New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-12-26
GEORGId ELECTION.
BE peace on EARTH lie peace on Earth :
70 mon Of gentle will.

GEORGIA ELFCJJON.
For the fourth time, if our count il correct,
the State of Georgia has held M election with
intent to reconstruct herself on loyal basis
and resume her proper place in tho Union.
We profoundly trust that this effort will prove
successful and final.
Those who blanc Congress for keeping
Georgia out of the Union find il convenient
10 forget that in 1868, elated by the imposing
Conven ton just held in our City by the Sham
Democracy, and The nomination thereby OF
Seymour and Blair, tho Democratic minority
of the Georgia Legislature then in session
proposed the expulsion thcrefrom OF tho Col
Orcd members, on the assumption that negroes
were ineligible TO Office under certain unrc-
pealcd laws of that State. Those members
being held disqualified from voting in Their
own case, and half a dozen White Republicans
proving recreant TO their trust and fathless to
those whose votes were essential to their cleo
ton. the effort prevailed; the Col0rcd mem
bers were expelled from their seats, and the
White Rebels whom they had beaten were In
stalled in their places respectively. Thus was
Georgia disorganizcd afrcsh, after her repre-
scntatives of both parties had been admitted
represented as she should be, Is the fault OF
her Democrats, not of her Republicans, nor OF
Congress.
We believe the Republican cause has been
preiudiced by the cndeavOrs of Gov. Bullock
and his friends to proloDg his authority by an
unwarranted construction. He was chosen for
four years; and, when he shall have served
his fourth year. his term viii be at an end,
and he (unlcss reGlected) a private citizen.
Ditto as to the Legislature. Any construction
that would enable the Governor to draw
fifth years salary on the strength OF an cleo
ton for four years seems TO MS palpably crro-
neOus and to be deprecated as opening door
to fragrant abuses. We beg that no counte-
nance be given at Washington 20 any such
claim.
Republicanismin Georgia, ASH most Southern
States, has been wounded in the house of its
friends. Financial rapacity has dealt it some
hard blows; reckless personal aspiration has
done it grievous harm. A desperate fight against
Gov. Bullock has been waged by certain Re-
publicans from the outset. Mcssrs. j. f.
Bryant, Alfred A. Bradley. Samuel Bard,
and others, have respectively led factions
which, whether justiiiablc or not, have seri-
Ousy weakened the party which they pro-
fessed TO favor Bradley, we presume has
lust sacrificed Congress district 10y running
as a bolter and (being a gib-tOngued
mulattO) drawing off q largo vote from the
regular Republican candidate. Bryant was
| likewise on hand doing whatever mischief he
could. Bard has happily gone over to the De
mocracy and will trouble us no more. year
hence, Gov. Bullock's term expires; and we
| shall thereafter hope for Republican harmony
and triumph. SO many great men. each deter
mined to have his own way, arc too many Tor
n single State. Had Amos Il. Alderman been
chosen Governor in '67, VIC believe the State
would have gone Republican in 1870
In Che late canvass, the planting aristOcracy
and the negro women were The leading bellig-
erents The former were intent on making
their colOred dependents vote the Democratic
ticket; the latter were as desperately resolved
that they should not Many poor feld-hand
was nearly pulled apart by the contestants.
Most of them Obcycd their wives, az good hus-
bands generally do; but the planters carried
from five to ten per cent. of the whole body
by presenting the stern alternative" Vote
Democratic or get offmy premisesw Many q
poor Black found his vote a greater embaTrass-
ment than he had ever felt the lack OF 1t 10
| be.
We"estimate the Democratic majority in the
State at 10000, On very full vote. The total
registration in 1867 was 0G,263 Whites TO 95,973
Blacks. The revision in 1863 added 9523, mainly
Whites. We presume there are now 10000
voters on the registry, of whom about 10000
are Whites and 100000 Colored. The total
vote polled for Governor and for President at
the last elections TO fill those Offices respect
lively, stood
| Republican Democratic Ma.
Governor Bullock. ~, 40 Gordon 70 o99 . 7O7
Presideat-Grant 57.lSi Seymour O2 s22 Gss
But the majority for Seymour was secured
by naked terrorism rather than ordinary
cOercion-several counties returning not one
vote for Grant, and others from 1 mp TO 30 or
40, where hundreds of voters ardently wished
him elected, and would have voted so had
thes dared. We hope, but do not feel certain,