
repeated it, that he never even suspected
that Bnllock was the outsider, or that
the expenses were incurred in procuring
the lease from Builock; and the commit-
teo were compelled to know that Captain
White would say again that “Bullock
was not implicated m the slightest de
gree 1” Yet, upon this exparte testimony,
so illegally taken, the able Chairman of
the committee says he changed his ori
ginal “inclination to sustain the lease,
with some alteration.” See correspon
dence appended to testimony, page 4.
And so the report, in summing up the
evidence on this point, instead of sum
ming up both sides and all the evidence,
as every impartial judge is bound to do,
actually sums np almost exclusively this
exparte examination so illegally had.
All this is bad enough, but can it be
credible, when I add that this exparte
testimony, so extracted by an adverse at
torney, through illegal questions, is acU
ually mutilated in the report so as to
change its very character as evidence?
Let me give a few of many instances
Governor Brown had previously testified
that $40,000 of the first 650,000 ordered
to be raised, had been applied to pay
ment of cars bonght of the Ohio Fails
Company. The report represents Capt.
White as saying, “Ihe $40,000 paid by
Governor Brown on the Ohio Falls con
tract had nothing to do with this $50,-
000.” Report, page 10. As thus report
ed, the evidence is wnat lawyers know as
positive evidence, and makes a direct
conflict. Now, what did Captain White
Bay? Hear him:
“ Alter that he (Gov. Brown) made a
contract with them, (Ohio Falls Compa
ny) and on that contract paid $40,000,
which had nothing to do uith this $50,-
000, as I understood iL Page 257.
Question—“It (the $40,000) was not out
of the funds raised under that resolu
tion?” referring to the $50,000 resolution.
Answer—“If it was, I don’t so under^
stand it. I understood that it was from
the regular funds of the company.
don't know what Governor Brown did
with the$50,0')0.” Page 258.
Another ai: wer—“I don’t know how
the $40,000 ti nt Governor Brown paid
was raised. Vhether he had it in the
Treasury from the earnings of the road
or how he paid it, I cannot tell—I do not
know.” Pago 259.
Here are three distiuct answers, show
ing that the evidence was negative testi
mony—a very immaterial sort of testimo
ny ! Can “I do not know,” or “I did
not so understand you,” dispute the pos
itive statement of one who says, “I do
know,” “I do understadd it, and you
only misunderstood me ?”
Again: It is positively testified by sev
eral witnesses that the $50,000 ordered
by the first resolutions was for carrying
on the road. The other proposition had
been rejected, and myself who, the evi
dence shows, took the lead “bitterly” in
rejecting, actually at the same time of
fered the resolution to raise $50,000 for
legitimate purposes. On this point the
report represents Capt. White as spying,
“I cannot vwvx up two transactions.
The transaction of the $50,000 was not
for carrying on the road.” Report, page
11. ...
A.: thus reported, it 1< * very positive,
and makes a direct conflict with the very
author of the resolution and others.
Then what did Capt.White say? Hear
him:
“ I cannot mix up two transactions.
The tsansactioD of the $50,000 was no
Jot caiiying on the road. That is my n
did so testify.
Once again. Over and over again the
report represents Captain White as testi
fying that to these “outside obligations
the Lessees owed their seats,” and on
this wonderful discovery the report
closes with its remarkable peroration,
that this is a fact not an inference and
“points to the lease,” and “brings Gov
ernor Bullock lorward.”
Now, reader, turn to page 260 of the
evidence, and you will find this idea
thus reported, and the words “ pointing
tothe lease”—“producing the lease”—
I in the question of Judge Reese only, and
in this illegal form sought (seemingly) to
be put in the mouth of the witness. And
from this question, and not the answer,
the idea which makes the peroration to
the report is taken.
Here is the answer: “I can only re
member one remark that struck me at
the time. This statement was made by
Mr. Kimball, in urging the claim at the
time Governor Brown spoke, and lie first
made it in urging this claim, and while
the other wing was resisting it, and in
sisting that they would have nothing to
do with the transaction,Kimball said that
we owed our seats (as lessees) to these ob
ligations that they had incarred. But
what that amount was 1 don't know.” Six
times before, as I have shown in article
3, this witness stated these expenses did
not refer to procuring the lease, did not
“implicate Bullock in the slightest de
gree.” He thought they referred to lob
byists. He did not know. Captain
Wnite was not present daring the previ
ous negotiations when all this thing of
‘owing seals to outsiders” was fully ex
plained and discussed. In truth, there
fore, he did not know, and unexplam-d,
could not know what this reference by
Kimball ‘ * amounted to. * ’ He
knew it did not — could not — refer
to Bollock. Governor Brown openly
asked for money to pay expenses in
curred, or that might be incarred by Ms
wing, because, to make room for us, cer
tain friends who had aided them in
forming the company, bad been exclu
ded. Kimball urged this, and in the
previous negotiations, or in the meeting,
or in both, insisted that we (the Hill
wing) ought to agree to this, because to
this exelnsion, and the expenses thns
possibly made necessary for just recon
ciliation, we owed our seats. That is the
whole of this bugbear, and is ic not sin
gular thiB committee (four) should so
persistently insist on making an applica
tion of this testimony, so inconsistent
with all the positive evidence on the
point, and so in the teeth of Captain
White himself? maj explain it,
I will not venture thj^tteaipt. Never
theless, I insist, thejrarcsthonorable men,
and will take baok trbisinjustice, though
the taking back mar a whole report and
absolutely obliterate the entire perora
tion, root and branch.
I cannot delay to furnish other instan
ces of their remarkable, but as I now in
sist, only thoughtless mutilations.
No sooner had this evidence, derived
from the questions and not the answers
of this second exparte and illegal exami
nation, gotten out, than the saintly Sea-
gos were jubilant. “Bagging big thieves
now 1” “White told it all, but sold out
first.” “The others wouldn’t face him.”
‘We’ll get the road in thirty days 1”
were the bar roomblnsterings and street
jubilations of these touch-me-not bribers
cf Blodgett and Bullock, and which
brought me first tidings of the wonder
ful developments. But alas! how the
hopes of the wicked perish. ”
I know Captain WMte. He is my per
sonal friend and client. He is an hon
est man. Intentionally, or unintention-
tienally, I knew he had been entrapped
or misled, or was misrepresented. Hence
the correspondence at the end of the evi
dence.
derstanding.
page. Did
J may be wrong." Same
_ ever a lawyer in a justice
court so change the answers of a witness
from positive to negative testimony, and
not be sent to jail ? Capt. White came
m late. He did not understand it. He
and the lease was submitted to us, as far
as I know, nothing was ever done by the
member* of the company that led me to
think that any influence, unjust, im
proper or unrighteous, in any tcay, was
used in obtaining the lease. I was not a
party to any improper act or conduct,
nor do I know that anybody else ever
did anything wrong.”
Now, let every "honest, fair man read
the conclusion of this report of the ma
jority and answer me this question:
How is it possible to justify the
charge of unfairness and crime there
made with such plain and repeated state
ments by Captain White? Is not the
chargeintbe very teeth of the evidence?
Captain White is an honest, truthful
man. His impressions in several places
are wrong, but not on material points.
Ana all his mistaken impressions are
folly accounted for by simply remember
ing the fact that he did not arrive nntil
the 27th; did not know the real outside
expenses allnded to, and was left to infer,
and inferred they were lobbyists. But
he knew, by facts known to ns all, they
did not and could not refer to Bullock.
If any have thought to use Captain
Wnite, they have made a mistake. I ven
ture now, he will tell any man that my
statement of his evidence, is correct,and
that of the report is correct.
So, on Capt. White’s test mony aione,
the charge of unfairness in the lease
contract is f ally rebutted.
Now, add the positive testimony of
the other witnesses, and there are not
two more patriotic acts in all the history
of Georgia than the lease act and the
lease contract of the Western & Atlantic
Railroad.
There are some things in this report
too small to notice, perhaps they were
not intended. It seems to represent me
as having a private conversation with
Kimball, when it was the interview of
two committees. Its flinging at “in
tended contestants” are pardoned.
Better be interested than mutilate.
Its failure to allude to the Seago Com
pany’s open confession of bribing in or
der to get a speculative possession of the
road is very significant. The publica
tion of the report for circulation sepa
rate from the evidence—such a report—
is an incomprehensible accident.
I shall still behevo these are honorable
men, and as such will, in a manly way,
repair the wrong they have officially done.
One more article and I close.
Benj. H. Hill.
In response to our demand, Captain
White came before the Committee again
and distinctly repealed that Bullock was
not the outsider; that the expenses were
not incarred in procuring the lease; and
that neither the memt era of the Legisla
ture nor Bnllock were in the slightest de
gree implicated; that if his second ex
amination made a different impression,
it was not so intended, and that not being
a lawyer he may have used language in
cautiously, and the word “lease” impro
perly.
And then, that there might be no pos
sible mistake, he made several other an
swers, to some of wMch I call the atten
tion of the reader. Here was a legal
examination—all sides represented.
Question—“Do you now state that, as
far as you have any evidence or knowl
edge, that the contract for lease is fair ?”
Answer—“I have no evidence that the
contract of lease was otherwise than fair.
There is a distinction that I never drew
—a distinction, so I am informed by le
gal gentlemen. I am no lawyer myself.
I did not tMnk there was a distinction
between the lease and the lease contract.
In my testimony I have been testifying
as though the two were one.”
Question—(By General Toombs)—
“Have you any variation to make in
yonr testimony given at your last exam
ination ?”
Answer—“I have this explanation to
make: That my testimony appears to
allude to the lease—speaking of the lease
in general terms. I understand from
legal gentlemen that there is a difference
between the lease act and the lease con
tract. ■ I want to say this, that ranch of
my testimony, and, indeed almost the
entire portion of it has reference to
what was done prior to the lease con
tract.”
That is, as all his evidence shows, he
was referring to outsiders as lobbyists
and to the expenses in that way incur
red, and not to Governor Bnllock or to
expenses “in producing the lease from
Bollock.” And he expressly again says,
“If my (second) testimony varies from
the first testimony here published, it was
not my intention that it should.” And
n truth, when you take the testimony
from _the answers, without mutilation,
and as the witness intended, there is no
variation. But, if yon take the evidenoe
as the questions sought to put it in the
mouth of the witness there is a variation.
And then, as if to settle the question of
fairness in the lease contract—the only
question before this oommittee—Captain
WMte repeats this distinct answer to
the oft-repeated question o! General
Toombs:
“Question (By General Toombs)—Do
you wish to change a single matter of
fact yon swore to before ?”
Answer—“I do not, air. I was going
to remark that the lease act sometimes
and the lease contract are different things,
and I want to say that after I became a
member of the company, and earn* hen,
BOOK NOTICE.
A COMPENDIUM OF THE HISTORY OF THE
UNITED STATES—By Hon. Alexander H. Ste
phens, of Georgia. E. J. Hat.v. & Son, Publishers,
17 Murray Street, Now York.
The Chattanooga Times, of the 28th
olt., contains the following with refer-
erence to Mr. Stephen’s forthcoming his
torical work:
The above is the title of a book to he
issued this week, which is destined to
create a sensation. Its author is a states
man, who, having been identified with
the history of our country for nearly
two generations, orings to Ms task an
experience such as is possessed by few of
the writers of the age, and who treats
his subject in a manner at once fascina
ting and instructive. The book should
be in every school-room, and in every
library in the United States. It is the
History of the country, its unmaimed
body, and its pervading spirit; a Vade
Mecum to both student and states
man; a necessity to every one who
wishes to know what has been done, and
why it hasbeen done, by those who made,
and those who have administered the
government of these States, to every
school-room, that the young may learn
the true principles of the government
wMch was instituted by their forefathers
and grow up constituents worthy of good
representatives. So educate the young,
and there will be a reasonable prospect
of real reform in the administration of
their government.
The volume—12mo., 513 pages with
nnmerons illustrations—is beautifully
printed, and tastefully and strongly
bound. Price $1 50. If not to be had
at the local book stores, the publisher
will send it by mail, postpaid, on receipt
of the price.
A Compromise Suggested.
Editor Sun: On looking a little into the facts con
nected with the lease of tho Western & Atlantic
Railroad, it strikes me I can offer a compromise
that will satisfy all concerned.
It appears that some men seem to think Georgia
owes much to KIMBALL, CAMERON, DELANO,
SCOTT, BROWN, HILL, & CO.; why not DONATE
TO THEM ANNUALLY ONE HUNDRED THOU
SAND DOLLARS of the taxes of Georgians, and put
them on the “retiredlist,” and then let Judge Col
lier, A. C. & B. F. Wyly, Moore & Marsh, and their
associates, take the road at $438,000 a year, and thns
save to the State annually, and reduce taxes annu
ally, $38,000, which, with interest compounded
monthly, would amount m twenty years to a saying
to the State oi 51,000,000.
This would be a relief to every
Tax Payee.
Democratic Meeting in Waltan County.
In reepouse to the call made by a number of the
best citizens of Walton county, which was recently
published in The Sun, a large meeting of the peo
ple in the county, assembled in the Court House in
Monrof, on the Cth iost. The house was crowded,
and a thorough spirit of firm adherence to Demo
cratic princip:es was manifested by nearly Ml. There
are not many persons in the entire county who be
long to the Greeley Party. Mr. A. S. Florence de
livered a convincing and logical address. The follow
ing is an official copy of the proceedings:
Monkoi, Walton County, Ga., August 6,1872.
At a meeting of a portion of the eitizens of the
above named county, the following preamble and
resolution were adopted:
nunu.
Whereas, We, a portion of tho Democratic party,
of the eounty of Walton, do not consider that the
constituency of the late Baltimore Convention has
been faithfully »nd honestly represented in the re
cent action of the,eaid Convention, in that it ritified
the action of the Cincinnati Radical Convention and
adopted the Platform of said Convention, now
therefore.
Resolved, That we faithfully adhere to the time-
honored nsages and customs of the Great Nat iona
Democratic Party, and adopt the Democratic Plat-
forifi of ISCd.
Resolved, That we appoint three delegates with
their alternates, to meet wiui the State 4
Resolved further, That we meat cheerfully in
dorse the administration of our worthy Governor,
Jas. M. Smith.
Delegates—A. S. Florence, H. J. Williams, George
J. Hurst.
Resolved, That a copy of the proceeding* of this
meeting be sent to The Atlanta Sun and Walton
Journal for publication.
Bennett Robkxtsov,
H. J. Williams. Chairman.
Seeretary.
the Erase alone; The State Can do
no Better with t)ae Road, Even If It le
a Fraud.”
It is nrged by some who believe, and
even admit that the contract of the lease
of the State Road was fraodnlently award
ed, that it had better be let alone; that
it is in responsible hands who will pay
the rent promptly; that it is doing well
-is a sure thing; that we do not know that
it can be made to pay any more, &c.,
&c., and for these reasons it is unwise to
disturb it and run the risk of doing
worse.
There are two fallacies in this plea.
1. If there was fraud or unfairness in
awarding the contract of lease, it ought
not to be allowed to stand, let the conse
quences be what they may. No plea
can justify the sanctioning, or the letting
alone, of a fraud. We might jnst as
well sanction, consent to, and abide by
any other of Bollock’s frauds or wrong
doing. We could, with equal force and
justice, be called upon to sanction Ms
illegal and fraudulent issue of State
bonds to the Brunswick and Albany
Railroad, or the Cartersvilie and Van
Wert, or the Bainbridge, Cuthbert and
Colnmbus. These bonds will be re
pudiated, simply becanse their is
sue was fraudulent, no matter whether
the roads wert built or not. This is the
popular voice, and if there is any fraud
or unfairness in awarding the lease con
tract, it must be set aside, without stop
ping to consider whether we can do bet
ter or not. A sound public morality re
quires this. If the people of Georgia
can be brought to sanction and sustain
an established fraud, then indeed, have
they fallen from their high eBtate, and
are unworthy of the legaoy of honor
which their fathers bequeathed to them.
Did it ever occur to those who urge
this plea that in so doing they are de
fending public immorality and violating
every principle of public morals? The
proper plea to make is this: If the lease
is fair—if there is no fraud or wrong con
nected with it, let it stand, no matter
how mnch better we may know the State
could do with it. If it is not thus estab
lished upon principles of justice, wipe
it out without delay, and without regard
to consequences. ,
If tne men who now have the lease
have come by it honestly, they are hon-
astly entitled to it, and must retain it,
no matter how much more could now be
realized for it. This proposition ad
mitted, carries with it its corollary: if
their contract was not honestly and
justly awarded to them; if there was
any fraud, foul play or unfairness con
nected with it, then honesty and justice
demand that it be taken from them just
as soon as the fact is made clear.
Z. But supposo these questions of mo
rality were out of the way, and not to be
considered. How any one can conclude
that the State can do no better, in the
face of the fact that a company of as re-
sponible men as can be formed in Geor
gia, at that time offered $9,500 per month
more than the present lessees are giving
or then offered, and who were then able
and willing to give a good bond to the
State in the sum of Eight Millions of Dol
lars; and who are now ready and anx
ious to take the Road at the bid they
then made, and to give the security re
quired, is more than I can comprehend.
When such men as John Collier, A. C.
&B. F. Wyly, Inman, Swan & Co.,
Moore & Marsh, John R. Wallace, S. B.
Hoyt, U. B. Wilkinson, B. Pye & Son,
A. K. Seago & Co., and M. G. Dobbins,
say solemnly and deliberately over their
own signatures, that they are ready to
pay Nine Thousand Five Hundred Dol
lars per month into the State Treasury
more than the present lessees are paying,
and stand ready to give a perfectly good
bond, in the sum of Eight Mil
lions of Dollars to do so, and
farther, demand the same as a right to
which they are justly entitled, out of
wMch they were cheated by fraud and
unfairness; I say, when such are the facts,
ic is no sham or pretense. It means bu
siness. It is positive evidence that that
amount of money more than is now re
ceived, can be received by simply accept
ing it; and I cannot see how any one can
.be sincere, who says the State can do no
better than at present. It can do better;
and the fact is so plain that no one can
fail to recognize the fact.
The State is now receiving only $25,-
000 a month. It was, at the time of
leasing, offered, bona fide, by responsible
men, $34,500 per month. They were
cheated out of the contarct through fraud
and unfairness. These men thus wrong
ed by Bnllock, the great plunderer, still
claim the lease at their bid as a matter of
right, and thns are still offering to give
the $34,500 per month. They are able
to pay it out of their private purses, if
the road should fail to make it, and are
ready to give any security to do so.—
How then can any man have the face to
say the State can do no better than at
present ? No man can trathfnlly say it,
who understands the facts in the case.
And now I ask if it was right for Bul-
lock’s corrupt, jobbing Legislature to ac
cept of $35,000 for the Mitchell heirs
property, when Alfred Austell, S. B.
Hoyt and John Collier offered to give
the State $100,000 for a quit claim deed
to the same ? Was it right ?
And was it right for Bnllock to award
the lease for $25,000 a month when
$34,500 per month was offered by res
ponsible business men of integrity,
wealth and business capacity, who were
ready to secure the State on what was
offered by them? Was it right?
No; that contract was fraudulently
awarded for corrupt considerations—
snen at least is my conclusion. I cannot,
with the lights before me, come to any
other; and I cannot expect a man’s in
tegrity, who, if he knows the facts, says
the State can do no better than let the
present lease stand. It can do better
and the Legislature owes it to the people
to see that the best is done with the
property that can be, and especially to
vindicate our honor and administer a
just rebnke to fraud.
We might as well pay Henry Clews
his dishonest claims, as to let the present
ase stand. Snch is the opinion of
One of the People.
A GOOD PLACE TO EMIGRATE TO—NATUB4J,
ADVANTAGES — PROSPERITY — SOCIETY—
TRICE AND QUALITY OF LAND, BTC.
Waco, Texas, Aug. 1st, 1872.
Editors Atlanta Sun: Since my last let
ter, I have received many communica
tions, asking for more explicit informa
tion in regard to that portion of Texas
lying immediately around Waco. As
many of my correspondents are readers
of the Sun, and as many other readers
of the Sun may feel interested in the
same subject, I ask you to publish this
letter.
I invite the attention of the thousands
who are seeking homes in Western Texas
to the advantages offered by McLennan,
Bell and Bosque counties. * These coun
ties have more of the elements of pros
pective prosperity than any others in the
State. The facilities foi stock-raising
are unsurpassed. Horses, caulo, sheep
and hogs thrive admirably with no other
food than that supplied by the range.—
The climate is healthful, the winters
short and mild. Fruit of all Kinds has
done w 41 as far as its culture has been
attempted.
The population of MeLanuau oonnty
is abouc 20,000; of Bell, about 18,000,
and of Bosque, about 12,000, nearly
the wu-ile of whom are white.
The country is high and undulating.
About >ue-fourtu is wt-H timbered, and
the timber well distributed and of good
and useful qualities.
The soil is kme-stoue and black and
red saud loam, »ad produces abundantly
of wheaf, corn, cotton, rye, oats, barley,
sorghum and potato- s.
Each county is well watered by rivers
and many small streams, and the waters
abound in excellent varieties of fish, and
afford some of the finest water-powers in
America. Springs are numerous, some
of which are noted for their immense
volumes of water. Lime-stone, for
building purposes, abounds.
There are good Colleges in each of
these counties, and country schools in
every neighborhood. Fine churches of
all denominations, are convenient to all
sections.
^Improved lands are worth from five to
fifty dollars an acre, and unimproved,
from one to ten dollars, according to lo
cation.
Crops in ihis seetion were never better
than they are this year, and emigrants
can be supplied with all necessaries at
very low prices.
As an evidence of the good taste of
the people, I will state that many comes
of The Atlanta Sun reach this section.
The people accept it as the representa
tive advocate of Southern Democratic
principles. E. J. W.
The Eufaula Timee has heard one _i
assert tnat the caterpillar had mined
him; that they had eaten np his entire
cotton crop and were now disposing of
his gin house. He has some hopes, how
ever, of saving the saws of his cotton
gin, and also two large cast iron sugar
kettles in the vicinity of his gin house.
Others contend the grass worm and cat
erpillar are the same thing. After they
finish the grass, they go 1 or ihe coiton.
Meeting of Tra* Democrats LastiVlMit.
AvUfy Large ami Hlgiily Enthilalm
Aitcmbluga;
Earnest Democratic Speeches.
Resolutions Adopted in Uf position to
Gramt and Greeley.
Fulton County Democratic Cluo Organ
ized.
Meeting Appointed for Vo- night.
The meeting of True Democrats last evening, at
James’ Hall, was attended in large numbers by
many citizens of this county and the city, and by
friends from other parts of the State.
The meeting was called to order by Col. Alex. M.
Wallace, who stated that the object was to perfect
tlxe organization of the Fulton county Democratic
Club, which wis so auspiciously begun at tho meet
ing on Thursday night last. With this view, papers
were circulated among tho assemblage to obtain the
names of persons who dssired to join.
The paper was circulated aud signed numerously.
Col. Wallace stated, for the benefit of straugors, and
in response to an inquiry, that the object of the
organization was the maintainanco of Demo
cratic principles, (applause,) to have an organ
ized opposition to Greeley and Grant; (applause,)
to express their disapproval of tho action of the
Baltimore Convention, which, instead of nominat
ing a true Democrat, had nominated and indorsed
the worst Radical of the ring, on a Radical platform;
(loud appl&UBe) and to do the best they could in up-
hoIdingDemocratic principles.
As for himself, he would vote for a third man, if
he was a true Democrat, (applanse), but if there was
no third candidate in the field ho would not vote for
Greeley or Grant either, if he were the only man in
the United States, who opposed them. (Prolonged
applause.) •
On motion of Colonel Thomas F. Lowe, tho fol
lowing committee on permanent organization was
appointed: Colonel Thos. F. Lowe, Colonel W. H.
Weems, J. A. Anderson, Esq., Capt. John A. Steph
ens and Dr. R. M. Rose.
While the Committee were deliberating, the com
mittee in constitution submitted their report of a
constitution and by-laws, which was adopted unani
mously.
The Committee cn Organization then submitted
the following named gentlemen for permanent offi
cers: President—Dr. J. F. Alexander; First Yioe
President, Alexander M. Wallaco; Second Vice Presi
dent, W. H. Weems; Third Vice President, P. L.
Mynatt;Fourth Vice President, John A. Stephens;
Fifth Vice President, H. K. Shackleford; Secretary
and Treasurer, W. M. Bray.
Dr. Alexander, upon taking the Chair, stated the
from appearances he was in hopes that the name of
Democracy, which had been so recently,, abused,
would be again revived. [Applause.] A er
the action of the Baltimore Convention, ok
being a Liberal Republican, he had
termined not to participate in politics;
but seeing there was life in the old land yet, he had
come with a willing heart and ready A hand to the
support and maintenance of the true principles of
Democracy. (Applause.)
Colonel Alexander M. Wallace then introduced tbs
following resolutions, which were adopted:
Resolved, That we, as Democrats, organized and
known as the “Democratic Club of Fulton County,’*
are unalterably opposed to both, Horace Greeley
and U. S. Grant, for President.
Resolved, That we do hereby ’indorse the honest
and efficient administration of Governor James H.
Smith.
By this time the hall was crowded, almost every
chair being occupied, and large numbers of persona
standing. Col. James L. Seward was called upon
and was presented to the audience amid loud ap
plause. He was followed by Mr. A. S. Atkinson of
Cobb county, and Colonel W. H. Weems of this city,
all of whom spoke most zealously, eloquently and
earnestly invoked unwavering devotion and adhe
rence to the manhood of the country, to the true
principles of Democracy, to the rights of the people,
and the principles for which our soldiers had *~ught, :
bled and died.
All the speeches were reoeiv-d amid tremendou
enthusiasm, every sentiment eo-^ianatory of
Grant or Greeley, and tbeir a. .uZ^ZU record
and professions, being received amid tremendous
huzzas and prolonged applause.
It was emphatically the most enthusiastic Demo
cratic meeting that has been held in this county tor
years. £
To-morrow we hope to give abriefioftheelooi^^
speeches of the gentlemen who kiniU Vfias been
the meeting. -..alitv of the
The Club will meet this evenin'*
transaction of business* •*