The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1867-03-07

p. r. Pease, Joseph Thompson,
w r. Venabie, 81 =. r. Watkins, =.
2 = Han Harmon, = y. ThEasher,
z. Z. Mynatt, i W. J. Hill,
ATLANTA, Feb. %, 1867.
Gentlemen: Ihave the honor to acknowl.
edge the receipt of your kind and ffattering
communication. While do not pretend
that IpOssesS the influence you are pleased
to attribute to me, confess with profound
gratitude the obligations I am under to the
people of Georgia, who have 80 often honor.
ed me with their confidence; and have never
withheld from me any position for which
have been q candidate, from the lowest to
the highest within their gift
You are pleased to address me as the "sen-
tinel upon the watch tower" and yon ask
me, What of the night" We're ] the senti-
mel, Ishould unhesitatingly reply: The night
is dark, dreary, gloomy; no rainbow of hope
spans the black impenetrabie cloud that
oyershadows MS Scarcely Co ray of light is
seen npUn its margin. But / am not the
sentinel. hold no public position at pres
emit imposing that responsibility, nor have
sOnght or held any since the war, nor do
ever expect to hold any In future. -
have no power to control events. We're
it even the desire Of the people of my beloved
CGdbo 10 1uFcSt IuO agdiA WILL Ohctul bu-
thority, and my own wish to accept, there Is
q power higher than their viii, which viii
deny my eligibility. -. sss..1
/, therefore write, as indeed my custom is
with perfect franknass, without regard to
the effect which the communication of
truth. may have upon my present or future
popularity. am aware that the facts which
feel it my duty to communicate, are unac-
ceptable to the good people of Georgia, bnt
1aa, ..aFu
Daring my late sdjonrn in the City of
Washington, Ieonversea freely with persons
high in authority in every department of
the Government, and with men of distinc-
tion of every shade Of political sentiment
(which Is represented there. Twas received,
as was Judge Walker Of the Supreme Court
of this State, who accompanied me, with
learn the true state Of affairs, and believe.
Isucceeded. The result may be summed
up as follows: q s;ssass
The party usually designated the aRadi-
cal party, is sustained by the majority of the
people Of the North. The Congressmen Of
that party are generally represents tiyemen. :
~ The Democratic party is not sustained BY,
the people Of the North, and ID not gaining
ground. Aswas always the case after 3 sue
cessful war, the party in the government
which is set down as opposed to the war,
The Reconstruction policy of the President
is not sustained BY the popular sentiment
of the Northern people.
The Radical party is at issue with the
President. The breach is wide and the cons
test angry. They have over two-thirds in ]
each branch of Congress, and have power to 1
pass any measure they please over his veto. 4
By this means they are constantly hedging
him in more closely, and limiting hisspOwer.
He stands firmly by what he considers the
right, and avows his purpose to support the
Constitution, and maintain the just rights
of the States under the Constitutions He
stillholds the doctrine that no State could
or did 90 out of the Union, and that at the !
end of the war he had the right to recon-
struct republican governments IN the insur-
fectionary States They deny his power of |
reeonstruotion and contend, that as, the
power to make war is vested in Congress,
the power to make peace, and re-establish |
State governments In the States lately IN L
rebellion. rests also with Congress- They Il
are a unitin denying the idity Of Che
State governments formed under the direc- |
ton of the provisional Governors appointed i
by the President.
They are also . unit in sustaining the conf
stitutional amendment proposed at the last
session as a basis of Reconstruction. And 4
since this has been rejected BY the Southern i
States. they now mite ii the determination, Il
that no State government of the insuTTec-
bionary States be recognized or established /
Eillseaeh State has adopted the constitution
Il amendment, and Incorporated into its
d guaranty o. universal man
lo0d suIfraga. Theg are. In my opinion,
.lso q nnit IN their dissemination. SO soon
IS three 1ouEtha Of the States which they Il
sail l0y6l, by which is meant, the States
Congress, have ratified the
,onstituftonaI amendment, to declare il
Idop3ed and ito enforce their construction.
CIais, they have the pQWer to do It Is H
h6refoEe d fixed fact that the constitution
] amendment viii be adopted in B very
hort time, as ii was said when / left Wash
ngtons they lacked but . single State and
was expected that more than one would
ct very soon, IS
Upon the above points there exists no df-
isi0n ofopinion which Is worth notice In /
be Radical party: Just here, however,
diversity Of opinion commences The
lore radical wing of the party which is not u
majority, nor is 1t ut present sustained by ia q
lajofity Of the people 0f the North, Isl for
sitting aside the present State Governments ]
) abs0lutely null and void, and declaring all | i
cts done npder them void, except such as
ongrese chooses to approve; as the r6pnr
iati0n BE out State war debts, the abolition 1
slavery 81 the States &c, (which they
'anld ratify. They also desire to place Is
nder military RorefaIInenf till State Gov-
snments can III Organized up0n their plAfl.
j the organ zafion they wish 20 exe{ndn. /
IS 0nly nom oil lily % Office, hut from J
4 ballet l5ox an1 s Jury box,es 6ll pers6s,s | !
20 YoluptaTily par tieipated IL the rebel !
Dp, and to place the government of these | /
sntes in the hands ok the lev Whom they | !