Georgia Historic Newspapers

    VOL. V;
the appeal.
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A IProclamaticm.
GEORGIA
By R UFUS B. B ULLOCK,
Governor of said State.
WHEREAS, Official information has been re
ceived at tliis Department that one Pleufi
Fricks, a notorious character, lias of late com
mitted many depredations upon the good and
law abiding citisens of Lumpkin county, aad
the counties adjacent thereto, aud that several
indictments are now peuding against him iu
these counties, charging him with ussault with
intent to murder, arson, horse stealing, and
eMrer divers crifties ; and
Whereas, Notwithstanding tl»e diligent ef
forts by the civil authorities in endeavoring
to apprehend the said Frick's, he has succeeded
iu Maiding their vigilance aud is still at large,
greatly to the tenor and the disturbance of
the pestoe and good Older of said communities:
Now, therefore, believing that the offering
of a suitable reward is essential as a "means of
bringing to justice the said Fricks, I have
thought proper to issue this my Proclamation,
liersby offering a reward of Five Hnnared Dol ;
liars for the apprehension and delivery of the
-said Pleas Fricks to the Sheriff of Lumpkin
«ceunty, and an additional reward of Five
Hundred Dollars on his conviction of any of
the felonies with which be stands charged.
Given under my hand and the Great Seal es
the State at the i-apitol, in the city of At
tenia, this 12th and yof July, in the year of
our Lord Eighteen Hundred and Seventy-
One, and of the Independence of the Uni
ted States of America the Ninety-sixth.
RUFUS B. BULLOCK
By the Governor:
Bavin G. Covtinc, Secretary of State.
JjMAt
A JProolamation.
.GEORGIA
By R UFUS B B ULL O CK,
Governor of Said State.
WheuSas, on the 7th day of June, 1870, a
Proclamation was Issued from this Depart
ment, offering a reward of Two Huudred Dol
lars for the apprehension and delivery, with
evidence to convict, to the Sheriff of Taliafei.
ro county, of Alexander H. Evans, charged
with the murder of Jesse Noon, in said coun
ty; aud
Whereas, the said Evans is still at large,
continuing Ilia* depredations, and it Wing
irapreseuted to me that the murder committed
by him was most, willful and atrocious, and
(that it is the universal desire of the citizens jf
•aid county that tbs said Evans be arrested
for hisevil doings aud brought to a speedy trial
and punishment;
Now, therefore, In order the more effectual
ly to make certain the arrest of the said Evans
I have thought proper, and do h' reby offer an
addbioral reward oi Five Hundred Dollars
for the arrest, and delivery of the said Alexan
der H. Evans to the .Sheriff of Taliaferro conn
ty, and a reward of Five Hundred Dollars on
his conviction
Given under my hand and the great seal of
the State, at the Capitol in Atlanta, this
twelfth day of July, iu the year of our Lord
Eighteen Hundred aad Seventy-one, aud of
the Independence of the United States of
America the Ninety sixth.
RUFUS B. BULLOCK.
By tlie Governor:
David G, Cotting, Secretary of State
- J>2l-4t
A Proclamation.
GEORGIA.
By R UFUS B. B ULLOCK,
Go eernor of said State.
'Wnsrias, Official information has beeu re
ceived at this Department that James Toombs>
a desperate character, recently convicted of
i murder, aud confined under sentence of death
ia the common jail of Houston couuty, has
made his escape from said jail and is now at
large;
Now, therefore, I have thought proper t«
issue this, mv PWlaumtion, hereby offerings
reward <>i Five Hundred .Dolldis forthe ap
prehension aud delivery of the sai I James
Toombs to the Sheriff of Houston county, in
order that be may be punished for the offense
of which he stands convicted.
Given under my hand and the great seal of the
Executive Depnitment, at the Capitol in
Atlanta, this fourteenth day of July, in
the year of onr Lord Eighteen Hundred
and Seventy-one, and of the Independence
of tlie United Stales of America the Ninety
sixth.
RUFUS D. BULLOCK.
By tlie Governor : .
David G, Cotting, flei'y of State.
J»*» 4t
Fruits and Flowers,
Durham, Mountain Leaf
Untkiag Tobacco,
* For sale by T. S. POWELL, Trnrtee,
CUTHBERT |f§ff APPEAL.
Tor Kissed Me.
You kissed me! M; head bad dropped low
on tby breast
With a feeling of shelter and Infinite rest,
Whilst the lovely emotion my lips dared not
speak
Flushed up like a flame from my soul to my
cheek;
Your glance seemed drawing my soul through
myeyee,
As the sun draws the mist from the sea to the
tktes j
And tby lips clung to mine, till I prayed In
my bliss
They might never unclasp from that raptur
ous kiss.
9
You kissed me! My heart and my breath,
aud my will,
la delicious joy for the moment stood Still-
Life bad for me, then, no temptations, no
charms,
No vista of pleasure outside their arms—
Aud were 1 this instant an angel, possessed
Os the glory aad peace that are given the
blessed,
I would Ciist my white robes unrepiningly
down, . »
And tear from my forehead its beautiful
croyn,
To nestle once more in that haven of rest—
Thy lips touching mine, aud my bead on tby
breast.
You kissed me! My soul in a bliss so divine,
Acted as those who re drunken with wine ;
And I thought ? twere delicious to die then,
it death
Would come whilst my mouth was yet moist
with thy breath—
'Twere sweetest- to die If my heart might
grow cokl
tVbilet tby arms prest me round in that pas
sionate fold—
And these are the questions 1 ask day and
night,
“ Must my life taste no more such exquisite
delight ? ”
Would you care if your breast were my shel
ter as then—
And if you were here, would you kiss me
again ?
EyfrSight ‘
Milton’s blindness was the result*
of over*work and dyspepsia. One
of the most eminent American di*.
vines has for some time been com
pelled to forego the pleasure of
reading, has spetit thousands of dol
lars in vain, and lost years of time
in consequence of getting up a few
hours before day, and studying by
artificial light. Multitudes of men
and women have made* their eyes
weak for life by the too free use of
the eye sight in reading fine print
and doing fine sewing.
In view of these things, it is well
to observe the following rules in the
use of the eyes :
Avoid sudden changes between
light and darkness.
Never begin to read, or write, or
sew, for several minutes after com
ing from darkness to a bright light.
Never read by twilight, or moon
light, or of a cloudy day.
Never read or sew directly in
front of the light, or window, or
door.
It is better to have the light fall
from above, obliquely over the left
shoulder. .
Never sleep so that on first awak
ening the eyes shall open on the
light of the window.
Do uot use the eye sight so scant
that it requires an effort to discrim
inate.
Too much light creates a glare,
and pains and confuses the sight.
The moment you are sensible of an
effort to distinguish, that moment
cease, and take a walk or ride.
As the sky ia blue and the earth
green, it would seem that the ceil
ing shonld be of a bluish tinge, and
the walls of some mellow tint.
The moment you are instinctively
prompted to mb the eyes, that mo
ment stop using them.
If the eyelids are glued together
on waking up, do not forcibly open
them, but apply the saliva with tlie
finger; it is the speediest diluent
in the world. Then wash the eyes
and face in warm water. —Holts
Journal of Health.
Augusta , July 18.—There have
been heavy rains accompanied by
destructive winds for several days.
The dams of the Langley Cotton
Factory apf* both the paper mills,
situated on Horse creek, six mills
from Augusta, broke at 4 o’clock
this morning. The volume of wa
ter striking the South Carolina
Railroad, swept away the embank
ment and track for a half mile.—
The damage to the road has been
repaired, and trains are now run
ning. Some three hundred opera
tors in the mills are thrown out of
employment. Loss 050,000.
Bowen in a New Light.—Ev
erybody will be wondering what
Grant means by telling the country
that C. C. Boweu “rendered good
service to the . cause of the Uniou
during the rebellion.” Can it "be
possible that the President alludes
to the cowardly and devilish assas
sination of Colonel White, with
which Bowen has so often been
charged ? If At, what csn be the
“good service” which' Bowen has
contrived to hide so long trom his
benighted constituency ?—(Charles
ton News.
The writer of an obituary no
tice of an estimable lady said that
the bereaved husband “ was hardly
able to bear the demise of his wife. ’
Imagine his disgust on reading in
print that the bereaved husband was
“ hardly able to wear the ohemise
of hk wise.”
Cast your joke upon the pa
pers and it shall return to you after
not many days,
CUTHBERT, GEORGIA, FRIDAY, JULY 28, 1871.
A Clear Case of Witchcraft.
The town of Frankfort, Perry
county. Ilk* is greatly excited over
what the people regard as a clear
case of witchcraft, recently devel
oped in that vicinity. Two young
ladies, daughters of James Wil
liams, ate the victims. It has been
thought by the neighbors for some
time past that something was
wrong with the girls and a few
days since, a physician was oalled
to visit them. He failed to discov
er the difficulty. Since that time
immense crowds have visited the
girls averaging from fifty to one
hundred each night. They are per
fectly sane during the day, bat at
the approach of night they become
frenzied and uncontrollable, per
forming feats that would put the
first-class of acrobats to shame.-
Scaling the house, they will dance
aud gyrate on the comb of the roof
with perfeet ease and impunity,
uttering at the same time the most
hideous and frenzied screams.—
Very frequently while performing
sueh feats they fall perfectly rigid
with spasms, but they never fall
off, however, near the eaves they
may be. .During the day, at which
time they are perfectly sane, they
seem modest and reserved. The
spell comes on them both at near
the same time, generally during
twilight, when they both break in
to a run, always rnnning north, in
the direction of the house of a lady
who they say has bewitched them.
These spells ore put on them, they
say, on aocount of their • telling
something she forbid them, and «he
and the cat are with them in the
house-top dance. Their conversa
tion when laboring under these
spells is in an unknown tongue.—
They catch and eat all the flies they
can get hold of until nausea is pro
duced, when they both vomit at the
samo time. Whaft one does the
other does at the same time. They
seem to be moved by one controll
ing power.
If You
Want a cook,
Want a situation,
Want a salesman,
Want a servant girl,
Want to rent a store,
Want to sell a piano,
Want to sell a horse,
Want to lend money,
Want to buy a house,
Want to buy a horse,
Want to rent a house,
Want to sell a carriage,
Want a boarding place,
' Want to borrow money,
Want to sell dry goods >
Want to sell groceries,
Want so sell furniture,
Want to sell hardware,
Want to sell real estate,
Want a job of Carpentering, *
Want a job of blacksmithing,
Want to sell millinery goods,
Want to sell a house and lot,
Want to find a strayed animal,
Want to sell a piece of furniture,
Want to buy a second-hand car
riage,
Want to sell agricultural imple
ments,
Want to find anything you have
lost,
Want to advertise anything to
advantage,
Want to find an owner for any
thing found,
Want to succeed in any braneh
of business,
Advertise in tmk Cuthbbrt
Appeal.
om ■
VARIETY.
ln Constantinople, wood, milk,
and wine are sold by weight; and
bread is sold by the foot.
—The resignation of Rev. Dr.
Brantley, as Pastor of the Second
Baptist Church of Atlanta, will take
place on the Ist of September, prox.
After that date be becomes pastor
of a Baptist Church in Baltimore.
—The Vulcan. Iron Works of St.
Louis turns out a rail 30 feet long
every minute, or enough iron for $
mile of double track, with eight
switches included, every eght hours
and a half.
—■ Advertising, tike Midas’ touch,
turns everything to gold. By it
your daring men draw millions to
their cotters.”—Nf uart Clay.
Little girls believe in the man
in the moon - big girls believe in
the man in the honey-moon.
-.Almost every young lady is pub
lic spirited enough to have her fa
ther’s house used as a court bouse.
People say iron natures never
weep, and yet we have seen whole
rows of cannons in tiers.
lt is stated that words hurt
nobody, nevertheless Sampson/ataed
a thousand Philistines to death.
Well, there is something in
that, as the man said who tried to
put on hie boot with a kitten in it.
When does rain become too
familiar with a lady 1 When it be
gins to patter on the back.
An old. lady from one of the
rural districts astonished a clerk in
one of the stores a few days ago by
inquiring if he had any “ yaller de
velopments, sich • as they did up
letters in.”
Josh Billins says : The live
man iz like a little pig; he is wean
ed young, and begins to root early.
He is the pepersass of creation, the
allspice of the world. One live
man in a village iz like a case uv
itch in a district skule —be sets eve
rybody to skratching at wonst.
LETTER
From Governor Bullock, in Reply
to the Honorable John Scott,
Chairman of Joint Select Commit
tee to Inquire into the Condition
of the Late Insurrectionary
States.
Ex. Dep’t., State or Georgia, >
Atlanta, July 5, 1871. \
Hon. John Scott, Chairman Joint
Select Committee to inquire into
the condition of the late Insur
rectionary States, United States
Senate, Washington, D. C.
Sib— Upon my return to the Cap
itol, after an absenoe from the State,
I find a prioted circular bearing date
from the room of your committee,
May 24, 1871, addressed to myself.
In this printed circular you incorpo
rate a copy of a resolution adopted
by your committee on motion of
General Frank Blair, which reads
as follows:
On motion of Mr. Blair—
Resolved, That the Chairman be
requested to address letters to the
Executive, or other proper officers
of the States comprehended in the
resolution authorizing the appoint
ment of the Joint Select Committee,
asking statements of the debts and
of the rates and amounts of taxa
tion of said States, respectively, at
the present time, and to furnish
copies of the laws creating said
debts and fixing said rates of taxa
tion ; also requesting copies of the
election laws now ia force in said
States, respectively, since the adop
tion of the present Constitutions of
said States, with such other official
documents as the chairman shall
deem essential to this investigation.
In pursuance of the foregoing
resolution, you request that, so far
as relates to the State of Georgia,
the statements and copies of laws
therein be furnished as soon as
they can conveniently he prepared
and forwarded. You also request,
under the last clause of the resolu
tion, a statement*of the amounts of
the debts of the several States at
the time their respective ordinances
of secessiou were passed, also a
statement of the amount, rates, and.
subjects of taAbtion in the State of
Georgia prior to the passage of the
ordinance of secession, etc.
In responding to the request of
the Congressional Committee, as
presented in the oircular referred to,
I cannot consent to establish a pre
cedent for the future by recognizing
the right,of Congress to in this man
ner interfere with or inquire into
matters which are solely within the
control and subject to the supervis
ion of the representatives of the
people of this State in General As
sembly met; nor can I forego this
opportunity of respectfully suggest
ing to the mover of the resolution
under which the circular is issued,
and to your honorable Committee,
that the State of Georgia after
much tribulation, has complied with
all the requirements which were
prescribed by Congress as prelimi
nary to her readmission into tlie
Union. The fact of her readmis
sion has been made known to our
people, not only through the declar
atory statutes enacted by Congress,
but also in the reception of our Sen
ators and Representatives into that
body. Tlie State of Georgia, there
fore, stands in the Union the peer
of every other State, and informa
tion touching her needs, her re
quirements, or her condition, will
be made known and presented to
Congress by her Representatives in
that body. I cannot admit that at
this day there is anything in the
fact of her “late insurrectionary
condition ” which would authorize
the representatives of the people
of other Statas in Congress to order
proceedings towards her which
would not equally apply to the peo
ple of the several States represent
ed by themselves.
* * * * *
I am aware that by an ingenious
legal construction it is assumed that
the late amendments to the Con
stitution of the United States have
so extended the powers of Congress
that a majority of its members, act
ing in harmony with the Executive,
have absolute control over all the
functions heretofore Universally con
ceded to be sueh as purely apper
tain to the local organization of the
States. Bat, as the Executive of
one of the States I most positively
dissent from this construction, and
as a Republican, decline to accept
such an interpretation as being ap
proved by the Republican party or
ganization throughout the country.
Whatever may be the fine spun the
ories of legal gentlemen upon the
question of the powers delegated
by the late amendments, we may be
fully assured that the great mass of
the American people regard them
as simply such measures as were
necessary to guarantee the abolition
of slavery and prohibit further at
tempts to destroy the Union ; to se
cure the payment of the debt of
the United States, and. to prevent
the denial of civil and political priv
ileges to citizens on account of their
race, color, or previous condition of
servitude. Any attempt to go be
yond this reasonable and well-es
tablished opinion of the people tor
the purpose and in the hope of ob
taining political power, no matter
bow well devised may be the pre
text, will meet with a swift rebuke
from an overwhelming majority of
American citizens. Any political
party that would dare to resurrect*
and vitalize the issues that were
crushed into graves at Appomatox
and Greensboro, would meet with
like treatment from a large majority
of the people South as well as
North. No one in the South would
now accept the restoration of slav
ery ; no one seeks the repudiation
of the United States debt. The
State of Georgia does not deny or
abridge the right of any citizen of
the United States to vote on ac
count of race, color, or previous
condition of servitude; nor does
this State deny to any person with
in its jurisdiction the equal protec
tion of the laws.
How, In the face of these facts,
can we justify action towards her
that if attempted against New York
or Massachusetts would be spurned
by an indignant people ?
Let us rather adhere to the origi
nal and lasting foundation of repub
licanism, so consisely and so ably
presented by Jefferson when he
says :
“Equal and exact justice to all
men, of whatever state or persuasion,
religious or political; peace, com
merce and honest friendship with
all nations—entangling alliances
with none; THE SUPPORT OF
THE STATE GOVERNMENTS
IN ALL THEIR RIGHTS AS
THE MOST COMPETENT AD
MINISTRATION S FOR OUR
DOMESTIC -CONCERNS AND
THE SUREST BULWARKS
AGAINST ANTI-REPUBLICAN
TENDENCIES ; the preservation
of the General Government in its
w-hole constitutional vigor as the
sheet anchor of our pgace at home
and safety abroad ; a jealous care
of the right of election by the peo
people—a mild and safe corrective
of abuses, which are lopped by the
sword of Revolution where peacea
ble remedies are unprovided ; * *
I have ventured to say this much
that my official action, as the chief
Executive of one of the States in
the American Union* might not be
misunderstood, and my compliance
with the request of your committee
be used in the future as a precedent
against the State ; and also, that as
far as any act of mine might go,
the Union Republican party should
not be held as indorsing theoxtreme
Construction which is sought to be
given to the late amendments to
the Constitution.
By the exertions of a small po
litical clique, in opposition to the
present administration, aided aud
supported by the State Treasurer
and a powerful railroadcorporation,
which seeks to strangle or absorb
every other railroad enterprise in
the State, willful, malicious, un
founded, and unfair statements
have been scattered broadcast thro’
the press for the purpose of injur
ing, to as great an extent as possi
ble, the credit of the State, and
thereby prevent the marketing ol
such of her securities as I have been
authorized and instructed to issue,
and to render less valuable the
State’s indorsement on bonds of
railroad companies. For personal
reasons,, therefore, I am gratified
that an opportunity is given me,
by this request, to make known,
semi-officially, the exact financial
condition of this State.
I am advised that the Hon. Mad
ison Bell, Comptroller-General of
this State, has, in response to a
similar circular, given to your com
mittee, in bulk, the statistical in
formation called for; and I shall
therefore only recapitulate the com
parative figures, to exhibit the points
of information which T understand
your committee requires.
It is proper to state under our
statutes the Comptroller General is
the official check upon all the other
departments of the State, and that
his office, together with that of the
Secretary of State, controls the rec<
ords, the official proceedings, and
transaction of the State’s affairs.
The office of Treasurer is only cler
ical, that official being simply the
enstodiau and disburser of such
money as may be placed in his
hands by the Governor or from tax
es collected through the Comptroll
er General.
The public debt of the State, as
shown by the Comptroller General’s
report tor 1861, was $3,688,750.1
The public debt of the State on tlie
Ist day of July, 1868, a few weeks
before the present administration
came into office, was $6,256,635:
showing an increase of debt between
the close of the war and the adap
tion of the present Constitution,
(the State government, during that
time, being under the able admin
istration of Governor Jerkins,
founded upon President Johnson’s
“ proclamation,”) of $2,567,885.
The expenses of that State gov
ernment, as shown by the report of
the Comptroller General, are as fol
lows :
Get. 16.1866, to Oct. 16.186?..52,089,363 85
Oct. 16,1867, to Aug. 10, 1868. 271,145 56
Making a total expenditure for
the twenty-tw o months of Governor
Jenkins' administration ©f two
MILLION NINE HTTnIXBED AND SIXTY
THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED AND NINE
DOLLARS AND FORTY-DNK CENTS.
The expenditures of the present
administration from Auguot
IL, 1868. to tbe first day of
January, 1869, were $ 430,957 77
Same from January Ist. 1869. to
January Ist, 1870. ' 1,657,825 98
Same from January Ist, 1870, to
January let. 1671. 1,470,02102
Making a total, tip to uo. Grist
day of January, 1871. a pe
riod ot twenty-nine nioßtbs, ,
under tbe present administra
tion, of $3,768,804,77
Thus showing that, with double
the wo ting population, and double
the Dumber of citizens entitled to
the care and attention of the State,
}n courts, etc., and for a period of
time covering great exeitefnent and
disorder, the cxpcns» of my ad
ministration have been an average
of nearly five thousand dollars per
mpnth less than those of my prede
cessors, and this, too, notwithstand
ing the heavy expenses necessarily
incurred by the numerous, and in
fact almost continuous meetings of
the General Assembly, made neces
sary by the hesitancy of Congress
in acting upon the question of the
readraission of our State into the
Union. .•
Tbe total valuation of property,
as returned by the people ©if this
State for taxation in the year 1860,
was— . .. /■
Land $161,764,955
Slaves 302,694,855
City and town property 35,1 39,415
Money and solvent debts 107,336.258
Merchandise 15,577,193
Shipping and tonnage 943,940
Stocks manufactories, etc 4,034.252
Household and kitchen furniture 2.374,284
Other property not mentioned 42 327,295
Making a total of $672,292,447
Upon which the rate of taxation
was per cent on one hundred dol
lars.
Taking from this total valua
tion, amounting to $672,292,447
The value of slaves 302,694.855
And we have, as tbe total valu
ation ot the taxable property
of the State of Georgia in
1860, exclusive of the estima
ted value of slaves, the a
mouut oT 369,597,592
The Teturn of the value of taxa
ble property in this State for tlie
year 1870, being the last made, is—
Aggregate value of land 95.600,674
City arid-town property 47,922.544
National hank shares 985,900
Money and solvent debts 26,646,995
Merchandise 12,884.118
Shipping 214.775
Stocks and bonds 6,482 765
Cotton manufactories 2,975,498
Iron works, etc 658,026
Mining 33,140
Value of household and kitchen
furniture 1,519.857
Plantation and mechanical tools 162,859
Valne of all other property 30,933,568
Making a total value of all
propertytof 226,119,629
Upon which the rate of tax is
four-tenths of one per cent., (4-l0
of lc. <
It will be observed that the total
return of taxable property (exclu
sive of slaves) immediately after
the war is $143,478,063 less than
the return for iB6O, just previous
to the war, but when wo consider
that the whole domestic aud agri
cultural labor system was annihila
ted ; that our people were dismay
ed, discouraged and paralyzed, it is
not strange that this result should
appear. In fact it is remarkable
that tlie falling off in values was
not greater. Under our statues, the
value of property as returned for
taxation is fixed by the owner.—
We have no arbitrary assessments,
except in cases of default. Under
these circumstances the fact that
there has been a steady increase iu
the value of property returned for
1868, 1869, and 1870 is yery grati
fying. The return for iB6O ex
feeds that for 1868 by thirteen
MILLION TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY
SIX THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED AND
eighty six dollars, and the re
turn for 1870 exceeds that for 1869
by twenty-one million, seven
hundred and seventy-eight
THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED AND BlX
ty-four dollars. The special tax
on professions, polls, shows, liquors,
etc., results in an average revenue
of nearly $500,000 per annum. The
receipts from the State Railroad, as
provided by lease, for twenty years,
net three uundrkd thousand dol
lars per annum.
The ordinance of secession was
passed on the 19th day of January,
1861. The debt of the State, as
per Comptroller General’s report of
that year, was $3,688,<750. The re
port of the Comptroller General, af
ter the close of the war—October
16, 1865—states the debt at that
time, of bonds issued and author
ized to he issued before tbe war, to
be $3,645,250; of this amount about
onr million dollars were issued
during the war.
In the report of the Comptroller
General to the Provisional Gover
nor appointed by President John
son, October 16th, 1865, he uses the
following language;
In response to the request of your
Excellency that I report also upon
the public-debt now due, that was
created before the war, and the
amount created lince the ordinance
of secession, tbe objects for which
the same was created, etc., I have
the honor farther to report that the
amount of bonds issued before the
war and now unpaid, is $2,677,750 ;
the amount authorized to be issued
before the State seceded, and now
remaining unpaid, (inclcuding the
$2,677,750) is $3,645,250.
That your Excellency may better
understand the matter, I will state
that the item of SIOO,OOO of 6 per
cent, bonds, due m 1881, in the ta
ble above, although not issued un
til February, 1861, (after the ordi
nance of secession) yet the same
was authorized to be issued by act
approved February 27th, 1856, au
thorizing bonds to be issued to pay
tbe State’s subscription to the At
lantic and Gulf Railroad; and these
bonds were issued for that purpose.
Again, the items of $25,000 and
$842,500, due iu 1881, iu Banie ta
bles, although not issued, until Feb
ruary, 1861, and May, 1862, yet
they were authorized to be issued
by acts approved November 16th,
iB6O, and December 16th, 1861.
The act of November 16th, 1860, in
view of the condition of the eoun*
try, appropriated $1,000,000 as a
Military Fund “ for the purpose of
placing the State in a condition of
defense,” and authorized the issue
of bonds of SSOO each, payable
twenty years from date, bearing six
per cent. ratervßt to meet the same,
On the Ist of February, 1861, said
bonds, to the amount of $867,500,
were prepat ed and ready for issue.
The banks agreed to let the State
have the mtJhtey for $842,500 of the
same, but tbought six per cent, too
low. The Governor, however,
agreed to recommend the ensuing
Legislature to allow seven per cent,
Consequently on the 16th Decem
ber, 1861, an aqt was approved au
thorizing the Governor to cancel all
said bonds that, were issued to the
banks, and to give them, in lieu of
the same bonds bearing seven per
cent, interest, which was done *on
the Ist of May, 1862.”
Bonds of the State were author
ized and issued during the adminis
t ration of my predecessor—Gover
nor Jenkins — to the amount of four
millions five hundred thousand
dollars, so that the bonded debt
of the State, upon my coming into
office in 1868, was represented by
$6,544,500, and this was the amount
January 1, 1871.
Under the authority granted by
act of the Legislature, (pages 14
and 138 of the laws ot 1868, here
with inclosed, and pages 4 and 5 of
the laws of 1870, also inclosed, au
thorizing the Governor to issue
bonds of the State to redeem bonds
and coupons due, or when the same
shall have fallen due, until otherwise
ordered by law, and for such other
purposes as the General Assembly
may direct, and to borrow a suffi
cient amount of .money, on the cred
it of tbe State, on such terms as to
him shall seem best, to pay off thp
members and Officers of the Gener
al Assembly,) currency bonds were
executed and issued as collateral se
curity for temporary loans. These
temporary loans have been met and
provided for, and the currency
bonds cancelled. These currency
bonds were never intended, and
were never offered, for sale. Un
der the authority of an act of the
General Assembly, authorizing the
Governor to issue bonds to pay the
interest on the public debt, and to
meet bonds that have fallen due,
and as they fall due, which covers
bonds issued before the war, that
have fallen due since the war, and
will fall due during this and the
next year, (page 4 of pamphlet laws,
1870, inclosed,) three millions of
dollars of gold bonds have been ex
ecuted and registered, and have
been,.and will be, sold from time to
time, as it has become, and may
hereafter become, necessary for the
purposes authorized by law.
The contingent liability of the
State is represented by what is
commonly known as“ State aid ” to
railroads, although under tbe pres
ent Constitution ot this State, the
policy of “ State aid,” which has
been pursued in other States, is en
tirely prohibited, and the Legisla
ture is restricted to simply
izing the State indorsement for the
prompt payment of the interest and
principal o n the first mortgage
bonds of certain railroad companies,
after the roads have been construct
ed and are in operation for sections
of ten and twenty miles, the in
dorsement not to exceed in any case
one half of the cost of such road.—
The State has, as a protection
against such indorsement, a first
lien upon the whole property, with
the right of immediate and unob
structed possession of the property
upon any failure on the part of the
companies to meet their indorsed
obligations.
(In some of the other States, be
fore and since the war, railroads
have been aided by the States be
coming large shareholders and pay
ing for their stock by the issue of
State bonds, and in this manner
have burthened their people with a
debt. As I have before stated, ev
erthing of this kind is prohibited
by our Constitution.)
This contingent liability has been
incurred, under the circumstances
above set forth, upon the Macon it
Brunswick Railroad, now completed
and in operation between Macon
and Brunswick, a distance of tWd
hundred miles, to tlie extent of sl3,
COO per mile. The total amount,
however, of the State's indorsement
upon the bonds of this company is
but $2,550,000. This contingent li
ability has also, been incurred upon
that portion of tbe Alabama Sc Chat
tanooga Railroad running through
this State a distance of 24 0-10
miles, to the extent of SB,OOO per
mile, the total amount of the State’s
indorsement being $194,400.
The only other roads which have
organized and secured the necessa
ry amounts of cash subscription,
and have constructed the necessary
number of miles to entitle them to
indorsement, are the South Georgia
Snd Florida, from Albany to the
Florida line, which is entitled to an
indorsement of SB,OOO per mile; the
Brunswick and Albany Railroad;
running from Brunswick to the Al
abama line, which is entitled to
$15,000 per mile indorsement upon
gold bonds; the Cherokee Railroad,
running from Cartersville to the
Alabama line, which is entitled to
an indorsement of $12,500 per mile,
and the Atlanta and Richmond Air
Line Railroad, from Atlanta lo the
South Carolina line, which is enti
tled to au indorsement of $12,000
per mile.
The South Georgia & Florida
Railrotid when completed to
the Florida line, will be 73
miles in length, with a total
Indorsement 0f..... n * >••• $ 584,000
Tbe Brunswick A Albany Rati
road, whoa completed te EU
faala, will be 242 miles itt
length, with a total indorse*
mont es 3)6-30,000
The Cherokee Railroad, when
completed to tlie Alabama
tine, will ho 47 miles iu
NO. 31
length with a total indorse
ment of:.. n « ; 1J... IK I 587.500
When all the railroads, which
have up to this lime phiced them;
selves In a condition to be entitled
to the indorsement ©f the State;
shall have been completed, the total
contingent liability of the State will
be $7,545,900.
The statutes authorizing these and
other railroads to receive the State’s
indorsement, under the restrictions
that I have explained, were passed
by a large majority of the General
Assembly. This question has nev
er been a political one here ; the'
bills were voted tor by Democrats
and Republicans, and are almost
unanimously approved by the peo
ple of the State. The small minor
ity in tlie Legislature opposed t d
the policy were about equally divid
ed between the two political partly.
The only exception to the general
rule are in the case of the Bruus
wick & Albany, Macon k Augusta,-
and Atlanta & Richmond Air Rail
roads. The Brunswick k Albany*
Railroad Company was organized
by northern capital before tlie war,
and had constructed some sixty
miles of railway from Brunswick,
west. During the war, as is alleged)
the iron from this road was taken
tip by the then State authorities and
placed upon the AtlUUtlc k Gtllf
Railroad, belonging exclusively to
the State. This company, reorgan
ized since the war, having rebuilt
over one hundred mile# of their
road, proposed as a settlement at
their claims against the State,* 0
plan which was accepted by the Leg
islature, whereby the company de
posits with the State SIO,OOO per
mile of seven per cent, second mort
gage gold bonds having twentymve
years to run, and receives from the
State SB,OOO per mile of seven per
cent. golA bonds of the State front
time to time as the road is construct
ed. As the Brunswick & Albany
Railroad Company pay 7 per cent,
to the State Treasury upon SIO,OOO
per mile, the interest paid by the
State on her bonds to the amount
of SB,OOO per mile is provided for,
and the surplus forms a sinking
fund which provides for the re*-
demplion of the bonds at maturity.
When the Brunswick k Albany
Railroad shall have been completed
to Eufaula, the total amount of State
bonds received by it will be $1,880,-
000, and the State debt proper will
then be increased by that amount
secured as above stated*
The Macon k Augusta Railroad
was authorised to receive an in
dorsement from the State at the
rate of ten thousand dollars per
mile ; but, after having completed
some thirty miles of their road, the
company found themselves able to
negotiate their bonds for a larger
amount per mile than the State was
authorised to indorse for, and has
therefore never applied tor the
State’s indorsement. That road is
now ia full and successful operation
between Augusta and Macon*
The Atlauta and Richmond Air-
Line Railroad, which is entited, as
I have before stated, to an indorse
ment of $12,000 per mile upon the_
completion of the first twenty miles’
of that road, received the indorse
ment of the State upon < its bonds
$240,000. The week having
been thus successfully inaugu
rated, the company found .then**
selves able to negotiate their first
mortgage securities for a much
larger amouut per mile than *tbe
State under the statqte would in
dorse for, aud the company has
therefore returned to the State the
bonds bearing her indorsement, ami
the femd is now being rapidly con
structed, over sixty miles beiiig al
ready in operation, without receiv
ing the State's indorsement upon
its bonds<
Under the restricted and conserv
ative system provided for by our
present State Constitution, it is not
believed that any serious burdens
eat! be thrown upon the State Tieas
ury because of the fact t«at no in
dorsements are givefl uiitil the ex
tent of road indorsed for is in actu
al operation, and whfin so given is
for such a limited • amount that
the property Itt any contingency
would be more than sufficient to se
cure the State against 1099;
* * * *
I haVc heretofore referring jii this
communication, to tlie fact that the
value of the fetrtm of taxable prop
erty has increased nearly fourteen
millions in leffiJ, aad iieflrijr twenty
two millions in 1870, as Compared
with the years previous, and, upon
analysing this fad. We find that the
Increase has been diftscUy stimula
ted by the lines of railroad which
have been put in bjieration by rsa
son of the assistance given them
through the State’s indorsement.
H Is quite nathral that 0 practical
man should inquire whitt benefit
railrOad companies derive frout this
limited indorsement by the State.
But that inquiry is ausii'etod when
we reflect upou the fact that a por
tion of the money necessary for the
Construction of these rbadS must be
obtained from the Northern States
or from EurtrpC; ami that neither
io the North nor in KdropC; would
capitalists take the time or trouble
to inquire as to the solvency df Com
paratively unknown corporations in
the South, which might present
themselves offering ttt sell their Se
curities ; but when tbeeh ieeitrities
earry with them tlie guafaitUife pf
the State of Georgia, fdr iho
prompt pa> meat of the interest And
the principal of the securitifcS that
are offered, the capitalist, relying
upon that indorsement, finds it un
necessary tb make further faquirv,
[eo: fcLiPtD on fourth riot.)