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HON. W. J. NORTHEN TAKES THE
OATH OF GOVERNOR.
Hl» Inaugural Address—A Brilliant
Scene-Tie Proccsiion-Who Were
There and Who They Were.
Special la Rkcoudkr.
Atlanta Nov. 8.—Hon. W. J.
Northen was inaugurated to-day as
Governor of Georgia. An occasion
of the sort was probably uever in
the history of the State, surrounded
by fairer auspices—the first gov
ernor inaugurated in the new Capi
tol. The scene In the hall of repre
sentatives was a memorable one.
The galleries were crowded, until
standing room was not to be had.
The floor of the house was packed
and down along the aisles seats
were “arranged; for the distin
guished men participating, by their
presence in numbers, in the cere
monies.
Governor Northen headed the
procession as it filed into the legis
lative hall. With him was Senator
J. P. Walker, of the 12th. Next
came ex-Governor Jno. B. Gordon,
with Representative E. W- Martin,
of Fulton. Then Chief Justice
Bleckley, with Senator C. H. El
lington, of the 29th; Representative
Jno. T. Boifeuillet, of Bibb, with
Judge Mark Blanford; Representa
tive John Turner of Floyd, and
Judge T. J. Simmons; Senator Col
quitt with Representative J. D.
Branch, of Polk; Secretary of State
Gen. Phil Cook, with Representa
tive W. C.„Halbrook, of DeKalk;
Comptroller-General Wright with
Treasurer Bob Hardeman; Secre
tary J. T. Nisbet, with Secretary
J. W. Warren; State Librarian Jno.
Milledge with Adjutant-General
Kell, Assistant State School
Commissioner Fenmor Bennett,
with principal keeper* of the peni
tentiary, Col. J. R. Towers; Com
missioner of Agriculture R. T. Nes
bitt with ex-Commlssiouer Hender
son; Assistant Commissioner J. O.
Waddell with the ex-Assistant Col.
R, J. Redding; State* School Com
missioner Hook with Attorney-
General G. N. Lester; ex-Attorney
Clifford Anderson with Judge C. J.
Wellborn; State Geologist Spencer
with Assistant Commissioners J.
W. Robertson and L. N. Trammell
of the Railroad Commission; Prin
cipal Physician of the Penitentiary
Dr. H. V. M. Miller, with ex-Sena-
tor Pope Barrow; ex-Congressman
N. J. Hammond with ex-Seuator
T. M. Norwood; ex-Governor Bul
lock with ex-Governor McDaniel;
ex-Governor Boynton with Gen. P.
M. B. Young; ex-Congressman
Seab Reese with ex-Congressman
Jndge Clements; Congressman
Lawson with Congressman Rufe
Lester; CongressmanJL. F. Living
ston and Congressman Tom Wat
son; Judge J. K. Hines; Judge Sam
Lumpkin with Judge Falligihit; ex.
Judge W. R. Hammond with ex-
Judge Wm. Gibson; City Court
Judge Van Epps, of Atlanta, with
Judge Wm. D. Hardin, of Savan
nah; Hon. W. C. Glenn with ex-
Speaker Louis Garrard, with sev
eral distinguished citizens of At
lanta bringing up the rear
The applause. was continuous as
the procession marched down the
aisle. _ •
Mr. Ndrthen was introduced by
President Mitchell, of the Senate
presiding over the joint session.
Gov. Northen said,' as the ap
plause subsided:
Mr. President and Members of the
General Assembly:
Before I begin the duties of
this hour ' I must congratulate
the people upon the recent brilliant
victories won by the people over
usurpations and wrong In the gen
eral government.
Custom has made the law of this
occasion. It is expected before I
proceed to take the oath of office
and assume the duties of the execu
tive of the State, that I will outline
somewhat the public policy I will
commend to the representatives of
the people, who are for a time, to
direct thA Interests of the common
wealth.
Pile object of all government
fairly administered, is the jjood of
the governed 1 . This is especially
rue of the theory of our system,
°th State and national. Its fun
damental principles are found In
die equality of all men before the
law; untrammeled freedom In the
no Individual and no class. In our
system the law maker and the ad
ministrator of the law, at the expir
ation ot their brief authority, re
turn again to the level of the
people from whom they received
their commission to control
In the face of all history we con-
dently bold ours to be the most
perfect theory of human govern'
ment the world has ever known.
Of all others, it secures the largest
popular freedom, It offers the high
estdinducements for Individual ef
fort, while it guarantees the security
of the general good under the safest
and wisest control.
No human government has ever
been, practically, perfect. Our sys
tem has not been spared the orporH
of mistaken judgment, the evils
personal ambition, the demands
self-seeking, the power of class
that burdens the interests of the
many, the unscrupulous tyranuy
of aggregated money that oppresses
the weak, and the centralizing
forces that destroy the liberties of
the people and absorb, from the
states, the right of local self-control
Public policy, both state and na'
tionai, should seek to restore the
government to Its rightful author
ity, the people; public policy should
demand the lowest rate of taxation
•consistent with a judicious aud
economical administration- of pub
lic affairs; the elevation of the
masses to the fullest appreciation
and the fullest exercise of the priv
ileges of citizenship and a proper
and due understanding of its duties
the best development of our mate-
rial resources, the broadest and
most liberal support of the state'
benefactions toward its unfortunate
oitizensjthe strictest enforcement
against the violation of law aud the
surest enactments for the thrltt,
prosperity and happiness of all the
people, without distinction
class or condition.
The freest government is that
controlled by the least
law; the wisest government
is that maintained by the
bes't law. The freest and best gov
ernment, therefore, combined, is
that exercising the least control
under the wisest law
In my deliberate judgment the
people of this State are burdened
by too much law. Under arbitrary
government the badge of the officer,
the awo of the court, the grim walls
of the prison and the chains of the
convict make the security of* the
community and the safety of the
-State. With us the. safeguard is
the high American -tfeutiment that
exalts peace and order and law
the abiding principle that yields
to every man the fullest exercise of
his rights, consistent with the com
mon good and inflexible justice
that demnndB the equality of every
citizen before the law. The Ameri
can idea trains the people to live
largely, without the restraints ot
law, by the uniformity of its opera
tion, the justice of its demands, and
the certain, speedy and adequate
punishment for Us violation
As our laws have increased, their
uniformity has been destroyed and
the rigiits of the people have been
Impaired. As our laws have chang
ed, the. practice in the courts has
been confused, and, in making dis
tinctions where there should be no
difference, communities have been
wronged and the people unwisely
burdened. The best government, I
repeat, is that controlled by the
(east law
Local legislation in this state, by
reason of its character and its
amount, has grown to be intolera
ble. The constitutional convention
ot 1877, foreseing the tendencies of
the times, attempted to restrain,
somewhat, this apparent difference
of interest, by limiting provisions
for local enactment. The general
assembly has since sought to hinder
this evil in our legislation, and yet
its last session gave to the State an
amount ef local legislation unpre*
cedented in the history of our peo
ple.
The acts of the last general as
sembly occupy 1,410 pages of print
ed matter. Of these, only 184 pages
are devoted to laws of a general
character, and 1,226 pages are given
to local and special laws, Intended
to restrict the rights and privileges
of citizens in certain counties ot the
state, in the one case, and Indirectly
to enlarge the rights and privileges
of citizens in other counties of the
state in another case. Why this
«-««■>■»••
»n<l Individual liberty under a wise govsrnmfn .
sod judicious popular control for! Not to detain you*i Urt ?u
^InThe repuhdlc and in the States receT^acts of the general assemblyi that'seeka to make insecure ordej
rSalWUortwVlv. counties In 1 .troy the legitimate investment of
this state, that conid have been cov
ered under a general state law that
would bring uniformity of rule and
ease of adjustment. If such law
Is good for twelve counties, in the
restrictions it imposes, why it Is
not good for the state 7 If good for
the state, it should not be enacted
with only local force. If such law
needs to be engrafted upon our sys
tem at all, let It be done under gen
eral enactment, that our govern
ment may be uniform aud just, the
work of the general assembly short
ened and the expenses of the state
reduced.
If the State is to act without dif
ference and distinctions involving
rights, it should, In all [cases, act
under uniform law. Laws to be ef
fective muBt be impartial aud Just.
To preserve the symmetry ot gov
ernment and defend, without dis
tinction, the rights of citizens, they
must be uniform. The policy I
commend for your consideration
would make the laws of the State
few, simple, uniform and just.
Change in an established law
should never be made Juntil the
public good positively demands it.
When the government 'of the State
becomes uniform and established,
the work ot the general assembly
will be greatly reduced.
Co-partnership in business has
now given place to corporations.
Corporations demand charters.
These the State has granted with
out uniformity of privileges and
right. One bank should not be al
lowed rights and powers and privi
leges not granted to another bank.
One railroad should not exercise
rights and powers and privileges
not granted to another railroad. As
far as possible, let this legislation,
also, be uniform, putting all cor
porations ot a kind under the same
grants, with charters obtained
through some less expensive ma
chinery than the general assembly.
Corporations will then be subjected
to uniform action aud held more
completely under the State’s right
ful authority.
A recent decision of the supreme
court, determining the unconstltu-
tionallty of certain local legisla
tion affects, disastrously, tte
agricultural . Interests of one-
third of the area of the
State, while It furnishes sufficient
argument to enforce the sugges
tions I have submitted, urging uni
form general laws for the govern
ment of the State.
Among the first duties of thlB
general assembly should be the
enactment of such relief as will
protect the property, that is now
threatened undqp the unwise local
legislation of your predecessor.
If we will secure only such legis
lation as is absolutely needed by the
State and fully observant of the
rights of all the people, only such
local and special laws as come un
der uniform general laws, enacted
by properly constituted local au
thorities; charters granted under
delegated authority and uniform
stipulations; it will then be possi
ble to restrict the sessions of the
general assembly to the donstitu-
tionai prlvlslon and make them
nnnual instead of biennial. Taxes
will be reduced and the burdens of
government made lighter.
Looking to the economical ad-
adininlatratlon of public matters,
our organic law determines the ex
penses of the government in the
fixed salaries of some of its officers
respectfully suggest uniformity
in this matter also. •
Let the general assembly put
themselves In line with all other
State officers, making such changes
n our constitution as will give its
members a fixed salary for their
services, reduced to the standard
they have, for along time, endorsed
for others. This will further tend
to lift the burdens of government
from the people and make uniform
the rewards given for service to the
State.
Civil government comprehends
not only the enactment of wise and
just *lawB and their Impartial en
forcement over an intelligent and
virtuous people, but it looks also to
the development of material re
sources as the basis of' our civiliza
tion. Whatever encourages gen
eral industry in this State] marks
the State’s progress in power and
in wealth. Whatever makes fertile
its fields, prosperous Its manufac
tures, thrifty its business and se :
cure its capital, advances the en
lightenment of its people and makes
the stability.of their institutions.
One high duty of all government
is the protection of the property of
its citizens. The policy, therefore,
citizens, whether Individuals or
corporate, lays violent bands upon
the vitality of the State and the
prosperity of the people. Under
the strongest protection our State
will secure, my administration will
invite to our fields, our factories,
our mines, our railroads and our
shops, capital that must make the
resources of the State’s strength
and the steady basis of our civiliza
tion.
I shall not take part, therefore, in
auy indiscriminate war made
aguinst coi porations in this State.
Corporations are but the union of
forces to develop the wealth of the
State. They are made up of indi
vidual citizens, who do not sacrifice
any right to - protection under a
combination of capital.' The same
rights and protection guaranteed to
an individual citizen should be
guaruteed to several citizens when
they become properly associated
under corporate power. Nothing
more; nothing Jess.
It js not the policy of the State to
build its railroads, run its factories
and work its mines. Individual
efforts, iudividual influences and
individual wealth oan never com
pass the great possibilities in our
material development. Aside, then,
from its duty to our citizeus in af
fording the strongest protection
guaranteed by law, the advance
ment of the State, in all its highest
powers, demands the seourlty and
protection of all‘legitimate invest
meuts, whether by individuals or
corporations.
Having said this much, it be.
comes me further to say, that the
greatest danger now -tureatening
our government, both State and na
tional, is the power of aggregated
money. It buyB the ballot and
makes the law; it purchases the
citizen and makes a slave; it bar
gains with class and oppresses the
people; it purchases power and
centralizes the government. Un
checked, it will override the free
dom ot our institutions and build
upon the ruins of the republie the
absolute .power of a merciless plu-
tocracy.
In the presence of growing cor
porate power, let every citizen stand
guard over the rights of the people;
every legislator be true to the trusts
he bears, and every officer of the
law faithful to the orders he holds;
lest, unbridled, It tread out, in mer
ciless stamp, the liberties of the
people.
In the earlier aud better days of
the republic business, began in part
nerships and grew to corporations.
Corporations have now united and
made combinations. Combinations
have grown strong and given us the
power of moneyed monopoly, ab
sorbing to itself the BUBtenance of
tlie poor, while it dictates the policy
of the government and overrides,
without mercy, the liberties of the
people.
Monopoly is the monster evil of
the times. It it the constrictor
tightening its folds about the body
politic. It is the tyrant ruling
without pity and without law. The
legislation of the state and the gov
ernment should arrest and destroy
its aggressive power.
Tho peace aud good order of the
state depend, finally, not so much
upon the efficiency as upon the ad
ministration of the law. The rights
aud liberties and property of the
citizen, in the last issue, must be
protected by the speedy and certain
enforcement of penalties for the
^violation ot the law.
Delays in the courts, when fla
grant crimes have been committed,
stir an outraged community to vio
lence and to wrong. It behooves
you to Inquire whether or not the
present law allows- needless delay,
occasions needless expense and
sometimes defeats the ends of jus-
dice. Criminals should not be al
lowed to abuse the law to the detri
ment of the publlo good. Tem
pered with mercy, only where
Individual Justice demands, and
the peace of society will justify,
the criminal laws of the state Bbould
be strictly enforced.
The perpetuity of our system, and
the illustrat ion of its principles rest,
at last, upon the purity of the bal
lot. While popular sentiment
rebukes personal ambition, aud the
public interests forbid individual
power, the law must guard the bal
lot against the evils of both. Un
awed by force, untrammelled by
power, and unbought by price,
every ballot should express the un
qualified choice of a free man, as,
together, they embody the will of
the people.
No higher duty rests upon tho
general assembly than the protec
tion of the citizen In the expression Interest was the reception of the
of his choice at the ballot box.
Under a pure ballot let Tie have
every man, elevated to office, the
unquestioned choloe of the people;
every measure advocated, subject to
the unbiased criticism of the cltl
zen; then every . law enaoted
will he the embodiment
cf the popular will • and
we will destroy the arrogance of In'
dividual power, the tyranny of class
legislation and the centralization
ql government.
By far,the most important matter
iuvolved in our State policy Is the
education of the people. In a re'
publican government,.where every
man Is a sovereign, the masses
should be enlightened aud made
able to understand the duties of a
citizen and to guard, intelligently,
the interests of the State.
Illiteracy is, in no sense an ate
ment of security. It never can
master the forces that make pro
press and power. Ignorance leads
riot and vice, hand in hand, to dis
turb society, destroy business and
overthrow the government. The
surest* foundation for our system
must be laid in the Intelligence and
virtue of the masses.
Until recent years it has not been
the policy of the State to educate
its children. Now, it is a fixed pro-
In the interest land dignity and
honor of the State, the general as
sembly should Improve the practi
cal workings of the system, or the
effort should be abandoned by the
State and left to the direction and
management of individual citizens.
The State cannot afford to dis
charge such Important duties so
Imperfectly.
Our public school system has cost
the state more than eight mtlllous
of dollars, and won for us, among
the states the hetd of the column
for Illiteracy. The system has
fallen far short of the popular
needs. The times are now favora
ble and the necessity pressing for
further aid, either hy general or
local taxation, and the general as'
sembly should so provide.
Taxation by the state is but an
appropriation for the security of
Boolety, protection to property and
the advancement of the people.
These epds, the general assembly
cannot better secure than by the
education of the masses. Our social,
political and material conditions all
call for the more genorhl education
of the people. Looking, therefore,
to tho final prosperity of the state
in the elevation, enlightenment and
virtue of its people, I appeal to the
guardians of our liberty to prepare
every child for the high and re
sponsible duties of a freeman.-
Four months for instruction and
eight months for Idleness will not
fit a oltizen for the duties that await
him.' If tho State carries forward,
successfully, the great work it has
undertaken, we must have better
teachers for tho schools, longer
terms for Instruction and better
pay for service. For the training
und Instruction of teachers the
State needs a normal school or
normal institutes; for longer terms,
and better pay the system needs
more money. The governor of
Georgia receives his salary when It
is due. The judges of the courts re
ceive their pay on demand. The
members of the general assembly
receive their per diem upon call. The
teachers Inlour public schools are the
only servants of the State whose
pay depends upon contingency and
doubt. The honor of the State de
mands a change. The popular
mind Is ready for It. AH the inter
ests of the State urge your favora
ble consideration of efficient plans
for the better education of the
masses.
In all that elevates character, en
lightens the people, strengthens
the State, equalizes its burdens,
adjusts its demands, enforces its
government, protects ita citizens
aud makes prosperous and content
Its people, the general assembly
shall have my untiring aid and my
full co-operation.
I am now ready to take the oath
of office.
The oath of office was then ad
ministered by Chief Justice Bleck
ley.
The great seal of the state was de-
Ivered into the new governor’s
hands by ex-Governor Gordon; and
handed by Mr. Northen back into
the keeping of the secretary of
state.
The inauguration was complete.
The joint session was dissolved
and immediately both House* ad
journed until Monda^T
Besides tho Inauguration of the
governor, the only other feature of
governor’s message.
Quite a number of pardons were
Issued to-day by Governor Gordon,
following after a custom.
Governor Noitheu is to move into
the executive mansion at once,
Governor Gordon retiring, for the
present at least, to bis home at
Kirkwood, In DeKalb county.
Ex-Governor John B. Gordon will
address the general assembly of
Georgia in the hall of representa
tives on Mondsy evening at 7:30
o’olook.
TWO WITHDRAWN.
LEAVING GORDON, HINES AND NOR
WOOD AS AVOWED CANDIDATES.
Trying to Get Hammond to Announoo
—The Baca About as. It Was, and AU
Partial Confident.
Special to RzcoKDiit.
Atlanta, Nov. 12.—Gordon and
anti-Gordon!
That’s still the issue in tho Hena-
torsbip. As long as it stays that
way Gordon certainly can’t be
beaten, and may be eleoted.
There seems to be no prospect of
the Alliance centering upon one
man before the balloting begins.
The best they cun do is to hold an
aggregate majority against Gordon,
but divide amongst several other
candidates, for the first ballot or
two.
What will happen afterwards, in
that event, nobody can predict.
Gordon’s friends are confident of .
his eleotlon; many of them going
even further to d-clare that he will
be eleoted on the first ballot.
That isn’t Impossible at all; but ‘
he will have to gain several votes
betWeen now and Tuesday to do It.
Monday there was nothing in the
way of his gradual gaining of votes.
Now there is Nat Hammond I
If he will run—if, remember—
the anti-Gordon opposition IsOoltd;
no longer a missionary field, so to
speak. His candidacy would give
dignity aud conservatism to the op
position, and inspire confidence.
I believe all 'faottons of the Gor
don opposition are favorably dis
posed towards him; and he would
be the first or second choloo of more
than 110 of the demoralized opposi
tion.
.That statement should be quali
fied—he could gather that many
under reasonably favorable olreum-
stances; if no other blunder, like •
that of Livingston, Is perpetrated, If
'ahactive canvass Is made; and if,
most Important ot all, be will enter
the race.
Bo the matter stands now.
\ Gordon’s frieuds confident!
The opposition in better shape'
than fqr several days past, still ag
gregating a majority or joint ballot,
still divided amongst several can
didates, and looking to- Nat Ham
mond for deliverance.
What the outcome will be—the
Lord only knows!
To-morrow night there will be a
caucus of anti-Gordon members ot
the legislature to agree upon one
candidate. This is from the Inside,
and thoroughly reliable.
Gen. Gartrell and W. 0. Glenn
announced their wlthdrawol from
the race for the Senate. Fat Cal
houn and Judge Hiiles spoke to
night Norwood will not speak,
but has a long letter in to-mor
row’s Constitution instead. -
HON. O- F. CRISP.
From the Philadelphia Times.
If Crisp, of Georgia, bo chosen
Speaker of the regenerated house,
the selection will be in one way
the most appropriate that could bu
made.
Crisp waa the one man on the
floor bf the last bouse of whom Reed
was afraid. The Maine czar could
neither bully him nor silence him,
and he was Reed’s master as a par
liamentarian.
How would Reed feel to find that
calm, acute, satlrio and powerful
eye turned on him from the ohalr?
How They Are Placed.
The representatives from this
section are appointed on the fol
lowing committees In the House.
Cutte—Banks; Finance; Milita
ry affaire; Railroads; Temperance.*
McDonald—Special Agriculture;
Auditing; Blind Asyimn.
Glover, of Sobley—Special Agri
culture; Corporations; Halls and
Rooms. '
Sears, of Webster—Special Agr 1-
culture; Education; Finance.
Another Harrises.
Thursday Mr. Walker, ot promi
nent young merchant a the Plains,
was married to Miss Lee Chappell.
Both parties have friends in this
city, with whom The Recobdkk
JoIpb in offering congratulations.
' i XM
