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OLD SERIES, NO. 575.]
By smith, WIKLE & CO.]
IMBLISUED EVERY WED ESDAY.
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THE TRUE VERSION.
Wlio Hut rayed General Morgan.
An Account of lli* Treacherous Surprise 1
ami Hi atal Murder.
From the Savannah News.]
Savannah, Oct. 25, 1871 My at
tention having been called to an ar
ticle which appeared in a Memphis
paper—over the signature of Gen.
Alvin C. Gillcm, U. S. A.—purport
ing to be a true version of the man
ner in which Gen. J. 11. Morgan was
killed and the statement made by
your eflicient correspondent, whom
I suspect to be an old and respected
friend, in your issue of the 24th ult.,
compels me, very reluctantly, to ap
pear in print to refute a willful mis
representation on the part of the for
mer and an unintentional mistake of
my worthy comrade. I had intended,
soon after the war, and several times
since, to have published a statement
of what happened under my personal
observation on that eventful 4th of
September, the disirce of our com
mand, but cautious friends advised
against tne re-opening of dead issues
to incite fresh animosities, which our
medal (?) accept-the-situationists de
clared would delay the day of the
prodigal’s return to the bosom of
this “ glorious Union.” The letter
in the Memphis Appeal determined
my course, and I had already com
menced a reply, when your corres
pondent’s notice of the circumstan
ces causes rao to hastily lay before
your readers, and all who love our
dear South and the glorious cause
so manfully sustained, as succinct a
statement as I can possibly make of
the true events of the mournful day.
To anticipate : On the morning
of the 2d of September, 18G4, I re
ceived orders from Gen. Morgan,
then at Abingdon, Va., to have tho
command ready for immediate move
ment. At that time it consisted of
the old brigade, under command of
Col. 11. Smith ; the second brigade,
under command of Col. 11. L. Gilt
uer; and a detachment of Gen.
Vaughn’s brigade (the latter com
posed of stragglers, men reporting
from leave of absence, etc., their
brigade being absent with Gen. Ear
ly in Maryland) under command of
Col. Win. E. Bradford—tho whole
force numbering, as well as I can
recollect, thirteen hundred men. We
were stationed at Carter’s station on
the East Tennessee and Virginia
Railroad, about thirty miles from
Greenville. Later in the day orders
came for the force to move next
morning early on Greenville, and on
the 3d, Gen. Morgan, with Maj. W.
C. Gassett, G. M., Capt. Henry
Gay, Acting Aid-de-Camp, Capt.
James Rogers, Acting Inspector
General, and L. C. Johnson, a clerk
in my office, arrived on the train,
and we immediately proceeded to
Jonesboro, at that time the terminus
of the road. We here met the com
mand, and advanced in regular
marching order to Greenville.
Not having an opportunity on the
train of discussing his plans, the
General invited me to ride forward
with him, and we rode beyond our
advanced videts. I remonstrated
against this as dangerous, but the
General said he desired to converse
with me quietly. He seemed to have
a foreboding of evil, for he remarked
upon my suggestion that we might
be captured, u they will never take
me alive—they have sworn to kill
me if they ever catch me again.” We
still rode in advance and entered
Greenville fully fifteen minutes be
fore our advance guard.
The General, after directing me as
to the disposition of the troops, es
tablished his headquarters at the
house of Mrs. Williams, but immedi
ately sent for a detail of a lieutenant
and ten men ; and upon going up to
tho house, I learned that upon our
arrival, a Mrs. Williams, daughter
in-law of our hostess, had suddenly
taken her departure, for the ostensi
ble purpose of getting some “ water
melons.” To those who know that
smile when he was angry! I refer to
whether the General suspected
treachery or no. His reply to me
was that “he wished the men to as
sist Mrs. Williams in bringing back
her watermelons, and that they must
go until they found her.” When
alone he told me his suspicions that
Mrs. Williams had gone to give in
formation to the enemy—“ but that
fus nothing, as a thousand of our
noble girls had brought us news, but
I must prevent, if possible, the ene
my getting news of our approach.”
The scouting party returned unsuc
cessful after a dilligent search, and
Reported that she had not been to the
Cto which the elder Mr s . W. had
said she had gone. 5 ■
In the disposition of the division
CoU Bradford was on the ex
treme left, hie lea » the
Nolicliucky river, andhislin «
dine in a semi-circle until it tonjlied
Col Giltner’e left, and the‘attetm
the same manner to the left H,
Smith-thus forming tw .?* thl l r d oSnt 0 S nt i n<y l v
circle around Gteenville, fronting
the enemy’s position, an
miles from the town. I
the propriety of placing C ••
in Bradford’s position, as the fore
THE WEEKLY STANDARD & EXPRESS.
of the latter was without regular or- j
ganization, but the General said he 1
intended his men should lead the
charge in the morning, and he desir- j
ed they should be relieved from all
duty. A written order was dispatch
ed to Col. Bradford to select his bes
officer and fifty picked men as a
scouting party, with instructions to
advance toward Bull Gap, until they
struck the enemy’s position, and to
feel his picket until the command ar-1
rived next morning. Capt. Clay and
and Maj. Gassett were ordered to
ride over the picket line, and see
that every road and by-path were
properly guarded, and at 11 o’clock
p. m., they reported that all in3truc- j
tions had been fully executed.
After issuing orders for the com
mand to rendezvous on the Bull’s j
Gap road at daylight the next mor
ning, the General retired. He occu- i
pied a front room alone. At day
light on the morning of the 4th I was
awakened by tiie sentinel on duty,
and went into the General’s room to
awaken him. Upon inquiry, finding |
that it was raining, he instructed me J
to countermand the order for imme
diate movement, and fixing 7 o’clock
as the hour. After receiving reports
from the different brigade comman
ders, I returned to bed, and was
awakened by the heavy firing around j
the house. Hastening into the Gen- |
eral’s room, I found that he had gone
out, and on searching found him iu
the garden.
A description of the grounds will
better enable your readers to fully
understand subsequent events. The
enclosure occupied just one block,
and therefore was surrounded by
four streets, on the northern side,
aud occupying almost the whole
space, stood the house—a large sub
staucial brick, fronting south; to
the right and southward were the
stables, and still further, and reach
ing to the front street, was a small
vineyard, of probably two hundred
vines; iu the southeast corner of
the lot stood a small framed church,
raised on brick columns about three
feet from the ground ; the remain
der of the lot was filled with flowers
and shrubbery.
I found the General in the vicini
ty of the church, and we took shel
ter under it to consult. He direct
ed me to go to the top of the house
to see if there was an opening
through which he could pass, and
upon reaching the upper rooms, I
went into each opening in different
directions, and found every street
blocked with cavalry, while lines of
men were riding around next to the
fence, (a high plank fence,) shooting
in all directions through the grounds.
I could also see squads of men at
the terminus of each street on the
outkirts of the village.
Reporting these facts to the Gen
eral, I urged him to go into the
house and there surrender, as it was
our only chance, and that growing
momentarily less, as the fire was
growing heavy and at a point blank
range. He replied:
“It is useless ; they have sworn
never to take me a prisoner.”
Hearing the church being foiced
open, we crossed over into the viu
yard. It must here be stated that
all movements were effected by al
most crawling and taking advantage
of each bush, as the enemy were not
over twenty yards from us; and
crouching down among the vines,
Mr. Johnson and myself again ur
ged him to go up to the house.
This he refused, and told us that we
had better separate, as three togeth
er might be perceived. In leaving,
the General shook bauds with me
and remarked :
“You will never see me again.”
I had gone but a few steps when
I heard him call out:
“Don’t shoot! I surrender.”
Stopping immediately, I looked
around, and upon the out side of
the fence, almost over the General,
who had risen, and was holding up
his hands sat a Yankee with gun
presented, who replied :
“Surrender and be God damned;
I know you,” and fired. I was so
close that to this day I firmly be
lieve that I can identify the man.
As soon as the shot was fired and
the General fallen, he commenced
shouting, “I’ve killed the damned
horse thief,” and he began tearing
down the fence, in which he was
soon assisted by a large crowd of
his comrades.
I neglected to mention that while
we were dodging about in the gar
den some fiends in the noble guise
of women were calling to the Yan
kees from their upper windows:
“Yonder he goes,” “That’s him,”
That’s Morgan,” etc.
Being soon after captured and
taken some distance out of town, I
saw nothing of the General’s body
until when, after repeated solitita
tion, the sergent who had me in
charge consented to take me to Gen.
Gillem, tho commander of the Fed
eral forces, and on my w r ay there I
was stopped by a crowd of halt
drunken wretches who made me dis
mount. “They wanted to show me
something.” That something was
the dead body of Gen. Morgan,
thrown in a muddy ditch by the
road side, the features almost un
distinguishable from the mud blood,
and the body nude, save a pair of
drawers, the clothing then being
torn into small pieces, as souvenirs
of the “Dead Lion.”
Upon reaching the town, I found
Gon. Gillem at Mrs. Williams’
house, and with him was the Mrs.
Williams who had gone out the day
before after and
who had returned, strange to say,
about the same time, with the \ an
kees. I stated to Gen. Gillem that
my object in coming to him was for
permission to get the General’s body
“as his men were treating it like a
dog.”
“Aye, sir, and it shall lie there
and rot like a dog,” was his reply,
and then followed a series of abuse,
would scarcely be palatable
readers, or pertinent to this
Sufficit, he rejected ev
| by which I had
The Family Newspaper—Devoted to Science, Art, Literature, Agriculture, Political and General News.
CARTERSVILLE, GEORGIA, THURSDAY" MORNING, NOV EMBER 30, 1871.
hop U to have succeeded in getting
the General’s body to his friends.
Our force having rallied. Gen.
Gillem was summoned to the front,
aud one of his staff, whom I have
thought was Colonel Brownlow,
t tough my memory may be at fault,
but who, nevertheless, seemed a
gentleman, offered to bring in the
body, which was done, and in a
small back room Capt. James Rog
ers and myself with the assistance
of a negro man, washed and dressed
it. The wound was full in the
bre st, and seemed to have glanced
on the breast bone, passing through
the heart and coming out under the
left arm. The head was much bruis
ed, and the skin broken in several
places upon the face and the temples,
seeming a verication of the state
ment that the body wa3 thrown over
a horse, with the head dangling
against the stirrups.
Such, Mr. Editor, is a plain, un
varnished statement of facts, so far
as my memory goes, for I have no
date upon which to reply. I sent a
similar statement to Mr. Reedy, the
father of Mrs. Morgan, immediately
after my escape and when I reached
Canada 1 also wrote more fully to
the General’s mother, in Lexington,
Ky., and to Col. Dick Morgan, then
a prisoner at Fort Warren. This is
another reason why I have not giv
en this statement sooner to the pub
lic, as I felt that as the General’s
immediate family were in possession
of the facts, they would publish
them ,if they thought best. Now,
however, as Geu. Gillem has deemed
it prudent to make a statement, and
as one of our own staff has endors
ed it, I can no longer remain silent,
not only in justice to the holy cause,
but to ihe sacred memory of one
with whom it was my honor and
privilege to serve, and than whom
there never breathed a more noble
and gallant spirit, whose name will
be fondly cherished when those of
his foul murderers shall have perish
ed in oblivion.
Very respectfully,
C. A. Withers,
Formerly Adjutant General on
the slaff of Gen. John H. Morgan.
CONLEY’S MESSAGE.
His Veto of the Election Bill.
Executive Department, 1
Atlanta, Ga., Nov. 21, 1871. /
To the House of Representatives : I here
with return to your honorable body, in
which it originated, the bill entitled “an
act to provide for a special election for
Governor, to fill the unexpired term of
Rufus 13. Bullock, late Governor, and for
other purposes,” with my dissent to the
same aud the reasons therefor.
I have not adopted this course without
the greatest considerations.
As the object of thi3 bill is to- fill the
unexpired term of Governor Bullock, which
at the time of his resignation devolved by
the Constitution upon myself, my person
al pride would impel me promptly to affix
my signature to it, since to refuse so to do,
is to put it in the power of these disposed
to judge harshly to attribute my action to
interested motives. But however much I
may feel iuclined, by giving the bill my
assent, to repel such imputations, I must
in this, as in all my “official actions, be
guided by my judgment rather than my
pride.
Indeed, it cannot but occur to every
thinking man that if the Constitution au
thorizes so unseemly a proceeding as that
presented by the bill under consideration,
in which the Executive of the State is call
ed upon to sit in solemn judgment upon the
question of the propriety or impropriety of
determinating his own official existence—
the Constitution is in this respect, at least,
is anomalous. It is a settled rule, both of
law and of common sense, that no man
should be compelled or permitted to sit in
judgement upon his own rights—not only
because the selfishness of human nature
leads one to judge in his own favor, but
because a proud man would prefer to sac -
rifice his own rights rather than subject
himself to the suspicious of ungenerous
critics. Iu so important a law as that now
proposed, the people are entitled to the
free judgment of both the Legislature and
the Executive.
Nothing is more carefully guarded
against in the Constitution than the hap
pening of a contingency in which a public
officer shall become personally interested
iu the exercise of the duties of his office.
If the Governor be impeached, even,
the President of the Senate is, upon the
trial, to vacate his seat, since, if conviction
takes place, he becoms clothed with the
functions of the Governor.
The Judges of the Supreme Court, if in
terested in a case before them, are tempo
rarily displaced by Circuit Judges selec
ted by the Governor. If a case arise in
which a Judge of the Superior Court is in
terested, the law provides that he shall not
preside. And, generally, by the Constitu
tion aud law3, by the rules of legislative
bodies, aud by common consent of all pub
licit <«, it is as I have said, a settled rule
that no one shall be permitted or compelled
to exercise his public functions iu a mat
ter directly involving bis own interests.
Were the duty imposed a mere ministerial
one, in which I was called upon simply to
to do an act, in which I was not bound by
my oath of office to exercise my judgment.,
the case would be diflerent.
I have said thus much because I cannot
but feel that the General Assembly in the
passage of this bill has not fully consider
ed the position in which it places niyselt ;
aud because I cannot think so strange an
anomaly as its presentation to me tor my
signature was ever contemplated in the
Constitution of the State.
The Constitution, article four, section
one, paragraph lour is as follows; ‘ln
case of the death, resignation or disability
of the Governor, the President of the Sen
ate shall exercise the Executive powers of
the Government, until such disability be re
moved, or a successor is elected and quali
fied. And in case of the death, resignation
or disability of the President of the Senate
the Speaker of the House of Representa
tives shall exercise the Executive powers
of the Government until the removal of the
disability, or the election and qualification
of a Governor. The General Assembly
shall have power to provide by law for fill
ing unexpired terms by a special elec
tion.”
Without doubt it Is upou the last sen
tence of this quotation from the Constitu
tion that this bill is founded.
The bill is entitled “an act to provide for
a special eloction for Governor, to fill the
unexpired term of Rufus B. Bullock, late
Governor, and for other purposes.” It
provides that an election shall be held ou a
fixed day, to-wit : The third Tuesday in
December, eighteen hundred and seventy
one, for that purpose.
In my judgment, the clause of the Con
stitution referred to docs not authorize, or
justify, such a law. The language is,
“The General Assembly shall have power
to provide by law for filling unexpired
terms by a special election.”
It was contemplated that the General
Assembly should provide, by a general
I law, not for filling a particular unexpired
term, but for filling unexpired terms gen
erally. No man can read this language of
the Constitution without feeling that it is a
very strained construction, to 3ay the least
of it, to hold that it authorixes a special
case. The language is unsuited to such an
idea. The word terms indicates clearly
that a general law is meant, passed in view
of the general public good, and looking to
future vacancies, and not to one that has
already occured. The action now taken
can only be called a law by courtesy. It
is rather au order than a law, as is indica
ted by the constant use of that term when
speaking of it in common conversation.
It does not provide for future events, but
for one past event.
Upon the resignation of Governor Bul
lock, I was informed thereof by the Secre
tary of State, and, on the 30th day of Oc
tober of this year, in pursuance of section
one hundred and twenty-seven of the Code
of Georgia, I appeared at the capitol and
took the. oath of office, and the same was
entered upon the minutes of the Executive
office, as required by the section of the
Code just Qited. Tnat oath was in these
words, as prescribed by the Constitution .
“I do solmnly swear that I will faithfully
execute the office of Governor of the State
of Georgia, and will, to the best of my
ability, preserve, protect and defend the
Constitution thereof, and of the United
States of America.”
At the time I took said oath there was
no law in this State for filling unexpired
gubernatorial terms by a special election.
The Constitution was the only law. That
conferred the office upon the President of
the Senate, until the regular election for a
Governor, in the mode and at the time
therein provided.
Is it competant for the General Assem
bly under the clause authorizing it to pro
vide by law for filling unexpired terms, to
order an election, by a special act, to fill a
term already filled according io the Con
stitution 1
Section twenty-six of articles one of the
Constitution provides that “Laws shall
have a general operation, aud no general
law, affecting private rights, shall be va
ried in any particular case by special leg
islation, except with the free consent, in
writing, of all persons to be affected
thereby.”
At the time Governor Bullock resigned,
aud the oath to “execute tho office of Gov
ernor of the State of Georgia” was admin
istered to me, it was the general law that
the President of the Senate should exer
cise the duties of Governor until the regu
lar election, and it is not competent for
the Geneial Assembly, by a special law,
to’vary this general law so as to affect
a case occuring before the enactment.
Now, is there any significance in this ar
gument ? in the use of the word, “special
election,” in the clause referred to. The
Constitution, iu article two, section eleven,
providesthnt the election of Governor, mem
bers of Congress and General Assembly shall
be held at the same time, to-wit; ou the
Tuesday after the first Monday in Novem
ber. The election of a Governor is also
provided in article four, section one, para
graph two of the Constitution, to be held on
the Tuesday after the first Monday in No
vember, quadrennially, at the places for
holding general elections. Any election to
fill an unexpired term must necessarily,
though provided for by a general law for all
such cases, be a “special election,” since it
is held at a different time from the “ gen
eral election,” to-wit some time regulated
by the law for filling unexpired terms.
Had the intent been to authorize the
General Assembly to provide for filling a
particular unexpired term, after it had oc
curred, it seems to me the language used
would have been very different. The Con
stitution would have said, “ The General
Assembly shall have power, by special law,
to provide for filling an unexpired term by
a special election.”
A power to provide by law for filling un
expired terms by a special election, neces
sarily involves a general survoy of such
cases, and especially, docs it involve the
free exercise of judgment by the Legisla
ture and by the Governor. This free judg
ment cannot be had in a special law for a
special case, when the passage of it involves
the official exist ence of the Executive. He
can give no free judgment in the matter,
since he : s necessarily interested in the
event.
No proper provision can be made law for
such a case, after the occasion has arisen,
because one of the elements of every law—
the free judgment of the Executive upon its
propriety—cannot be obtained, and because
its passage involves the violation of that
clause of the Bill of Rights which prohibits
the varying of a general law by special en
actment, when private rights are thereby to
be affected.
Another objection to the constitutionality
of this bill is drawn from the provisions of
article four, section one, paragraph two of
the Constitution. This paragraph is these
words;
“ After the first election, the Governor
shall be elected quadrennially, by the per
sons qualified to vote for members of the
General Assembly, on the Tuesday after
the first Monday in November, until such
time be altered by law, which election shall
be held at the places of holding general
elections in the several counties of this
State, in the same manner as is prescribed
for the election of members of the General
Assembly.
“Thereturns for every election of Gov
ernor, after the first, shall be sealed up bj
the managers, separately from other rf
turns, and directed to the President of tie
Sfcnate and Speaker of the House of Repre
sentative?, and transmitted to his Excellen
cy the Governor, or the person exercising
the duties of Governor, for the time leing,
who shall, without opening the sad re
turns, cause the same to be laid before the
Senate on the day after the two houses shall
have been organized; and they shall be
transmitted by the Senate to the House of
Representatives. The members of each
branch of the General Assembly shall con
vene in the Representative Hall, and the
President of the Senate and the Speaker of
the House of Representatives shall open and
publish the returns in the presence of the
General Assembly ; and the person having
the majority of the whole number of votes
giveu shall be declared duly elected Gover
nor of this State ; but if no person have
such majority, then from the two persons
having the highest number of votes ; who
shall be in life, and shall not decline au
election at the time appointed for the Leg
islature to elect, the General Assembly shall
immediately elect a Governor tiva voce ; and
in all cases of election of a Governor by the
General Assembly, a majority of the vote*
of the members present shall be necessary
for a choice. Contested elections shall be
determined by both houses of the General
Assembly, in such manner as shall be pre
scribed by law.”
I am aware es the claim that these provi
sions do not apply to special el.ctions to
fill unexpired terms ; since it is contended
the power to provide by law for filling such
terms iucludes the mode by which the re
sult of those elections shall be ascertained
and disclosed. But nothing is more clear
to my mind than that all parts ol the Con
stitution aro to be considered together—
that no part thereof is to be ignored. It
will hardly b«- contended that this power to
provide by law for tilling unexpired terms
is to be constructed as though it stood alone.
May the General Assembly, in the exercise
of this power, say who shall vete at the
election ? Who should be eligible to the
office'? Who shall open the returns, declare
the result and decide the controversy if
there be no majority, or if the election be
contested ?
It seems to me that the clause conferring
the power to provide by law for tilling un
expired terms by special election, is to be
read and understood with this qualification
—that the General Assembly, in the exer
cise of the power, is to be restrained and
counteracted by a;;y other part of the Con
stitution applicable to th« matter. As the
Constitution fixes the qualifications of vo
ters, the eligibility of candidates and 'tbe
mode of transmitting and opening the re
turns and declaring the result; as it pro
vides that the person elected shall have a
j majority of the votes cast; and what shall
happen if no one receives that majority ;
and also provides what body shall decide
| the controversy, if there be a contested
I election. As all these things are provided
for in detail in the Constitution, aud are,
I by the express words used, declared to ap
ply to every election for Governor, it is a
I very unfair construction to say that they
apply only to the regular quadrennial elec
tion. and not to the special elections to be
provided for by law for filling unexpired
terms.
The true rule of construction would be,
as I think, that every provision in this par
agraph not positively inconsistent with the
J clause authorizing the General Assembly
Jto provide by law for filling unexpired
terms, is intended to apply to the case of
j special elections. There is the same neces
! sity for all provisions iu one case as in the
other, and 1 can see no reason for them in
the case of a general election that does not
apply equaliy to special cleetions.
In this way only cau*all parts of the Con
stitution be made to stand.
The paragraph I have quoted requires
the returns of every election to be trans
mitted to the Senate on the next uay after
the organization of the two houses. The
two houses are organized twice in every
four years—once with tbe incoming regu
larly elected Governor, and once two years
thereafter. A special election may beheld
and tbe returns transmitted to the Senate
as provided by the Constitution, on the next
day after the two houses shall have been
organized, only if the vacancy shall liappeu
during the first two years of the quadren
nial term. Here is a solemn provision of
the Constitution. What right has any one
to say that it is to be ignored, espqpially in
a case m which it cap be obeyed to the
letter, and the power to provide by law ful
filling unexpired terms still exist.
True, the power will be much restricted, as
it will be confined only to such unexpired
terms as happen within the first two years of
the quadrennial term. But if the Constitution
can be ebeyed in no other way, the conclusion
is irresistible that such was the Intuition of
the framers of that instrument.
A brief sketch of the history of this clause
for filling unexpired terms, will indicate that
this was the probable meaning of those who in
troduced it.
The Gubernatorial term had long been but
two years. The inode of making the returns,
declaring the result, etc., was a part of the old
Constitution and was in harmony with the term
of office prescribed. It harmonized with the
election, and meeting, and organization of the
General Assembly. Under previous Constitu
tions there was no power to provide by law for
filling unexpired terms by a special election.
The term being but two years, it was not
thought necessary to have an election in case
of a vacancy.
The Constitution of IS6B extended the term
to four years, and this clause was added, no
change being made in the mode of transmitting
and opening the returns for the simple reaspu
that it was not intended there should be a
special election unless the vacancy occurred
within tbe first two years of the quadrennial
term, so that the returns could be transmitted
to the Senate on the next day after the organ
ization of the two Houses, elected at the end of
two years from the commencement of the
quadrennial term.
There was, too, an obvious propriety in hav
ing this limitation of lhc power granted to
stand. For, whilst there was great reason for
having a special election by the people, if the
vacancy occurred during the first two years,
there was but little reason for it if the vacancy
occurred during the last two. Besides, in one
case the vacancy could be filled, tbe returns
opened, the result declared, and the Governor
elect inaugurated at the meeting of the General
Assembly at the reguler time, whilst, in the
other case, a special session of the Legislature,
with all its attendant expenses, would be nec
essary.
This brings me to an objection to the bill
based upon the great expense necessary for
its execution.
The regular election for a Governor occurs
under tbe Constitution on tbe Tuesday after
the first Monday in November next, less than
a year from the time fixed by this bill for this
election.
Should the election contemplated by this bill
take place, the returns can hardly be made
before the first day of January 1572, which
leaves only about ten months for the Governor
to be elected to serve.
It does not become me to say that tbe duties
of the office can be as well performed by the
present incumbent, but it cannot escape the
reflection of any man, that the expense of the
election, and more especially, the expense of
a special session of the Legislature to receive
the returns, declare the result, and inaugurate
the new Governor, will be a large item and
ought only be iucurred for some very neces
sary and pressing exigeucy.
Should the present session be protracted till
that time, it cannot be done at a less expense
than one hundred thousanJ dollars, and
should it adjourn to meet again, say by the
second ffonday in January, tbe expense of
mileage aud pay of members and officers for
the extra session cannot be loss than one hun
dred and fifty thousand dollars, if the extra
sesson continue only for a few days, which is
no- at all probabl#.
To incur so great an expense in the present
embarrassed condition of the finances of the
State, for the single purpose of changing for a
few months, the incumbent of the Executive
chair, might, it is true, under some circum
stances, be a public nesessity; but I may be
pardoned for saying that, in my judgment, such
a necessity does not now exist.
In looking more closely into the bill under
consideration, I perceive that it is based en
tirely upon the idea I have endeavored to
combat. It takes for granted that the detail
ed provisions of the Constitution for making,
transmitting, opening aud counting the re
turns, etc., do not apply to special elections,
and the bill therefore purports to provide for
Said details by enacting that such proceedings
shall be had as is provided in articles four,
section one, paragraph three of the Constitu
tion in case of a regular election for Govern
or.
I assume that this provision would not have
been in the bill unless the General Assembly
was fully satisfied that these provisions of the
Constitution did not apply to the case of a
special election; and that without a special
adoption or reenactment of them for a special
election, (here would be no law at all to
provide for the case. I present for your
consideration another objection to tbe bill
presented for my signature.
By sotie strange mistake, only noticed by
myself since the body of this message was
written, and therefore too late to call attention
to it in time for its remedy, it will be seen that
the refe-encc in the bill is to article four, section
one, paragraph three of the Constitution. That
paragrtih provides, not for making, trails -
mittingand opening the returns and declaring
the re»ilt, but fixes who shall bo eligible to
office.
If ths bill were to be signed by me, the
auomious case would present itself of a law to
elect i Governor with no provision for a tribu
nal toopen tbe returns, declare the result and
annoaice the same. Should article four section
on*, Jaragraph two, of the Constitution, apply
to the case, the law would be that the returns
are to be transmitted to the Senate on the day
after the two Houses shall have been organized.
This it is impossible to do, as the two Houses
Cannot be ifganized until after the Tuesday
after the fi®t Monday in November, 1872, at
which time the regular quadrennial election for
Governor takes place.
For tliteo reasons I refuse to sanction the
bill and respectfully return it.
Bemjamis Conley,
Governor.
A ictim of Horace Greeley’s
hand friting says: “If Horace
Greeleyhad written that inscription
on the tali in Babylon, Belshazzar
would hive been a good deal more
scared trim he was. ”
“ Are tpse bells ringing for fire? ”
inquired Jimon of Tiberias. “No,
indeed, ’’ answered Tibe, “dey ab
got plentlof lire, and de bells are
now ringing for water. ”
TUt AVIV ES OF GREAT MEN.
Fifteen Heniarkable In*lances.
Robert Burns married a farm girl
with whom he fell in love while they
worked together in the plow field.
He, too, was irregular in his life, and
committed the most serious mistakes
in conducting his domestic affairs.
Milton married the daughter of a
country squire, but lived with her
only a short time. He was austere,
exacting; a literary recluse; while
she was a rosy, romping lass that
could not endure the restrait irnpos
upon her; so they separated. Sub
sequently, however, she returned,
and they lived tolerably happy.
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert
were cousins, and about the only ex
ample in the long line of English
mouarohs wherein the martial vows
were sacredly observed and sincere
affection existed.
Shakespeare loved aud wedded a
farmer’s daughter . She proved
faithful to her vows, but we could
hardly say the same of the great
bard himself. Like most of the great
poets, he showed too little discrimi
nation in bestowing his affections on
the other sex.
Byron married Miss Millbank to
get money to pay his debts. It turn
out a bad shift.
Benjamin Franklin married the girl
who stood in her father’s door and
laughed at him as lie wandered
through the streets of Philadelphia
with a roll of bread under his arm
and his pockets filled with dirty
clothes. She had occasion to be
happy when she found herself the
wife of such a good and great man.
Washington married a widow with
two children. It is enough to say
that she was worthy of him, aud
that they lived, as married folks
should live, in perfect harmony.
John Adams married the daugh
ter of a Presbyterian clergyman.
Her father objected on account of
J obi’s being a lawyer; he had a bad
opinion of the morals of his profes
sion.
Thomas Jeffersou married a Mrs,
Martha Skelton, a childless widow,
but she brought him a large fortune
in real eatate. After the ceremony
she mounted the horse behind him
and they rode home together. It
was late in the evening and they
found the fire out. But the great
statesman hurried about arid rebuilt
it, while she seized the broom and
soon put things in order. It is
needless to say that they were hap
py, though Jefferson died a poor
man, on account of his extreme lib
erality and hospitality.
John Howard, the great philan
thropist, married his nurse. She was
altogether beneath him in social life
and intellectual capacity, and besides
this she was fifty-two years old, ivhile
he was twenty-five.' He would not
take “ no” for an answer, and they
were married and lived happily to
gether until her death, which occurred
about two years afterwards.
Peter the Great, of Russia, mar
riej) a peasant girl. She made an
excellent wife and sage empress.
Humboldt married a poor girl be
cause he loved her. Os course they
were happy.
It is not generally known that An
drew Jackson married a lady whose
husband was still living. Site was
an uneducated, but amiable woman,
and was most devotedly attached to
the old warrior and statesman.
J ohn C. Calhoun married his cous
in, and their children fortunately
were neither diseased nor idiotic, but
they do not evince the talent of the
great “ State Rights” advocate.
Edward Lytton Bulwer, the En
glish statesman and novelist, married
a girl much his inferior in position,
and got a shrew for a wife. She is
now insane.
To Exterminate Hats.
Being sadly plagued with rats
about my house and farm-buildings,
I tried in vain to catch them ; they
are too cunning to be trapped, and
to lay poison I dare not for fear of
killing my dogs, cats and hogs; and
to wait for them with a gun was a
loss of too much time, though I have
dropped three at a shot. At last I
purchased two goats, which I kept
about my fold, barn and stable, the
pigstyes being in the fold. In a
short time all; the rats emigrasted
they evacuated the place, cleared
right out every Jack of them, and I
have not seen a single rat about the
place for upwareds of three years, but
my neighbors who are within eighty,
rods have plenty of all sizes an and ages
Perhaps it is not generally known
that where there are many horses
stabled together very liltle sickness
pervails if there is a goat about the
yard and stables.
A friend of mine in lowa was so i«;
fested with rats that they were to be
seen running about his fold and farm
buldings by the half-dozen at a time
and playing like rabbits (his farm
buildings are extensive). He tried
the'goat system, and to his astonish
ment entirely cleared his premises.
He could not leave a rug or buffalo
robe in the stable a single night,
without having it cut to pieces by the
rats. The smell of the goat is obnox
ious to the nostrils of the rats, and
the two won’t be friends and compa
nions on any account whatever.
Farners and liverj’-stable keepers,
try the goat.
Mr. S. B. Leak, of Griffin, who
took the premum at the Columbus
Fair, raised bushels of sweet
potatoes on one acre of ground.
General Frank Blair addressed
the people of Meridian, Mississippi,
Saturday night, in a speech of two
hours.
The colored Radicals in Pittsylvania
have determined that “the wite
trahsh” in their party shall no longer
dictate candidates for them!—Lynch
qurg Republican.
A young lady writing on the sub
ject of kissing, says : “I should quite
as lief have a good kiss as anew
cashmere:” And we would quite as
Bel—if not “ liefer” give it to her.
POETK Y,
THKOTHKK WORLD.
U I*»^A’ u,KI , us lite » cloud
„ A- 4o not see *
1 et the sweet cLising of’an eye
May bring us there to be.
Its gentle breezes f au our cheeks
Amid our worldly caress
Its gentle voice* whisperiovc.
And mingle with our prayers.
sweet hearts around us throb and beat
sweet helping hand* are stirred • ’
And palpitates the veil between ’
with breathings almost heard.
And in the hush of re*t they briue
’Tis easy now to see
How lovely and how sweet a pass
The hour of death may be.
To close the eye and close the ear
Wrapped in a trance of bli» s .
And gently laid iu loving arms,
To swoon to that—from this.
Scarce knowing if we wake or sleep,
Scarce askiug where we are,
To feel all evil sink away.
All sorrow and all care.
Sweet souls around us watch us still,
I’ress nearer to our side ;
Into our thoughts into our prayers,
With gentle helpings glide. ’
Let death between us boas naught,
A dried and vanished stream ;
Your joy be the reality.
Os suffering life the dream.
AVHAT DORS IT ME AX ?
“ Father, what does it mean to be
a drunkard ? Maggie Gray said you
was a drunkard, and her father said
so J”
Had a bomb shell exploded at the
leet ot Mr. \V oston lie could not have
been more surprised. Ho stood
mute, and one might have heard a
pin drop, so silenfc were they all.
But Katie, nothing daunted, after
waiting what she considered a prop
er length ot time, repeated the ques
tion, and it was answered :
“ A man who drinks liquor aud
makes a beast of himself.”
“ Is that what you do, father ?”
“ It’s what I have done some
times,” replied the man in a choked
voice.
“ It’s bad, ain’t it ?”
“ Yes, child ; the very worst thing
a man can do.”
“ And that’s what makes mother
cry when there don’t anything hurt
her; aud that’s the matter I have to
wear such dreadful old shoes ?”
Only one word in reply to this
“ Yes.”
“ Then I shouldn’t think you’d do
so auy more", ’cause mother’s good,
and I don’t Hkc to wear old shoes a
bit! Y"ou won’t be a drunkard any
more, will you ?” said Katie ; and
she looked up to her father so con
fidingly, that he caught her in his
arms and hid his face upon her
shoulders.
“ Say, father,you won’t, will you?”
“No darling, I won’t !” ~ And
raising his right hand, lie promised
never , never to drink another drop
of intoxicating liquor ; “ Gold help
ing me,” he added reverently.
“ Bless you, my darling ; you have
saved me !”
Then there were tears, and sobs,
aud broken ejaculations, all for very
joy, while supper was forgotten. It
made no difference to Katie whether
her shoes were old or new ; but when,
a few days after, she became the
possessor of some long boots, with
red lacings and tassels, she had a
better appreciation of the change
which had taken place.
Since then, she has often received
beautiful gifts ; and always she re
membered with grateful heart that
her father is not a drunkard.— Tem
perance Banner.
A NOALEL GARDEN.
The young King of Bavaria has an
immense garden on the roof of his
palace at Munich which is said to
rival the celebrated hanging gardens
of Semiramis. In the center of it is
a lake with fishes and swans swim
ming in it, and this is surrounded by
woods in which there are various an
imals and birds, and also rock-work
and grottoes. The rocks had to be
hollowed out before transporting
them to the roof, the better to ena
ble the building to bear their weight.
There is in the center of the garden
a sort of tent or pavillion of great
magnificence,'which no one but the
King ever enters. The apartments
undej" the palace roof were for
merly occupied by the ladies of
honor but they have beeu converted
into stables, because too much time
was required to hoist horses to the
roof whenever the King wished to
ride or drive through this fair}’-like
resort.
The Dusty Room.
A young girl was sweeping a room
one day, when she went to the win
dow-shade and hastily drew it down.
“It makes the room so dusty,” she
said, “to have the sunshine coming
in!”
The atoms of dast which shone
golden iu the sunbeams were unseen
in the dimmer light. The untaught
girl imagined it was the sunshine
which made the dust.
Now, many persons imagine them
selves very good peopele. One poor
old man, who had lived all through
his life without a thought of love to
God, said when he was all ready to
die. “He didn’t owe any man a
cent.” If the Spirit of God should
shine brightly into such a heart, how
would it look? It would show them
sins enough to crush them!
This light of the Spirit is like the
sunshine iu the dusty room ,It rev
eals what wa3 before hidden. When
we begin to feel unhappy about our
sins, let us nevea try to put away
the feeling. Don't let us put down
the curtain, and fancy there is no
dust. It is the Holy Spirit’s voice
in our hearts. He is showing us our
selves, and better still, he will show
us the true way of happiness.
Speaking of the relative merits of
Tom Scott and Grant, the Nashville
Union and American says: “per
haps better neither than either.”
A philosopher who had studied
out almost, everything says he is
satisfied that the reason why girls
are in the habit of pouting out their
lips is because they ard always will,
ing theirs should meet yours half
way.
[NEW SERIES, VOL. I-NO. 4
WIT AND HUMOB,
A man was once travelling through
the State of Illinois, and coming to
a ferry, and being out of money-, the
following colloquy took place be
tween him and the ferryman :
Ferryman— I say, M:ster, Imvo
you got any money ?
Traveller— No, sir.
Ferryman—Have you got any at
home ?
1 ravellcr—No, sir.
l erryman—Can you borrow any ?
Traveller—No.
I’crrymaa—Do you expect to get
any on the oth. r side.
Traveller—No, sir.
Ferryman—Well, then you had
better stay where you are, for it
makes'd—d little diliereuce which
side you are on.
A lawyer eugaged in a case tor
mented a witness so much with ques
tions that the poor fellow at last
cried for water. “ There,” said the
Judge, “ I thought you’d pump him
dry.”
An irrascible old gentleman was ta
ken with a lit of sneezing in the cars
lately. After sneezing in a most
spasmodic way eight or ten times, he
| arrested the paroxysm for a moment,
and removing his haukerchief he thus
i indignantly addressed his nasal or
! gan :“Oh !go on—on ! You’ll
blow your infernal brains out pres
ently’.”
Os the woman question, a lady
says, in a communication to the Des-
Moines Register : “ You may- look
at this matter in whatever light you
will, but simmer it down aud it is
but a quarrel with the Almighty that
we are not all men.”
“ George,” asked a teacher of a
Sunday school class, “ who above all
others shall you first wish to see
when you get to heaven ?” With a
face brighteuing up with anticipa
tion, tho little fellow shouted, “ Ucr
liah!”
A German friend of ours got “ on
his ear” last w-eek, upon the arrival
of his second pair of twins,‘and said
to his family physician : “Ov you
blease, doctor, it ish better dot a
sclitop be boot to dcse ding. One
bair ov duinns, I dinks, ish aller
riot, but more as dot ish blaik owit,
don’d it? Dot’s vot’s he mattermit
me. You know how it ish myself.”
Suwarrow, the great Russian gen
eral, even in peace always slept fully
armed, boots and all. “ When I was
lazy 7,” he said, “ rnd wanted to enjoy
a comfortably sleep, I usually- took
off one spur.”
A Connecticut deacon nearly 7 cap
tured five boy-s who had been devas
tating his chestnut trees on Sunday
afternoon. Shaking his fist after
their retreating forms, he angrily
shouted ; “ The sneaking little dev
ils ! if I had hold of ’em one minute,
I’d ” and then suddenly espying
his pastor on the scene, he impres
sively added, “I’d pray for ’em!”
A gentleman, engaged in investi
gating the charges of carelessness
against the workmen in the Scranton
mines, found afterward that, during
the investigation he had been given
an open keg of powder to sit on,
while he held a lighted candle in his
hand.
A Local Report of tiik Period.
—“ Mr. Collins of Hartford, bought
a ferocious watch dog. Mr. Collins
came home late that night. Ilia
wife says that his trousers can’t be
mended. The dog’s skin is for sale
cheap. Mr. Collins hopes to be able
to sit down in a few weeks.”
Two reasons why some persons
don’t mind their own business : One
is, they havn’t any business; and
the other, they havn’t any mind.
William O. Murphy pines in the
Rockdale jail for the offense of hav
ing stolen a “ creetur.”
Dr. A. W. Lelaud, of Co’umbia,
is dead. Business in Yorkvillc is de
pressed, and there is but little dispo
sition evinced either to dispose of the
products of the couhtry or purchase
supplies except sufficient for immedi
ate use. —Yorkvillc Enquirer.
R. D. Shropshire has been after
Jas. A. Damour, the present Editor
of the Macon Daily Citizen, with a
sharp stick. lie makes Rim sign
the following note, which we find in
the Tel. & Messenger of the 15th
inst:
Macon, Ga. Nov- 9, 1871.
To whom it may concern: —This is
to acknowledge that my note to Mr.
Jno. R. Griffin, of 9th instant, con
tains several deliberate and inten
tional falsehoods, in so far as they
relate to R. D. Shropshire, and I
hereby wholly and unequivocally
retract said statement and acknow
lege that I lied.
Jas. A. Damour.
A Warsaw reporter saw a war
among the wives and widows of
Warsaw, and remarks that of all
the wars we ever saw we never saw
a war like the war among the wives
and widows of Warsaw.
A Kentucky conversation—“ He
llo, dar, you darkey, what vou axe
for dait old blind mule, hey?’'’ “Well,
I dunno ; guess I mout take th rtv
five dollars.” “Thirty five dollars!
I’ll give you five.” “Well, you may
have’ im; I won’t stand on thirty
dollars—in a mule trade.”
An Illinois farmer has told his rat
story. He was going out to his corn
crib the other morning, he says, when
he saw a large rat with head erect,
carrying a full-sized ear of corn in
his mouth, while at the same time his
tail was wrapped around another ear,
which he was dragging behind him
The new bonnets are a cross be
tween a round hat and an inverted
coffee cup.
[Terms—s<2 A YEAH
