Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1867-03-26
From the Rome (Ga. Courier.
BILL ARP ON THE SITUATION.
ROME, Big SHANTY TERRITORY, }
No. 3. March 9th. '67. {

nome, DIG OHANTY TERRITORY,
No. 3, March 9Th, '67.
Mr.. EDITOR My intention was to have
remained in dignifed obscurty the small rem
nant of my miserable days, but my friends Bob
Hide, Sam McCrackin, Tip and other respecta-
BILE gentlemen of all sexes and both colors, seem
to be dlssheveIed about the times, and insist on
my views about the momentous state of our
sufferin country. The good people in Atlanta
have got shaky In the knees, and its the duty
OF every good citizen to keep the disease from
spreadln if he can. [ haven't been to Washin-
ton, nor been playing sentinel on a watch tow
er, but my observation convinces me there is a
power of fuss on hand about something. Poll
tics look squally and alarrnin. Bill Sherman
oyerrun the country and destroyed and carried
away our property, and now his brother John
is fnishin up the job by robbin us of the rights
and liberties our forefathers won. General
Thomas is playin Vantoun with his 81 orders
putin harmless boys in the barracks for tab
leauin with an old rebel fag-accusin US of all
the crimes IN the decalogue; such as murder,
larceny, rape, arson, burglary bigamy, perjury
and suicide, thrown up in our teeth the mag
nanaa,sty Of oau' conq1erors as bein our safety
valve from death and Beelzebub. Good gra-
cious what an awful people we are. And now
comes Joseph, the sentinel, with his long win
ded message of consolation, tellin us how we
may flee from the wrath to come-skeerin the
people to death, and gettin everything in a
stew. What made him in such hurry? why
dldent he keep silence for few days until the
veto was signed, and the bill was passed? Why
dident he give Mr.. jenkins chance? IF the
times was SO perillous, why dident he go and
see Mr.. Jenkins and give him his opinion in
private and save all this excitement? Mr.
Jenkins is the Governor he is the sentinel on
the watch tower; he's the pilot, of the old ship
he's the people choice. He can call the Leg
about it, he can consult with Lumkin and Cobb
| and Hill and Cooper, and Hardeman and Glib
son, and Broa0n, and decide what ought to be
done, and the people will be satisfied But
while the ship Is in a storm let all the deck
hands keep silence The word will come from
the Captain soon enough. May be that Joseph
feels sorter responsible for the fix he S got us in
May be he's repentin for the didos he cut up,
and the seeds of discord he sowed durin the
war; but | doubt it. | don't think his ambi-
ton or his vanity sees anything but his own
Importance. It looks like he thought the Capt.
tol was moved to Atlanta, and he was Governor
dead. and just as soon as big thing happens,
and little before, he clutches the occasion-seizes
the opportunity, delivers his message, stirs up
the people, sets the Gate City in ferment,
gets his name in the Herald and the Tribune.
Joe Brown, whale, big leader, conspicuous,
fame, history. Mr.. jenkins Nowhere Milledge-
vile gone up, Joseph r. runnin the machine,
in Atlanta |!
WE'LL don't know what is at the bottom of
all this, but [ am afraid that while Joseph was
in Washington somebody carried him up onto
high mountain, and showed him Kingdom
or two, and he fell down and worshipped-
These little Kingdoms that a man sometimes
sees from the top of a mountain are mighty de-
moralizing
But notice that all this fuss which Joseph
has kicked up is confined to the towns and cit
les, where heap of folks live, who haven't got
much of anything to do. The farmers don t
know much about it and care less-the whole
concern is a god send to some folks. [ know
an old worn out politician who has been poking
around for six months, tryn to revive the DEM
ocratic party for livin, and now he's in his
element Parties are formn, and the old hack
is in his glory. He's sorter like the Ne,o Era
as yet-he wont take side, he won't Join issue,
he won't commit himself, he's keepin an open
rear as the Era says / wish that paper would
take an astrngent.) But my friends we We got
nothin to be ashamed Of Since the war our
pursuits have been peaceful and honorable =
We incident humiliate ourselves through fear
of what humankind can do to us. IF the Rad
icas intend to coniscate us, they will do it, and
no Acceptance of Sherman S bill will prevent it.
IF they want our cabbages, they are goin to
have 'cm. IF they will ride over one law, they
will over another. IF they disregard Mr.. John
sons great argument, they'll disregard any