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WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER
ATLANTA, gEOBG I A ,
Wednesday, July 26,1865.
THE CITY.
On every side, in every direction, we see
the evidences of improvement. A very
large number of houses is being erected ;
these buildings that are now being put up,
:.re neither large nor elegant, but they are
such structures as will answer the purposes
,,f our people until more prosperous days
shall 011 us dawn. The demand for houses,
to live in, as well as for business purposes,
.seema to be on the increase; and the conse
quence is that rents are ruling very high.
The greater portion of our population,
that has been in exile, have returned and are
preparing to resume their business at this
point, and all who left or were forced away
are anxious to get back. They all say they
cannot find anywhere such a delightful cli
mate as Atlanta possesses, and especially do
they 3eem to have thirsted for the cool, pure
refreshing water tor which this section is so
much noted. It is'a remarkable fact that
any one who has lived here for a few months
» never satisfied anywhere else.
We notice with great pleasure that the
woik upon the streets has been vigorously
commenced. Alabama street that for months
hAs been almost a nuisance, has been clean
ed up and presents quite a changed appear
ance.
We hope that this good work will be con
tinued until all our streets are iree from
rubbish and obstructions, and all the guliics
that the rains of the last twelve months
have washed out, shall be iiiled up.
Business seems to be quite lively generally t
and a go-ahead spirit seems to have taken
possession ol almost the entire community.
liar “Georgia” is'welcomed to our col
umns. Truly does he commend Ins views
to ours. Truly does he write words of
“truth and soberness." Ilia article will be
found in another column.
The writer will note that we have omit
ted a line or two in (he first paragraph of
his article. This wc havo done, as we are
satisfied he was misinformed as to the po
sition charged upon the distinguished gen
tleman to whom he referred, la the letter
referred to, he gave no such counsel.—
“Georgia” will feiderStand us.
STOBltl BBK\vi\fi-—ACTlON WE- I perils that threaten, and with the hope that
I the attention of those competent to control
DELAYS ARE DANGEUOt'S.
When itris rendered certain that a partic
ular step has to be taken, or do worse, it is
the dictate ol good sense to take it at once,
la all the affairs of life, our daily experience
and constant observation teach us that de
bus are dangerous; that procrastination is
uotouly the “thiol of time but may also
be said to be the parent ol much evil, and
the author of mauy of our mishapf*in life
In this connection we commend to our read
ers a communicat ion lrorn “ A Citizen," in
our paper to day. Ilia suggestions are
practical, judicious and timely, andlt will
be well for our citizens to act upon them.
ilEN. STEEDAIAN’S ORDER No. 4.
Wo commend to our readers General Or
der No. 4, issued By Major General Steed-
man, now in command of the Department
of Georgia. Speaking of the aid which
the military authorities are required by the
President's proclamation to give the Gov
ernor in his etforis to reorganize a’State gov
ernment, he directs all officers on duty in
this department to render such a r sistance
u9 may be called lor by the Governor or
his fiuly authorized agents, and says: “No
interference by any person in the military
service o! the United States with the official
acts, orders, or efforts of the Provisional
Governor, will be permitted. The militaiy
authorities should sustain, not assume the
functions of civil authority, except when
the unsettled stated socjpty requires such
assumption, as a last resource, to preserve
peace and quiet."
Strict discipline is enjoined, and pillaging
and marauding, it is announced, will be se
verely punished. Private property, he de-
dares, will not be seized or impressed upon
any pretext whatever, nor will the house
of any citizen be searchtd for property
unless the search is ordered upon sworn
affidavit.
No citizen is to he arrested upon the com
plaint of another citizen, unless the accu
sation, supported by the oath of the com
plainant, would justify the issuing of a
w&rraut in time of peace.
Ail officers arc enjoined to abstain from
interfering with the business affairs or so
cial relations of citizens.
While citizens arc to be protected iu all
their lawful rights ami pursuits by the mil
itary, it will be the duty, the order declares,
of officers, to see that the dignity and au
thority or tho military power of the gov
ernment ii maintained and respected. The
officers are directed, “ while enforcing strict
discipline, tp be careiul tu protect the sol-
viteMroin insult or indignities.”
In reference to freeumen he says: “ The
aged, and decrepid, and helpless women
and children, made free by the President’s
proclamation, living in the cabins of their
iormer masters, will not be deprived of
such homes until provision has been made
i>>r them by the State or General Govern
ment; but this protection will not'extend
to those able to work, who will not be per
milled to remain in idleness."
Taken all iu all this order is wise, just
and considerate; and its laithlut execution,
by his subordinate officeisf will strare good
order throughout our limits, ami preserve
the peace ami quiet of societyZ Our people
are naturally restive under military rule;
but -wheu its administration, as iu this case,
is guided by wisdom, controlled by justice,
and executed with moderation, their good
sense will piompt a cheerfui_acquiesence in
the necessity that requires it.
Again we comment a careful perusal of
tile order to our citizens generally.
The totai number of National Banks Is
1,440—39 of which were established last
week with a capital of nearly $6,500,000,
and nearly $1,500,000 of currency issued.
Under the above heading, the Macon Tel
egraph, of the 18th inst, makes the follow
ing appropriate and sensible remarks:
In the conduct of this journal we started
out with the determination to tell the peo
ple the truth; to present facta, however
painful and unpalatable. We are not dis
posed to deceive the people by portraying
events iu false colors. Our only object is
to convince them of the actual situation, so
that the importance of prompt action may
be realized. A temporizing non committal
policy, however much it would suit the
feelings and prejudices of the people, no
honest man, no man who has the good of
the country and his people at heart, should
pureue. We have endeavored to be guided
by moderation, accuracy, candor.
It is now onr duty to inform the author
ities, those to whose hands have been in
trusted the management and control of our
affairs, actual events that are now transpir
ing, which require immediate and prompt
action. We warn them that unless atten
tion is directed at once to the conduct of
the freedmen, the scenes of bloodshed and
massacre of St. Domingo*will be re enacted
in oui* midst before the close of the year.—
We speak advisedly. We have authentic
information of the speeches and conversa
tion of the blacks, sufficient to convince us
of their purpose. They make no secret of
their movement. Tell us not that we are
alarmists. After due investigation and re
flection upon this matter, we have deter
mined to talk plainly, without fear or favor,
and if our voice of warning is not heeded,
we, at least, will have the consoling reflec
tion that we have performed our duty.
One word to the people: Our safety and
protection from such occurrences depend at
present upon the military power of the Uni
ted States; and it la competent to defend
us. But how can we expect to guard against
this state of things in the future? Does
any sane man suppose that by a sullen and
obstinate spirit of quiescence, the future
well-being of the SttRe and of society, can
be secured ? Iu a short time wc will be
called upon to send delegates to a conven
tion to form a State constitution. Is it not
important that men of statemanship aud
wisdom should represent us ? Upon the
action of the next legislature depends in a
great measure, our future tranquility, safely
and prospeiity. You, people of Georgia,
are to elect them. They are to be chosen
by you. Will you not at once qualify your-
t elves for the exercise of the elective fran
chise ?
Argument upon this subject is unnecces-
siry. Every thinking man must admit,
there »s but one course left us. dictated by
reason and common sense. We will not
insult the intelligence of the people by an
elaboration of to>s subject. The remedy
for our present situation is self evident aud
too app? r ent for discussion. Lot those who
have been the leaders of the peopi^ come
out and address them publicly, as they do
iu private, and wge them*to action. It is
natural that our people should feel dispiri
ted and gloomy. By the results of the war,
they fiuu the accumulation of years, swept
away. They find themselves bankrupt.—
The capital we had in slaves is gone, but all
is not gone. Our lands remain—our energy
remains. We st'*U have strong arms and
stout hearts to battle with adveisity. We
are left the privilege of controlling our own
local legislation and affairs in our own way.
Let us qualify ourselves then, and use the
privilege wisely, prudently.
From all we have seeu about U9, and have
heard from different portions of the State,
wc are satisfied that the apprehensions cf
the Telegraph are not groundless. A spirit
of reckless improvidence and an entire in
difference as to the events of the iuture,
seem to have taken possession of the minds
of a majority of the negroes of the coun
try. Without judgment, without foresight
—attributes that not many of them have
hitherto been called upon to exercise, as
their planning and thinking has been done
for them by the whites—these delude d crea-
tures?have become possessed with the idea
tliatithey are free to do just as they please.
Every one that has any knowledge of the
negro character, knows that nine out of ten
of them are indolent and entirely disin*
clined to work or to make any effort what
ever, if any labor is required, when left to
pursue the bent ol their inclinations. They
seem to think, if they think at all, that in
some mysterious way shelters will be pro
vided to shield them from the blasts of au
tumn and the storms of winter, Which will
soon be upon them, and hence with a reck
less abandon that is perfectly marvelous,
they leave comfortable homes where hither
to they have lived in the enjoyment of as
much happiness as any laboring people on
earth, and where they seemed to be peifect-
ly satisfied until their weak heads became
crazed with the idea of being free. As to
subsistence for the future, they must be cal
culating that they will be fed as were the
ancient children of Israel in the wilderness,
with quails and manna from lleaven; for
not the least provision do they seem to be
making for a future supply.
The scenes of the farm and the dull rou
tine of plantation work, are evidently too
tame and too commonplace to suit their be
wildered imaginations F*nd in crowds they
throng the ways that lead to the cities, and
then they herd as best they can. Some of
them get into cellars or under houses—oth
ers under frail board shelters, and others
spread themselves upon the naked ground*
With no shelter save the broad canopy of
heaven. What is to become of these poor
deluded creatures a few months hence—how
they are to be sheltered against the storms
of winter—how they are to be fed and
clothed, 5ud how they arc to be prevented
from .iaUiiCriuiil'aic theft and robbery, are
questions oi fearful import, and calls most
loudly upon those whose «?.uty it now is
to take action ia the premises, to be
active and prompt ia the adoption
of measures called for iu this emer
gency, if they wish to prevent the - en
actment of scene* at which humauity shud
ders, and Which, if permitted to transpire, will
bring a reproach upon the civilization of the
nineteenth century.
A heavy obligation rests somewhere to
take such action in reference to these mat
ters, as will prevent the dire consequences
that seem to be threatened. The former
owners cf these people, by the force of cir
cumstances, are rendered powerless in the
premises; and consequently are free from
all responsibility in reference thereto; bat
their humane feelings and a desire to pro
mote t he cause of philanthropy, will induce
them to render every assistance in their
power in the proper adjustment of these dif
ficult matters. The foregoing remarks have I
this matter, may be attracted to it, and that
such measures may be adopted as will pre
serve the peace and promote the happiness
and prosperity of our entire people.
THE AMNESTY OATH.
In a recent interview had with Governor
Johnson, at the Capital of the State, by the
Editor of this journal, liis Excellency
manifested the strongest desire to give the
people of the State outside of the excepted
classes, every early opportunity to take and
subscribe the oath embraced in the Presi •
dent’s Amnesty Proclamation of the 29th
May last; consequently he baa requested
us to notify the inhabitants of the adjacent
counties, and of the counties in Upper
Georgia, that a United States Military Offi
cer will be detailed for each of those coun
ties to administer said oath, 'at as early a
day as practicable; and in the event that
said officer should require blank printed
forms to facilitate their labors, the Gover
nor has authorized and requested us to say,
that, upon their requisition, this Office
will supply them with the same in such
quantities as may be required in each
county.
Therefore, we lake pleasure in stating,
that as soon as we are furnished with a copy
of the form that may be adopted by the
Military Authorities in administering
the oath, we shall proceed to fill all orders
for blanks that may be directed to us from
the Officers detailed to administer the
same in the counties before designated.
Like the Governor, we too are solicitous
that our people shall have an early oppoiv
tunity of demonstrating their willingness
to accept the proposed amnesty, and their
earnest desire to see Georgia again under
civil government—law and order, and peace
and prosperity, t again prevailing within her
borders. Until then, and as long as our
noble old State shall be subjected to milita
ry rule—however lenient, as if has been,
and however protective, as it now is—she
is in an unnatural position—the genius ol
her people, their intelligence, habits, and in -
stiucts. all inclining them to what the Prf.s-
ident, in his Amnesty Proclamation, de
clares under the Constitution of the United
States they are entitled to, “a Republican
form of Government."
Officers in the counties referred to, who
may be without, or desire to he furnished
with blank forms, will please' address “ 1n-
TELtlGENCER OFFICffi, ATLANTA, Gx.
In connection with the foregoing, yjc no
tice in an order ot Maj.'Gen. Thomas, the
Commandant of this Military Division, that
blanks for the purpose of administering the
Amnesty Oath, will be furnished each de
partment from the Office of the Provost
Marshal General, at Nashville, Tennessee.
Georgia being one of Gen. Thomas’ depart
ments, can therefore be supplied with blanks
from the source indicated. We will be
ready, however, to supply all orders, as sta
ted in the foregoing, to facilitate ^ work
Which the srxmer it is done tile bcUcr for
the State.
been made under a solemn conviction of the I
WHAT SHALL BE DONE WITH
HIM t
Regarding the negro—the freed negro of
the Southern States—what shall be done
with him, is a momentous question; one
requiring, nay, demanding the profoundest
statesmanship and wisdom to solve, all
others connected with the Iuture of this
sunny land, and his future too, sinking into
comparative insignificance before it It is
a fixed fact that the negro is free. So it is
received By those who but a.short time ago
claimed and- held him tQ be a slave, and so
it must be heneetorth admitted. By tire
power of the sword, that dread and final
arbiter of all political disputes between na
tions, or revolutions within nations, the
once negro slave, is now a freeman, aud,
what to do with him may well embarrass
the wisest in the land. Four millions of a
helpless, ignorant, deplorably ignorant, and
dependent race, in the twinkling of an eye
as it were, turned looie to take care oi
themselves—to rival the white man in his
pursuits, to advance in the scale of ciyilizas
tion and thrive, or to retrograde and perish.
The transition, how* sudden! The respon
sibility upon those who brought this, state
of things about, how appaling ! How shall
it be met? What must be done ? Perhaps
trom the past a lesson may be learned.—
Elsewhere, in other nations, negro emanci
pation from slavery has prevailed, with re
sults so foreign from any ever anticipated
by its advocates that it were well now to
review and profit by them.
From a condensed statement which we
find in the Louisville Democrat, we make
the following extracts. Few, that paper
says, “realize the results of emancipation,
while mauy, in general jubilee of rejoicing
look to it as a grand philanthropic measure
to command the approbation of the world ”
Passing on it says :
“Thore are now in the West li*ha Is
lands 150,000 square miles of the most pro
ductive land, in the most salubrious clmate
in the world, lying fallow, a desert waste,
in consequence of this measure of emancipa
tion. The freed negro basks in hilennss and
degradation in a laud of flowering beauty
ana fruitfulness comparable to the garden of
our first parents. Broad ports, in which na
vies might ride, are deserted and empty.—
Beautiful fields, over which abundant su
gar cane floated in plentiful lavish ness, are
grown *ank with weeds. The coffee plan
tations are deserted, and the precious beau
grows wild in the places where it once was
cultivated. On every side there is the mark
of ruin and desolation. The wild grains are
the sign of a past prosperity ; the degraded
negro, the successor ol the enterprising and
vigorous white. This, in an extent of ter
ritory equal to Georgia, Alabama and Mis
sissippi. Cuba takes off 4,200 square miles,
and Cuba, where slavery still exists, is pros
perous. With other deductions there will
remain 54,000 square miles almost, if not
entirely, uncultivated.”
Can any land compare with what those
islands were, and are, to prom >te the negro
race aad to advance him Lite SCulc* of civ
ilization ? Can imagination paint a picture
more congenial to a race sprung and multi
plying under “ Afric’s burning sun, ” than is
presented in the one drawn fn the forego
ing extract? But, it is to results we must
look, and so must all upon whom now de
volves the responsibility of providing for the
negro. They are startling and no less true
than startling. To profit by, let the reader
note them well 1
In 1834, when emancipation took place,
a brilliant career of prosperity was foretold.
.Let us see wh&t has been the actual results,
„ la 180), the West Indies exported 17,000,
000 lbs of cotton, and the United States 17,-
689 803 lbs. They were at this time, it will
be seen, nearly equally productive. •
Let us, however, examine one island,
Hayti where the results of emancipation
are best seen. This island i9 408 miles in
length, with a maximum width of 163.—
The number of square miles is 27,690, ot
which 10,091 are comprised in the Haytien,
or negro republic, and the balance in the
Dominican. Its population was estimated
from 550 000 to 650.000. Its climate and
soil is incomparable. The earth abounds in
jewels, in precious minerals. Gold, silver,
copper, iron tin, sulphur, reck salt, j isper,
marble, me found. *
The islands sit like jewels in the golden
seas. The tall and graceful palm lifts its
fringed top over plains of verdure starred
with rare flowers. The spreading mahoga
ny lays its dark shadow over velvet grass
that bounds the borders ol fair, bright rivers.
Birds, with rare brilliant plumage, flash like
gleams of light amoBg the scented foliage.
Broad, fertile lagoons shine among the
groves of orange, citron, and coffee, and
every hill and proroontory is rounded into, a
graceful outline of beauty. To describe the
seenery seems reveling in descriptions ol
poetry and romance. Plantains, bananas,
yams, mangroves, tnillet, oranges, niaiza,
pine apples, melons, jgrapes, grow in wild
uncultivated abundance. Cultivation pro
duces coffee, cccoa, sugar, indigo,cotton aud
tobacco.
In 1790, Hayti supplied halt of Europe
with sugar. It was a French colony, with
a population of 500.000, of which 33.360
were whites, and 23,370 free negroes. The
remainder were slave? Under the fever of
the French revolution, a spirit similar to
that our country now feels, the doctrines of
liberty and fraternity were applied to the
colony.
In 1793, Hayti was freed. There have
been seventy years of experience with the
wo3t disastrous results. If the negro has
any capacity for free government, it ought
to be shown in Hayti.
Let us make a statistical comparison and
see the results. In 1790, the value ot the
exports were $27,828,000, the pribcip i! pro
duetions being as follows :
Sugar—lbs 163,405.220
Coffee “ 68,151.180
Cotton “ 6,286,126
Indigo “ 930,016
Lut us take a view nearly forty years af
ter when this emancipation was to yield
such a splendid return to a philanthropic
world. In 1836 the figures stood thus :
Sugar—lbs 32 S64
Coffee “ 32.189,784
Cotton “ 620.972
Iadigo “ None
At this day there is no sugar exported,
coffee and logwood being the only exports.
The coffee is gathered wild from the moun
tains and the abandoned French planta
tions. All that is required to be done is to
cut down the tree and carry it to market.—
The cultivation has ceased The statistics
of 1849, the latest published, are of expor
tion:
Sugar—IBs None.
Coffee « 30,608,343
Cotton “ 544,516
Senator Sumner, in a recent speech, esti
mated the exports of Hayti at 2,683,000, and
Mr. Sumner is an abolitionist. In 1790, the
exports were 27,828,000. Was such a spec
tacle of decay ever witnessed before ? Hay
ti, which seventy years before supplied half
Europe with sugar, ia now supplied from
the United States, or rather, was before the
war.
The writer then turns to Jamaica. Facts
and figures are presented which ought to,
if they will not, qpake a deep impression
upon both our Government and people. He
says:
Let us now turn to Jamaica. It ia about
150 miles long by 50 in width. Its area is
about 64.000 square miies. The last census
was taken in 1844. when the population
stood as follows: Whites 15.779; negroes
293,128; mulattos, 68 529. Ttie white pop
ulation is dying out through the blood of
the negro.
The,negroes irecd in 1833 were to serve
five years apprenticeship. The planters
were paid $30,000,000 for the loss of ser
vice.
The value of exports, as published in
Harper & Brother’s Cyclopse lia of Com
merce, before and since emancipation,'is as
follows:
BEFORE EMANCIPATION.
Years. Value of Exports.
f800 £3,033,234
1810 2.303,576
AFTER EMANCIPATION.
£837,276
932,316
a decline of three-fourths. An
other way is to estimate the quantity of the
productions before and since. In 1805 two
years before the prohibition of Africau’emi
gration, the productions of Jamaica were
as follows:
1853
1854
Here is
PRODUCTIONS OF JAMAICA IX 1805.
Sugar—hhds # l 50,352
Hum—punch 49 837
Pimento-lbs l,04l|540
Coffee—lbs 17*961,923
Then the productions were at the highest
point. They afterwards declined, aud in
1834 it stood:
Sugar hhds 847.3s
Hum—punch* 33 1H
Pimento—lbs S.GOs’ioO
Co%e—lbs.., 17,725,731
The first year alter emancipation, produc
tions declined nearly 1,000,000 hhds coffee
declined 7,000,000 pounds. This decrease
steadily continued, and, in 1856, the produc
tions of JamaicS stood :
Pimento—lbs........
Coffee—lbs.
Sugar—hhds t>*t
Rum-punch *////// %%%
6 848.622
3,328,147
The only article which has increased is
pimento, or allspice. Tue reason of the in
crease is that the pimento is not cultivated,
bu* grows wild in many places.
From a report made to the House of As
sembly during the years, J838, ’40 50 ’51
and o2, we find the following: ’
Sugar estates abandoned i >8
Sugar estates partially abandoned. *.'. *. *. 71
Coffee plantation abandoned 96
Coffee plantations partially abandoned!. 66
Making a total of 891,187!
la the five years succeeding emancipation
there were abandoned:
Sugar estates 140. comprising 168.032
Ou'uec plantations 465, comprising* .188,400
Added to the foregoing, it is slated that
the “ Cyclop a;- lia of Commerce” says “ the
negro is rapidly receding into a savage state,
and that unless there ia a large and imme
diate supply of immigrants, all society will
come to a speedy end, and the Island (Ja
maica) become a second Hayti."
Such are the results of emancipation
elsewhere. What they will be in the South
ern States, time only can tell. Certain it is
that if the. negro bi saved from receding
into savage a state, it can only be by some
well regulated system of labor, and that
this system must be devised by the white
man—he will devise none for himself.—
More than this, that system must be de
vised, not by those who are ignorant ot his
habits, his disposition, his nature, and who
never associated with him, but by those who
do, aud who have bceu with him as a boy,
aud grown up with him as a man. His
labor and control left to New Eugland dic
tation, and the Squth would soon hi come a
second Hayti. His political and social
statu?, if left to the Boston fanatics, would
soon make the South another Jamaica, and
the negro race in it tepidly receding into
a savage state.” To the 'combined wisdom,
therelore, of the whole nation, in the name
of humanity, we appeal, as well for the
negro asj the white race ; see to it that the
results follow in g emancipation in the West
India Islands, do not follow 4t iu there
Southern States. We fear it cot, if the
negro be made to feel and know that “ by
the sweat of his brow he must earn his
daily bread that the freedom bestowed
upon him is vot to be wasted in idleness;
that he is free, but. free only to labor, and
to observe all the restrictions which law,
order, society, and morality, impose upon
the white mar; and that the mark by which
the Creator lias designed he shall be
known as being of a distinct race, will not
be wiped oui; that this Js a white man’s
government, the negro being governed in it
Taught this, the negro may escape the late
ol his race iu the West India Island, and
the Southern States, in their productions,
the same sad results. In a word, yielding
freedom to the slave, let it, for the sake ol
humanity, aud for civiltz ition, prove a
blessing and not a curse to him. This in
his changed relation to his former master,
is what his former master, if it be lelt to
him, would honestly endeavor to promote.
OJiet »vi e, the future, who can divine?
dOVERNOK JOHNSON AT UOM»-
THE POLICY OF THE GOVERN-
- Ft ENT.
The Columbus Enquirer of Friday last
tells us that the public reception given to
Governor Joi/nson at his home, was par^
ticipated in by all classes, the crowd ia at
tendance being large, perfect order prevail
ing in all the dispositions of the ovation,
while a complete absence of all excitement,
exultation, or ill-feeling, prevailed during the
ceremonies of the occasion. This demon
stration on the part of the people of Colum-
bus, flattering as it must have been to our
provisional Governor, does npt surprise us,
nor will it surprise any who know that peo
ple and the relations which the recipient of
the honors conferred upon him, lias borne
to Columbus lor many long years. In a
fervent and eloquent address, L. T. Down
ing, Esq, welcomed the Governor to his
home, assuring him of the confidence and
high esteem of that community. The res
ponse of the Governor, or a sketch thereof
is reported in the Enquirer, and we take oc
casion to extract therefrom certain portions
to which we call the special attention of out-
readers for the following reasons:
In this, and in other cities of Georgia,
complaint has been made by impatient indi
viduals at what they have presumed to be
unnecessary delay on the part of the Gov
ernor in the work of restoring Georgia to
civil government and her rights as a State
in the “ Union"—that the election for dele
gates to a convention, aud the assembling
of that convention, have been unnecessarily
procrastinated, aud should have been ap
pointed for a much earlier period. The
Governor himself answers these impatient
individuals, convincingly we trust:
“The first objection that had reached him
was a complaint that the election of dele
gates and time for the meeting of the con-
vention had not been ordered at earlier
days. People were becoming anxious to
return to an allegiance from which they
were striving to escape but a short time
since! We bad lived four years under a
law forbidding the exercise ot many of the
powers of civil government—suspending
executions, etc. The first difficulty in the
way of an earlier election was that there
were not many military posts, and btit few
officers- among us authorized to administer
the preliminary oath- He did not want
only a few votes to be cast in the election ,
he wanted the convention to represent and
embody the wish of the people. Action
upon the* special applications for pardon
will take some time. He did not wish to
deprive those applicants of an opportunity
to participate in the election. lie hoped
that The .convention would make but few
changes in the old constitution, and would
make its action final—not submit the con
stitution to a vote of the people. By such
course we can probably have civil Jaw
restored by the first of January. After
such a revolution as we have had—after
four years of anarchy, strife and desolation
—this would be making rapid progress ^to
wards a restoration of civil government.’
Af er lour long years of estrangement
and bloody war, we agree with the Goyei-
nor that it will be making rapid progress,
if, by the first of January next, civil law
and civil government can be restored to the
State. Not only must those wno reside in
the gities of our S'ale be enlightened in re
Fard to what is proposed to, and is expected
of them, but the same intelligence must be
communicated to the ia f Vorj f C ' oun ,
ty thereof, and the same opportunities and
privileges be extended to them, that may
p e to the people of Augusta, Macon, Co-
lu l5bn*, or Atlanta. It is demanding too
much to assume that the fea shall control
the many—-that because .he men Oi the Cities
are prepared to go on with the work of re
construction, or will be in the space of a
month, the men of the country, who cannot
possibly be in the same length of time, must
be excluded from their privilege and right
to participate in the same important work.
When Georgia goes back to the “ Union,”
we desire to see her go back not by a sma'L
minority vote of her people, but by and
through the voice ot that large majority ol
her voters, who, if the opportunity be given
them, will demonstrate at the polls their
unmistakeablc willingness to accept the am
nesty granted by the President, that Geor
gia may again be enrolled as one of the
States of the “Union." The varied inter
ests too of this} great Siato, demand that, iu
the Convention, every sectional interest
shall be represented. Towns aud Rabun
Decatur aud Ware should, through del.
gates, be iu that body, as w- U as Chat hum
aud Richmond, or as Fulton and Bibb, it
i3 to be a People s Convention, and not a
convention composed of da*vgates from a
comparatively tew favored 1 calities, whom
war has not robbed of intelligence, nor the
people ol speedy facilities to qualify ib c >[u-
selves for voting, or individuals of taking
part iu the s ilemu deliberations tin roof -
Governor John-on han d me right in i/ivia <■
the whole people lime iu q i tii y and vole
The complaint is uure^sonabje that he has-
been loo tardy. We hope, now that his
policy aud motives are explained and
known, to hear no more ol it. It “cveiy
dog should have his .chance,” why should
not every man in the State have 1ms, in this
great work of political regeneration ?
Another complamt indulged ir, is that
Governor Johnson does not appoint civil
magistrates—that there arc no courts j lu
sheriffs, no State or County officers —that w.
are without civil law. The Governor in hri
speech, thus answeis these complaints;
“ Governor Johnson said that it was prop
er and important, that we sin ml 1 undemintul
our real present condition. We were brought
under the military rule of the United ihates
by the war and its results. From tho e u
suite,-however disagreeable, we could not.
eseape- Oau ol them was, that we were
without civil magistrates of any kind—we
had ho courts, no sheriff*, no State or .county
officers—they had all been swept off !>y th.
revolution. The only power within th;>
State was military rule; lor all personal oi
public wrongs the only redress was by the
inilifary tribunals. He would have prele-
red to have had it difibreut. Tue profit*
were extremely anxious for him to make
appointments of State a id c-usiiy officers
He had refused on tin?ground tl:.v, !t/h d
no authority. Could he eommu«iou the o!
ficers, and for what lergth of Unu-? Hi
own term of-office depended on the pleai-ur
of the President. Ia addition to lii.'i, \\ be. -
is thc-ir compensation to cuuie lrorn ? pq.-
United Stales does uot pay civil c Ulcers
States, and the o*a*c has no lu.ids—.-i d
bas any, they are not under his control.—
None will therefore be appointed, the a t
pointment of such officers is,
right that belo;;
n-
ntoreover, a
to the people, and iis ex
ercise should bu left to 1 he people."
Iu the foregoing, ilia reader who has been
disposed to complain, will see the reason or
the refusal of the Governor to appoint civil
State or County officers, lie refuses on the
ground that he has no authority to do so.—
What though it has been done by Provision
al Governors in other States, still if authori
ty i3 not vested in him to do so, how can he
assume any atch prerogative ? Our people
must not be impatient. For a time they
must conform patiently to military ride.—
This revolted State of < nrs mus be re. 0 ;,..e.t
as is prescribed by the lb,si lea*, -uv! eui~
not be in any other manner. Not t/us one's
preferences, nor that one’s preferences, are
to be regarded iu the work of restoration,
but the preferences of that Government
whose head directs, and whose wisdom con
trols. Let us not, therefore, be an reason a
ble in our expectations! Let ua not n q-iiie
what cannot be conceded by the Governor
To place Georgia at as early a period an
practicable, where she was before the war,
with the consent of her whole people, he
may not expect, but to do so by the voice
of* nineteen-twentieths of ihem, if uot
more, he does, and the Utile time required to
do this, should surely not be deemed too
long lor its accomplishment.
GENERAL NEWS.
The trial of Mary Harris for the killing
of A. J. Burroughs, a clerk in the Treasmy
Department, is drawing to a close. On
Saturday five physicians were respectively
on the stand to give their opinions in lqm
ihetical cases, in order to prove the insanity
of the accused. All the doctors, however,
did not agree, one of them saying that, as
physician at the j iiJ, he saw the prisoner
generally every day. lie had never ol •
served any indications of insanity in h r,
but his attention had nc-v> r been called i<>
her mind.
With reference to Emerson Etheridge,
the Louisville Journal stales that he was
arrested in Gibson county, Tenu.,' several
days ago, by Lieut. Col. Deboz y, and taken
to Columbus, Ky., where Lieut. Co). Debc
zey is in Command. Mr. E'heridge had
been delivering speeches to the people ot
an exceedingly exasperating character, de
nouncing the President pers xnally and aba
sing the Government generally. -
Fifteen ocean steamers lelt New Yoik on
Saturday. Of this number two sailed for
Liverpool, one for Glasgow, one for lire
men, three for Noifeik and Richmond, one
for Vera Cruz, two for New Orleans, one
for Nassau, and one each for Charleston,
Savannah, Wilmington and Beaufort, N. C.
For this wet-k twenty-four steamers are al
ready advertised, thirteen of which are to
sail next S ilurday.
A boiler in the steam saw mill on the
northwest corner of Second ave. aud Fifty-
fourth st,' exploded about 11 o’clock, on '
Saturday forenoon, from what cause is not
known, demolishing a portion of the C3tab-
lisbmen’, killing the fireman, dangerously
scaldi/Tg two, and slightly injuring three
others of the employees.
Major Gtn. Hooker lias piomulgated his
firkt official order in New*York, in which
he announces that he has assumed com
maad of the Department of the East, re
lieving Major Gen Dix. The order speci
fies tbe territory included iu the depart
ment, and designates the members of the
Departments! Siafl.
Mr. H. Siraoa Stern, employed by the
friends of Jeff. Davis to obtain a speedy tri
al for the prisoner, has been info lined by
the Government, iu reply to an application
iie«iade to be permitted to see Davis, thi-t
no access will be allowed to him by counsel
until he arrive? In W ash log ton,
Lieut. Commander F. IL Lewis, Unlitd
States Navy, has been temporarily assigned
to the command of the Naval Academy —
On the re establishment i f the Academy iu
October nex’, Admiral Porter will take
charge as Superintendent ot the institution,