The Weekly sun. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1870-1872, May 27, 1873, Image 1

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the ATLANTA SUN DAILY ANDrWCkKLY. thk sfn publishing co. Hon. A .H. STEPHENS POLITICAL EDITOR. JUB. PTBPHER* AND 1118 AStAILANTN O.ICK MURK. In another column we give-our readers to-day two communications recently published in the Macon (Ga.) Telegraph and Messenger, in which “Mr. Stephens” is brought prominently before the public. In the first he is fiercely assailed, while in the latter he is boldly and ably defended. With the accusations and the reply we might well leave the argu ment, so far as his Democracy is con cerned. But we are not disposed to let one signing himself “Georgian” pass, by closing his mouth upon that issue. By what authority does lie indolently assume to characterize “Mr. Stephen’s” as “Sir Oracle A. U. S. of The Atlanta Sun ?” When did “Mr. Stephens” ever proclaim that “Governor Smith did wrong in not granting a pardon to Miss Eberhurt,” “because A. II. S. thinks so?” When did he ever speak or write in any such “oracular” tone? Wus it merely in saying in response to enquiries growing out of inferences from an editor'al in The Sun which he did not write, that he individually did not approve of the refusal of the Governor to grant a pardon to Miss Eberhart, but thought hers a case eminently commending itself to Ex ecutive clemency ? Is “Mr. Stephens" to bo charged with setting himseh up as “Sir Oracle ’ for barely giving his individual opinion, to prevent an erroneous construction which might have been drawn from his silence, under the circumstances, upon a matte’* then exciting no small degree of interest in the State? Is “Mr. Stephens” to be silent., and thereby subject himself to erroneous infer ences us tc his opinions upon an\ subject in order to avoid the ridk o! being arraignea before the public on the charge of setting himself up in the <li< tutorial character of “Sii Oracle?” This seems to be the posi tion of one who signs himself “Geor gian,” and we submit to all intelli gent. Georgians whether he 01 “Mr. Stephens" has exhibited more of the spirit of a would-be “Sir Oracle,’ either in this matter or that relating to Gen. Grant “Mr. Stephens” has his opinions of Gen. Grant Some of these he ha;- givn to the public. He does not believe him to be either weak in in tellect. or dishonest in money mat ters. If lie bus thus spoken in ad monitory strains to his brethren of the Democratic Press, warning them against niakiug personal attacks upon Gen. Grant's capacity and financial honesty, and attempts to bring him in disrepute before the Peoples ot the United States by ridi culing his oratory or his “speech- making.” etc., it has been from his firm conviction that all such assaults will bill react, rebound, and “recoil,” as likc assaults did upon tne “gram mar” and “rhetoric” of Gen. Jackson. Moreover, what “Mr. Stephens" has -aid or written upon this subject or any other, lias not been from auv spirit of dictation. It has been and is, for the calm reflection and mature judgment of all those who are look ing in all present political contests soleiy to the restoration and perpet uation of good government under the p*aceful instrumentalities of the Constitution. This can only be sure ly done, in his opinion, by the stead fast maintenance of the foundation principles of the government, and a strict adherence to the truth in all things, whether it relates to the per son 01 acts of Gen. Grant or any other public officer. “Fiat Justitia mat coelnmlet jus'ice be done whatever be the con sequences. Justice is what we at the Soutli now want. He who would have justice, should himself be just All that “ Mr. Stephens ” has asked of lus Democratic brethren in rela-| tion toGeu. Grant, is simply to ab stain Irom unjust assaults upon him, and e jiecially from attacks either upon him personally, oi upon acts of his ail ministration which cannot successfully assailed. When tlie writer who sigus himself THE WEEKLY SUN. VOL.IY.NO. II ATLANTA. GA., TUESDAY, MAY 27. M73. W H O L * 5 C If B E bOUO GOVERNOR JAMES M. SMITH. We present above an excellent likeness ot His Excellency, James Mit-ton Smith, Go-Terror of Georgia, Governor Smith was born in Twigps com t>, Georgia, oi « gouo lioh, 1 n m n odnKte tiri iimstaLot t— 1 is ti ll ei being a elirg y man ot the Methodist Episcopal Church. When about 14 years of age the lam h <f Govuuoi Sruiti jemovei toCn onr, Me Lire county, wh, jt \i ui g bmitb received inch an education as country schools afforded in thes-e days. He was a close -indent, was «ccusn n.i J to studying t-t l ; gl t ly pi e knoi file-, aid s\as < ngi gtd in manual labor when not at school. At tho village in whicu he liv#<1 was a debating school, of wl ieh 1 e was a rr.iir.Kr. and so niarktd wtrt 1 is powers ot debate that 6eveial gentlemen advised him to study law, which he subscqnet.ily d:d in il < lew < fl«« f t f Let j i id T L< yi i, l ev of Gr ffir, aid at'er Ins i.i mission to the bar he soon became a successful lawyer. Some years before the wai Mr. Mnith removed to Upson county, vLers fie scop became rtgaidfd as cue ol ifie ab'est lawyers in the fourth circuit. Being nominated for Congresss, although the district was largi’y V hip, y ct the D> mu latic ticl et 1; eked but a few voles of berg elected—the successful candi date being Judge Trippe. Mr. Smith was opposed to secession, yet when his State withdrew fre m the Union, though Le was wiibout military trainin'-, he entered the army, and was chosen Major of the gallant 13th Georgia. He was wounded in the battles mound It'd mend. I ut returned to the army usmn as he recovered. On the death of the Coio- nel anil Lieutenant Colonel, Major Smitd was appointed Colonel of his repidx-nt, which lie continued lo command until ccmpelled to retire by wounds from which he has never entirely recovered. Colonel Smith’s regi.oeut belonged to Jackscn’s corps aLd to Gordon’s brigade. His military record was one of which he might well be proud. On his retirement from the army he was sent to the Confederate Congress—in 18 13—succeeding bis old-time oppenent, Judge Trippe, who was not a candidate for re-election. After the war Col. Smith formed a law partnership with Col. P. W. Alexander, and opened e law etfice in Columbus, where a lucrative practice was soon built yp. Iu 1871, much against his will, Col. Smith was electeo to the State Legislature, of which body j>e was elected Speaker, and subsequently GoV.rnor, to £11 the va cancy caused by the iligbt of Bullocx. Iu 1872, he was elected Governor for the regular term of four years, o^-er Hon. Dawson A. Walker, by one of the larges’ majorities ever given in a State election. Governor Smith is a little past 43 v e.iT&. He presents a tine personal appeanuce. His manners are modest, end his integrity nnqui stioned. The likeness pre sented above is lite-like, and pr: sents Governor Smith as near as it is possible to be done on paper. some ground for his naked, bald, reckless assertion that A. II. S. “ has settled it; bayonet rule is right and the people have no voice in the selec tion of tnose who are to bear rule ever them. Long live A. II. S.!” This as sertion as made is something far be yond a bare “Sire Oracle” exhibition. We have no disposition to give it its proper characterization. “ Mr. Stephens” stands upon the truth of his utterances. This he has done in the past and will con tinue to do in the future, whether he liv. long or die soon. A. H. S. dent. Iu this, as in all matters, we HOW SHOUUU BK PA1D * are for dealing justly by General Grant. We are not for condemning A curious question of the r'ghts and powers of railroads has arisen iu Maryland. A company hav ing abandoned a part of their line, a miner, situated on the abandoned part,has brought suit for a mandamus GHAVI'H FRUCL.fin.VnOX LOUISIANA AFFAIRS. Since sending to the press our ar ticle eutitled “Mr. Stephens and his rssailants once more,” we have seen for the first time the proclamation of General Grant iu relation to the state of things in Louisiana, which re j a .; was publish'.d in The Sun on Fri day last. We have also seen this proclamation headed iu one of onr Democratic exchanges with these epithets : “ A shame and disgrace to he ' the country — Grant sustains the usurpers with the army and navy." Jv'ow as germane to wnat we said Judge Slrozier, at a recent session of Bainbridge Superior Court, iu his him or any man without a hearing | charge to the Grand Jury, used the He has not proclaimed his intention j following: “ The taxes of the State to sustain usurpers of auy class, but ate raised for revenue, and the idea to sustain the judicial decision of the j of taxing the people for jury pur- to compel the company to relay the courts, and with these to sustain | poses, etc., '8 an innovation upon track. This is under a statute of those authorities in the State govern-' former usage and is an expense to ^ 1SG4, which gives any person ag- meut who have been duly declared the county by taxation which I do j grieved by a transportation company not think legitimate, and as a substi- ( incorporated under the law of tute and upon the principle of right i Maryland a right to remedy in and justice the parties who use j equity. The railroad company denied juries should be compelled to pay j jurisdiction, but this was overruled, them and not be charged to the pub-1 It now remains to be seen what will lie, who have no interest in the civil be the judgment of the court on the matter? of issue between the parties, j merits of the case. Parties who use the county officers, such as clerks ana sheriffs, and who require extra services of those Offi cers other than their regular duties, to he clothed with rightful anthority therein hi the Stale Courts—Inferior as well as Supreme. This is his state ment of the case. We have not seen the decisions to which he refers. Neither have we any disposition or inclination to prejudge the case, and just as little to pronounce without evidence who are the usurpers in Lou isiana. Most assunledly Gen. Grant cannot be justly charged with usur pation iu executing tne mandates of the courts, either Federal or State, under the acts of Congress of 1S05. We, therefore, repeat what we said and for which no compensation is allowed, should be taxed with the cos the Jrif'’ The colored people in their recent Cooper institute meeting had warm words for Charles Sumner, and not one word for Horace Greeley, who, as the Springfield Republican fm* tfc* Umiiaik Rivi. »«i>(Uiag A boat Al«x. H.SUphcw' Although Mr. Stephens was Vic© Pres ident of the Confederate States, and, for his reason, as well as because he has lately been called an extreme “Bourbon,” being ooDsidefed, indeed, the very bead tnd front of the “Bonrbon party;” and lonseqaently looked npou with suspicion and dislike by the body of the Northern people, yet be will probably exert more influence in Congress than auy man whom we have selected, or could select to rep resent ns in that body. One oi the ^hief reasons for this is to ~e found in the fact that Mr. Stephens 'akes pairs to impress himself, person- ■lly, upon every one with whom neoo joe* in contact. He does not consider it be neath him to converse, earnestly, with al- moc-t every character that he encounters. People in humble ftation naturally feel flattered at such notice from one who has made such a name aa that of Mr. Ste- phers. Indeed, there are very few peo ple in this whole country who would not ’eel comphmeuted by attention from Mr. Stephens, and in this lies a great secret of his power, of which his course show? hat he is aware, 1 w»s one ol a party of three or font hat happened to gather at onr states man’s house in Richmond oue evening during the late war, none of us having ever been knoyn to “ set a river on fire;” out, nevertheless, he conversed with nc atarly the whole night, interestingly, impressively. So far from appearing an aoyed at our long visit, he seemed to en joy talking to us as much as we did list- -mng to him; and we almost felt as if, somehow, we were made participants in the great matters and measures, concern ing which he discoursed so eloquently. It is thus with him in his intercourse with his law students. It is the case in his conversations with newspaper re- E orters. He beats every one with po- tenees. He does not, wantonly, wound any person’s self-love. What a differ ence, in this respect, between him and that erratic, thoagh brilliant genius General Toombs. Mr. Stephens can be bitter enough, God knows; and he used frequently to be so, but never without what he considered sufficient cause; while General Toombs is often repeilant and insolent, for no othei reason on earth but that he happens to be “*i tne vein.” Such a man as Mr. Stephens, then, while he will be, perhaps, somewhat dreaded as a debater in the halls ot Con gress, yet will, by foice of his concilia tory manners, added to his ability, have great weight in the counsels of the na tion. If Gov. Hern'll el V. Johnson were in Congress at ti.is tim■■, probably disgusted at the degeueraey, ihe corrup tion, the rottenness, that pervade the at mosphere of Washington, he wealds himself up, like an oyster in his s'.ell, wrap himself in a thick nide. lit- i b car maintaining nn imi enetiable res'rve,' like the former, or grovvLng anc rending’ like the latter—in either ca-eaeeompljsn- iog but little good. Mr. StepLens will mingle freely with the Congressional mob, and, though lie will prove an un compromising foo :c corruption, he will notmanifist such overwhelming con tempt for the corrupted as will deprive him of ah influence o^er them, out will manage so as to have much to do with moulding tlitir opinions. In speaking ot Governor Johnson, ae contrasted witn Mr. Stephens, I am re minded of what I once heard an “Irish exile” say ot the two men. It was a cer- ain “Captain Coglaud," who reported himself as having been compelled to leave bis native country, in company with Mitchell and Meagher. As be told me that Le had come through Washing ton, and had been introduced to onr dis tinguished members of Congress, I asked him what he thought of Governor John- C. MSI “1 don’t know what to think - of him,” was the reply. “He did not afford me any means of judging. He presented no salient points.” Now, cannot every one, who knows H V. Johnson’s peculiarities, readily im agine what must have been bis manner toward one whom he regarded as an ob scure adventurer ? * “Well, what of Mr. Stephens ?” was my next inquiry. “Ah !” exclaimed the Hibernian, brightening up, “he’s a splen did man ! He made axi impression on me that can never be effaced.” Does not everyone, who is acquainted with Mr. Stephens, believe that he treated this captain as he would any other captain, even if it- were “Captain Coet’gan” him self, of “me daughter” notoriety—with distinguisaed politeness and considera tion ? Who doubts that Sir. Stephens pa’d the foreigner the compliment of con sidering him worth talking to, and worth impressing ? The fact is, our distinguished repre sentative Las always been ambitions of living in history, of leaving a world-wide reputation, and this is one reason why he is courteous to all with whom he meets. Of course, though, he has o'her motives. He is by nature polite, kind, and to my certain knowledge, benevolent. Befides, although he may frequently be annoyed and bored by dull, common-place people, yet, in the course of bis life, he has ac quired a vast iund of information by thoughtful conversation with all sorts of persons. Still another reason may bi mentioned why he may regain a good part of his old pr< stige and influence. It is known to the Northern people that, iu spite of hio late position, he opposed the policy of secession, and that daring the strug gle which followed the withdrawal of the South, he made several attempts at ne gotiation with the North, when to do so exposed him to unpopularity, if not odium. Other and better reasons can be assigned, but this article is already long enough. In view of those already ad duced, who would be astonished it see ing Alexander H. Stephens once more remarks, “ did most toward creatine: i occupying the position of a leader in ... __ , • , • , , ; Congress of the United States of Ar t of such extra services, and not . ... . , , . , , : Congress , , , , the public sentiment which made , i public taxed who have no ,n- ,, ^ w , ., ica r last December iu Atlanta: “if Gen- ter J in thema ttsr. This is justice." ^ recognition of their rights at A1 cnl .l.soc nnthinor worse : DanV DOSSlDli*.' - the Amer- PoXNTW. execute the mandates oi tho courts, £tate or Federal, we shall have no 1 quarrel with him. ’ a. h. 6. i Personal.—P. E. Corcoran, Esq., “Georgian* shall produce an utter-fin the article ance ev,*r made by “Mr. Stephens ” j prop rintlTi endotMug or suuctioninf' any usurpa- we dt tion of Geu, Grant, Kellogg, Dunll or auxtody else in the Federal or Stab iiovernme.it, then he may have porarv. or who :! h e thus den on n relcrred to, we deem it connection t • say. that •j with our said ec tem- iiv other cotemporaries icteriae thi- j r,m * .- tnis act of the Pn-si- FflOM BOSTON. Boston. May *24 —TLe B d of Trin! of i i“ MiS'ii'hnsrtU Medi »l Society, sphv r c •>> v trita ee ’mu members oi i; »< o.rty ' urtcticii g »< iruei patiiy u ; e rrouLd t’m sneh j-r-ietice v.i.- In'-ti tLt-; rignv c.i rs hip, ren Ir-.-i d h d ••*' >a to-day, exp i n g fev- , ,u. i. !ui-;aot rttup iu aai; 6 i- cierv. There are at present 130,000 miles of railway on the globe, whereof about 68,000, or more than one-half are in the United States. In coun tries where government management 23F”A great calamity has laden on j of Lome, Ga., is on a visit to Colum- a town in Peru called Piscobamba bus, the capital city of Ohio, to at- : caused by a landslide from a neigh- tend to hi3 brother, Hon. T. A. Cor- . . , boring mountain. Forty-four houses j coran, a member of the House of exists l ^ ere are altogether a -ou ' were dishoved and thir:v-sixp *rsons Representatives of that State, who °°° mi e3 0 rai] " a N he 1,1. Th» mt... vhieh I..., w. very seriously ill for some goTcmment Us the gre«£t ptfoor- cij .li « j tionate ownership. In AustrWi there are 7,000 miles cf railway, amd Rn*- i r, , ,. . ' V , ... . i sia possesses 8,000 miles open fo r I • Pnbb - mee’ivgs have been held at t J , - vj..-, . 1 . were expeted tube. f| V 3.v rly Hati to secure traffic ’ and °» 000 more course of added to other misfortunes. uo> .ptions to the stock of a rsilrond. construction. have pens’,' The great mu-s-which j has been destroyed the town also damned up rime, the river, and the distructive effects j of inundation