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VOL. XX.—NO. 46. REVILE NOT AGAIN. Gen. Gordon's Southern Plans—The Southern Members Should Not Re ply to the Bitter Speeches of the Radicals, but to Take Abuse Camly, [Special dispatch to the Philadelphia Times.] Washington, December I.—Gen eral Gordon arrived here last night from Georgia, and was present in his seat in the senate to day. Tho sena* tor comes here in a very earnest frame of mind, and in this and iri his purposes he represents those who have come to be known as the con servative men of the south. What he says will be found to be the opin ions of men like Senators Lamar, Bansom, Jones, of Florida, and Wade Hampton. I found him to-day in his committee room making ready for the business of the session. He was looking ruddier and in much better health than when he left "Washington at the close of the last session-, the result of a long, pleasant summer of domestic and farm life at his home near Atlanta. Speaking of this, and very modestly of the ex tremely interesting story of his part In the last battles of the war, pub lished some time since in the Times, he said at length in answer to a ques lion put by me as to his idea of the hind of a session we are about to have; “I trust we are devoted to the Interests of the Whole country. X came here to do what I canto pre> vent the keeping alive of sectional animosities, the stirring up of sec tional strife and the discord that pre vailed at the last session, and will prevail so long as this ‘southern question’ is kept alive.” j SOUTHERN MEN TO KEEP QUIET. General Gordon is a man of such sincere conviction and withal is so thoroughly in earnest that he is very eloquent even in conversation, and he seemed to-day to be pouring out what had been kept in and checked for many months. He said that he had come here with the purpose to do what he could to prevent south ern men from answering any of the abuse that might be heaped upon them and which, he saw, had already been threatened by some republicans. Thfe was his first object and for that he was prepared to lay by for the time all discussion of the doctrine of State rights. “I am, indeed, a dem ocrat,” said he, “and I believe'thor oughly in the right of local self-gov ernment. I think the people in all the States, north as well as south, be lieve in that, and not one State in the union would surrender a single right for which I would contend. Why I would not have it spoken,of now, however, is because it is covered over and blackened by the leaders of the republican party in congress, and made to be equivalent to the dead and buried issue of secession. Of course you know and they know that our doctrine of State rights has no thing of the old dogma about it. It is precisely what the citizens of every State believe in, but the democratic party stands by what I consider the constitutional right of the States, while the republican party is drift ing from it and towards centraliza tion.” “No,” he said, in answer to a ques** tion. “I have no sympathy with the cry that the republican party wants to change the form of government, that is, the masses of the voters do not. The tendency of the party is in that direction, however, and the tendency of the democratic party is the other way. Therefore, I am a democrat. I believe that when the air is cleared of passion and when this southern question is taken out of politics we shall have the sympathy of the north in our political notions. The people of the north do not hate us. It is only the men here in con gress who hate us and they hate us because they fear that the democratic party is about, to turn them out of their places here. We of the south know that the people of the north are intelligent and virtuous and honest and brave, and they know that the people of the south are equally so. What makes them distrustful of us is that they think us rash, and they think so because of the utterances of a few’men in congress who permitted themselves to be dragged into a per- sonal controversy with men Who de liberately set traps for them for un patriotic and partisan purposes.” TAKE ABUSE CALMLY. General Gordon contended “that what the southern members ought to do was to sit still and not answer any charges that might be made against them or any attacks that should be made against the south. He instan ced the speech that the late Senator Morton made on the Louisiana case as an illustration of the great good that the southern members of con gress might do their own section and the entire country by remaining si lent under the most hitter provoca tion. That speech was the bitterest attack the senator ever made on the south. It was not filled with bitter ness, but in it Morton attacked the States separately and called the sena tors to answer him if they could. The character of the speech had been known to the southern senators long before it was delivered,and when the day came they had determined to make no answer to him. In vain Morton stormed and called on the south to defend itself. The southern senators made no response. They even refused to answer tiis questions, and they left him the poor consola tion of quarreling without an oppo wi wwi* iii mm he had never been so badly whipped in his life, and General Gordon de clared it to have been overwhelming to its effect, He would have his friends in congress maintain this at titude now. He holds that the only way to bring about peace and to bring congress to its proper work of legislating for the whole country is to put an end to sectional strife, and this can only be done by putting an end to sectional discussion. There must be two parties to a wrangle and if the southern members jetflse to an swer attacks upon themselves and their States the discussion must very soon stop. When that is stopped he thipks the south will reach its true place in the country and the southern men will take their rightful position in the work of the government—not controlling the government,” Said he: “No,I would not have that for a moment, but ahead of the north in the work of legislating and caring for the interests of the whole country, the interests which every section should have nearest at heart.” He thinks that now the 6nly effect of answering the attacks upon the sooth is to make the people of the north distrustful of the south. “We cannot argue* with the north,” he said, because we permit them to be blinded by passion, and they see us in the wrong light, because some of our friends on fighting the issues between the sections that are settled. On this question the north will al ways be against us, and I see it as clearly as I see the sunlight coming through these windows that the only policy for us to pursue is a policy of silence, a silent endurance of all the attacks that partisan malice can make upon us. When men on the other side see that they cannot quarrel with us they will be obliged to cease their at tacks, and that Will be a gain for the country ; but, better still, when the people of the north see that we en dure all that they can say without reply, and are only here for the pur pose of attending to the business of legislation, they will take us for what we really are and trust us.” General Gordon will impress these views upon the democratic caucus when it shall meet, and he will have the support of the best men i of the party from both sections of the country. • '**• WHAT OTHERS THINK OF IT. [Washington Special to Baltimore Gazetted In speaking of this sentiment to a prominent southern senator aud ask ing his views, the following reply was received: “Well, that’s my opin ion. I think the general has spoken a great deal of common sense. Now, if he can only restrain his colleague Mr. Hill, we can manage the rest of them at this end. There never has been the same disposition to pitch fire-brands at this end of the capitol that you see at the other. The;only thing to do is simply to act honestly and sensibly when the time Comes and call things by their namei tf south has done Wrong let It be known 1 CARTERSVILLE, GA.. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1879. ! let it be understood and not defended. If she has done right the country will find it out soon enough.” (Philadelphia Times.) Among the men whom the south has contributed to the national legis lature since the armies of the rebel lion were surrendered, Senator Gor don, of Georgia, has been conspicuous without aiming at all at the notoriety which has been apparently the am bition of some of his colleagues. He was a brave soldier of the confedera cy, carries the marks of union bullets on his person and surrendered with Lee at Appomattox, but from the aay that he sheathed his sword until now he has striven to earn the esteem of the whole country by efforts in behalf of the peace that is based upon mutual good will, a thorough accep - tanoe of the results of the war and the national sentiment, which is the natural and legitimate outgrowth of these conditions. While other south erners in both branches of congress have been goaded into words and deeds that have brought their section under suspicion and provoked re sentment, General Gordon, in his several years of service in the senate, has shown a conservatism and seif control which, despite his modesty, have gained him a reputation which in ipia The views of such a naan are entL tleti to more consideration' that at tends upon the sentiments of many returning congressmen from the south. He speaks not for himself alone, but, we verily believe, for , the great mass of the southern people in his dispassionate review of the politi cal situation and forecast of the com**’ ing struggles between the two par ties. He is too intelligent not fo un derstand that his constituents are misunderstood, not to say misrepre sented, when they are as a class for persistent disloyalty* and too sensible to think that such mis* apprehenson as exists can be removed by protestation or declamation, much less by recrimination in which it simply human nature for an ag grieved people to indulge. He re cognizes the rashness of. many of those with Whom be is politically and sectionally affiliated,and realizes that although this rashness may be a rashness of words rather than deeds, it is nevertheless a thing which has to be cured if the south is to regain the confidence of the north. To this end he pleads for the self-control which is so hard to the best of us un der wrongs, either real or fancied. The prescription is a hard one, in deed, but of its wisdom and efficacy there can be no doubt. ; If the south ern states are evei[ to be on the old terms of amity with their sister states of the north they must send to the rear the hot-headed fellows* who have h6t learned the lesson Of hold-. ing their tongues. If they are patri otic they will make the sacrifices as General Gordon has made it and as a man like Lee would have made it had he lived to take part in framing laws for the government of the coun try which he sought to destroy. This position is by no means inconsistent with the freedom of speech which is the guaranteed right of every citi zen of the United States and is par ticularly the privilege of a member of congress. If there is an unrecon structed rebel on the floor of either house, let him come out and say so and stand by it* His constituents and the country will call him to ac count. But let no man, especially no southern man, who is truly patriotic, Who longs to see sectional lines ob literated and the union of the con stitution in thorough working order pnee more, do aught to perpetrate sectional strife in the pitiful attempt to pay slanders in their own coin. He ihatruleth his own spirit is greater than taketh a city. (Washington Post.) Senator Gordon has struck the key note. It is the polipy of the south through her representatives in con gress, to keep quiet and allow the republican shriekers of the north to run their malicious course unheeded, unopposed and unrecognized. > The democratic fight is on a vital issue. We are irrevocably commit ted to a course of opposition } to the (joetrine of centralization. We be lieve in following the mandates of ! the constitution. We believe in states rights as they are laid down and guar ian teed in that instrument. The ten | dency of the republican leaders is to ward the establishment of “strong” i government. The contest, summed up, is one between constitutional states rights in prospective on the one hand and centralized despotism on the other. We have faith that the people of tifas country still earnestly trust in the government of the fathers. We make no distinction between the masses in the north and in the south. When it comes to a square test they will al! be found in firm adherence to our free institutions, holding no desire to change or improve upon them. But the issue between the two par ties is not fairly made up before the country, Inflamed by prejudice, the people of the north are blind to the fact that in supporting the republi can party in the abstract they are encouraging imperialistic no tions; in raising a sectional war cry on the smith they are striking a blow at the governmental principles which they are only too anxious to maintain. . - • The republican political managers have so misrepresented the vital question In controversy ikai the in telligent voters of the north are made to see sectional hate and preju dice where patriotism exists. This they resent. They strike at the south, and in duing- so menace the foundations of the structure they de sire to preserve. It has been demonstrated, however, that now is the proper time to clear the issue* The republican mind in the north is in such a state that im perial consideration is out b£ the ques tion, Argument is lost upon their leader ip congress. They are neither open to conviction nor amenable to reason. The democrats have stated their cash fairly. Th‘p result is before the country* r Why waste.; more werds2. -j b.i. * sa. n 3 '*:h The true course for southern demo crats to pursue in the present congress is to ignore both the republican al legations made against them* confi dently trusting to the good sense of the country to judge between the as sailants and the assailed. Let them take Senator Gordon’s statesmanlike advice and remain silent. The south is actuated by honest motives. It has only the true interests of the country at heart. Let its representatives work to the demonstration of that trhtb, ignoring all things else. The republicans should be allowed to rant and roar to their complete satisfac tion, but let their missiles be directed at'thin air. . . g It will not take the country long* to ; decide which method is better, which party is more worthy of con fidence. Robert Toombs. [H. H. J., jn Macon Telegraph and Messenger.] The big brained irrepressible “reb- > el” still holds his own bravely* 1 though on the verge of three score years and ten. The labor he per forms in the courts is most astonish-. ing in the conduot of the; numerous railroad cases which have been en* trusted to his management by the state. Outside of these he has been retained also in many private cases, > one of which will be tried next week in your city. In a private conver sation with the General we Were sur prised to learn what heavy sums had been collected, through his agency, 'for back arrearges of taxes due the state by her several railroads. These ■may be summed up as follows: From the Georgia railroad and branches, $40,000 f from the Cherokee and Alabama railroad, $6,000; from the Atlantic and Gulf road last week, under the decree of U. S. Justices Woods and Erksine, $70,000, besides a claim for $150,000 more, now before the supreme court, which he is cer tain will be allowed; from the Cen tral railroad $40,000, not including $150,000 and $20,000 interest for which he is still contending; from the Atlanta and West Point railroad, $10,000; from the Air Line road, SIO,OOO, and about $4,000 from the Rome railroad, which will be obtain ed under a recent settlement. S. A. CUNNINGHAM For collections, including about $4,000 uue by the Rome road $179,000 09 Stilmue and ponding in the courts... 320,000 OO Total $499,000 09 Avery large portion of the uncol lected sum of $20,000, however, comes under the head of “penalty,” or double taxation, and it is not probable that the state, having re covered all dues for actual taxes, will insist on this penalty, the more es pecially as the railroads contended that their respeetivecharters exempt ed them from taxation. Even tho simple taxes will impose a great burden upon them, and many think that nothing more should be enacted. But the law is inexorable, and unless relieved by special legislation, we do not see how they can escape from the obligation, GENERAL TOOMBS’ FEES. As much has been said and written concerning the enormous fees charge ed by Mr. Toombs for his services, we asked him how the matter really stood. He replied: “In conducting all the cases of the state, I have re ceived two retainers of $2,000 each, and the agreement is that ten per cent . will be allowed, me for all amounts covered into the treasury.’ 7 These charges do not appear to be unusual or excessive, though the very commission will amount to a large sum. TOOMBS’ E,EJKCXIQ2T OE AMKESTY. The General, in speaking of his late Chicago dispatch, which he bit* terly remarked had been made the text for a thousand insults to him by the press, gave iho history of his re fusal to accept the proffered amnesty of the United States government. After the house had passed its am nesty bill, he wrote to Senator Nor wood, and directed him to “strike from the roll the ndme of Robert Toombs, because he had done noth* ing wrong, and nothing to be sorry for, and therefore, how could he re pent?” Wbefi Senator Morton approached him alpo, -in ’Washington, and offered to j have all bis disabilities removed, hoornfuliy spurred the proposition, exclaiming,; “No Sir. I f am just as much as ever a dr—d unreconstructed rebel.” 1 THE DOMESTIC RELATIONS OF'GEN ERAL TQOMBS. ; M Even the most malignant enemy of this remarkable man has never dar< ed to utter one breath of slander against his conjugal fidelity and de? Votion to the true and gentle wife of his youth, j “I married her,” he said, “when she Was Only seventeen, and I twenty years of age. She was one of the most beautiful and noble girls inf Georgia, and from that day to this she has been my constant companion, accompanying me wherever I went; and always cherished and beloved above all women.” 1 “fl?he 18th of next November will be fifty years since our union,” he* continued, “and we will then cele brate OUR GOLDEN WEDDING, 1 But mark you, no guest- shall be Invited who is not known to be ai true and loyal husband to the wife that beam his name.” : These are noble sentiments and sheet B halo qf glory over the head of i this aged and distinguished man. Here, at least, he is in vainer-; and such a life of constancy and purity should cover a multitude of •BE _____ PENSIONED CONFEDERATES. What Georgia is Doing for her Maimed 1 Soldiers. far about six hundred ex-confed erates have teen paid, according to legislative, enactment, funds for pro curing artificial arms and legs, at a 1 cost to the State of $40,000. It is ex peeted thatit will reach three times that amount before applications cease. Provision of a special fund for this purpose was not made, but it is be lieved no trouble will ensue from its payment out of the treasury. It’s a wonder somebody don’t charge trea son!. Physicians reeommend Dr. Bull’s Cough syrup when all other medicines fail, as a cer tain cure for Bronchitis, Bore Throat, and Coughs Dr Colds of long standing. For Sale by all Druggists.