Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-23
THE SITUATION IN GEORGIA.
GEN SHEUPUE a N,S VIEWS


The Atlanta Constitution of the 2lst
inst. says;
'"The news from our special correspon-
dent at Washington yesterday morning,
was like bOmb-shell. 1t made a rat
Ting among the enemy.
ga letter was also received from Sena-
tor Trumbull, one of the ablest and
strongest men of the Radical party, say
ing that he had been to see Grant, who
told him that Gov. Bullock's conduct
in putting Harris to organize the Legisla-
ture was disapproyed, and that Gen. Terry
was so telegraphed. 1t certainly would
be very remarkable thing if Gov.
Bullock's usurpative and illegal course is
sustained.
Gas for the military commission, it
stands pre-eminently as the crowning out
rage of the whole farce Senator Morton
denied in the Senate that Grant had APP
proved or authorized it."
The following is dispatch from Sena
tor Edmunds, of Vermont, in answer to
one from Col. Bryant advising the former
of Bullock's interference with the organi-
cation of the Legislature:
WASHINGTON, d. c., Jan. 15.-COl ].
E. Bryant: Have advised President and
Secretary not to interfere, save to preserve
order. Governor has no power whatever
over Legislature. The act makes it felony
to disturb any member who chooses to take
the oath, except by regular prosecution
for perjury. Nothing will stand, not free
and honest. GEO. f. EDMUNDs.
1t is clear that strong efforts have been
made to enlist Grant IN favor of justice
and in opposition to Bullock's usurpations,
but it is not SO clear that these efforts
have been successful. The Washington
correspondent of the Charleston NelUS
writes, Jan. 10, the same date of the dis
patch to the Atlanta Constitution, which
that paper says "was like bomb-shell, ="
as follows:
F'Two sets of Republican Senators
have been impOrtuning the President to-
day-one to get him to revoke Gen. Ter
ry'saction in examining into the qualifca-
tons of the members of the Georgia Legis-
lature, and the other to induce him to give
it his decided approval. Grant replied
that he had left the entire matter to Gen.
Terry's discretion, and would not inter-
fere.n
We hope that the information tele-
graphed to the Atlanta Constitution and
other Georgia papers, that Grant had is
sued an order to Gen. Terry forbldding
Harris or any other appointee of Bull
lock to organize the Legislature, will
prove true, but nothing has so far trans
pired to show that it is. The House of
Representatives was prorogued by Bull
lock and Terry until noon tomorrow.
When it meets, if Grant has interfered as
| indicated, it will be developed. The sit
uation in Georgia grows more interesting
every day, and the opinions of men
| whose position enables them to control
matters in that State are eagerly sought.
The Washington correspondent of the
New York Tribune, writing Jan. IS,
gives Gen. Sherman's views of affairs in
Georgia as follows:
"YOur correspondent, in an interview
with Gen. Sherman, gathered the follow
ing explanation of affairs in Georgia,
which puts the matter in quite a different
light from the reports of the Associated
Press. The General said that the dis.
patch published that Gen. Terry had con-
Vened court martial to try the members
of the Legislature was absurd. He has
merely convened board of three of his
officers, who are examining the
cases of the members of the
Legislature and other elected off.
GERS, who may be disqualified from
holding office under the fourteenth
amendment and the reconstruction acts.
Gen. Terry could have convened three
citizens, if he had so chosen, but he just
ly thought that three of his own officers
would fairly hear the evidence, and report
to him the several cases for his final &C
ton. That action will but be dismissal
from the Legislature or other office, but
Gen. Terry will act more as an advisory
party to those who may be deemed dis
qualified. 1t is not certain that re-elec-
ton will be ordered in cases of persons
elected to office who are disqualified.
Gen. Terry has no power to arrest
and try members of the Legisla-
ture who, it may be alleged, may
or have subscribed toithe oath by perjury.
They viii have to be tried by the civil
courts. The reconstruction laws were
observed in Georgia up to the hour when
the Legislature deprived certain parties of
their seats by reason of race and color
Up to that hour all their acts were legal
and binding, including the election of
United States Senators. The act lately
passed by Congress, and under which we
are now acting, is simply amendatOry of
the reconstruction laws, so far as Georgia
is concerned, and the duty of Gen. Terry
is simply to carry out the amendatory acts.
In his opinion all the Legislature can do
is to commence to do right where
they left off and commenced doing
wrong. All laws they passed previous
to that time hold good, unless repealed
in the regular way. And as for the Sena-
tors, they clearly cannot annul the cleo
ton of those whom they elected, and who
now hold the proper certificates, before
they violated the reconstruction laws. In
a word, the present Senators hold good,
as do all the laws. He states that Gen.
Terry is after no Office, but he will do his
duty promptly and fairly, and his instruc-
tons to him are to study the law and act
upon its literal sense aud meaning. Gen.
Terry viii not have anything to do with
the partisan squabbles there, and he
has so informed numerous parties who
have tried to enlist him on their
particular side. If the Legislature
nave a quorum, they can 90 on and
pass the fifteenth amendment, ETC., and
soon be admitted into the Union of States.
Gen. Sherman further said, as soon as he
discovered an officer of the army mixing
in politics, or running for political office,
or using his influence for that purpose, we
expect him to resign. He cited an in
stance of an officer running for office in
Virginia, which he said was attended to at
once, and remarked, if Gen. Ames is a