The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-11-21
PoDuIor soversigntV in Georgia.

:. Popular Sovereignty in Georgia.
WE took occasion few days since, in OOm-
menting upon the Virginia election, TO call
attention TO the fact that il had been partici-
pated in by a larger proportion Of the citizens
Of that State than had ever before united in
any political act whatever; so that the Consti-
tutional Convention just elected would be the
most truly representative, popular body Of
any that had ever exercised governmental
functions in the "Old Dominion"
We are now called upon to chronicle SINH
lar state of facts with reference to Georgia. AT
the election just held there the vote is the
largest of any legal vote ever cast in the
State. The official return is 1SS, SAT, as the
total registered vote, LOG, ,410 as the total vote
cast, of which 1O2, 2S3 were for the Conven-
tion and 4127 against it, being majority for
the Convention of SO, 1856. At the Presidential
election of 1856 the total vote of Georgia was
98, ,s06 at that of 1860 it was LOG, 1856; so that
the present vote slightly exceeds that Of 1860.
But the most striking contrast is afforded
between the present movement for State
Government in Georgia and the illegal and
son to fix up State organization there. Mr..
Johnson government was sanctioned by just
81, 200 citizens, that being the total number
of votes cast for "Governor" jenkins in 1865.
If anything ever deserved to be called "rot-
ten borough" government, it is one attempted
to be foisted upon people by $1,000 citizens
out Of l89, ,000l And yet it Is the overthrow of
such government" as this by one springing
directly from the people, and overwhelmingly
sanctioned by them, that is called in Demo-
cratic parlance the obstruction of State!''
The truth is, the organizations cooked up by Mr..
Johnson were as destitute of popular sanction
or approval as they were of legal or const-
tutional validity. They were not the pro-
ducts of the people, but the manufactures of
the Executive. They were as far removed as
possible from that sacred creation of the peo-
pie, estate" In fragrant contrast to these
Executive organizations are the civil corpora
tions now being made in the Southern districts
by the people. These latter at every step,
are sanctioned by the people. First the peo-
pie vote whether they will have Convention
or not then for members to constitute it;
and, finally, upon the Constitution that the
Convention may frame. A want of popular
approval at any of these stages vitiates the
whole work, and it falls to the ground. There
is no rushing of anything on to the people
Congress prescribes the steps, but the peopl,
must take them. Do we hazard anything in
saying that States thus organized, springing
directly from the people, and sane
toned by them, will be more sacred
in all the elements of true legality than
any which have ever existed in the South
| or that, sonce admitted to the Union, they
can never be overturned, except at the
point of the sword We say that such States
WiH stand. Reconstructed Georgia, firmly
bound to the Union by irrepealable provisions
of her fundamental law, and still more firmly
by the afectionate loyalty of the majority OF
her citizens, will tower immeasurably, in all
the elements of noble Commonwealth, over
that old Georgia that tore herself away from
the Union, and quenched her corporate life in
the floods of revolution! So of all the Rebel
communities. They will come into the UnioH
reconstructed, regenerated, and disenthralled,
fitted to become worthy members of one great
republic.