, 1870-06-21
Amos TnlfmUn Akerman..

Fer the Philadelphia Ttltyruph, June Il.
Mr, A5erman is native Of New Hampshire,
having been born At Portsmouth, in thas State.
in tie rear 1872 After receiving tho1ough
College at Hanover, in his natiFo State, in 1888,
and graduated in 1a42, at the age Of 90
In the following year he left New England and
took up his residence at Elberton. the county
seat Of Ebert County, Georgia, about seventy
miles to the north Of Augusta HaKe hs en-
tered upon the study Of the law in the oiics OF
tho late Hon. John n Beuen, lawyer OF
great distinction, who had served ~ Attorney
Gcne.al in the Cabinet Of President Jackson,
f,otn 1879 to 1851, and also as United States
senator. From Ill the accounts that haye
reached US, Mr.. Aker1oan soon attained y
high reputation as lawyer and man OF un-
questioned personal integrity, and pursued
Tue successful practice Of hia profession until
tue oaIpseak OF the rebellion, without mate-
t1ai INTERRUPTION ard without taking any prom
| nent part IN politics. He acted, however,
tion remained intact. and does not appear 10
have affiliated with the Democracy 1t ar7 ue-
riod in his career, except during the 1abal1ion.
Mr. AkermAns exact status on the secession
question il IS yet matter Of doubt, fact,
however. which in itself will hand greatly to
disturb the equaninitT Of the people, Weara
told thAt, in common with many Of the lesd-
Ing men Of the South, he opposed tha seces-
sion movement II The outset, and continued to
oppose it until oppnaition became futile, when
he y1eldcd to the pressure Of bis surroundings
and IS went with his State" This much ap-
pears to he reliable; but the extent to which
ho favored and promoted the cause Of the re-
belllon Is not so cteAr. "a report" Say the
Washington dispatches, !" thss he served in
tie rebel army IS, pEobab1y, correct, and il Is
even asserted that be served upon the staH Of
| the Confederate General Te2ynhs dn,ing tha
greater part Of the war, without, however,
figuring prominently or attaining any diYtinc-
! uon- Il Ii also asserted that be acted as coun-
Sci for Toombs when he was a1raisned before
| courrmartial in 1864.
Mr. AkerLuan's career subsequent to tho
MaF u not involved in Is much doubt ss clouds
the previous portion Of his history. He at
least accepted the situation 81 promptly aud
without reservation, and, although not making
st the outset any very positive professions Of
hepublicanism, recognized the irresistible
force OF the great popular movement which
carried General Grant into tho Presidents
chair, having previously urged the peopla Of
his adopted State to accept the Congressional
policy Of reconstruction, and do their utmost
toward the rehahilis .tinn OF the South By
this course. he gained the confidence OF the
reconstruction p21tj IN his own State, as well
as that Of such OF the Republican leaders
quainted With him. We fpd bis name
at the head Of the Grant electoral ticket
in Georgia, in 1868, a circumstance which
proves that at that time, whateyer NAV have
been his courre during the war, he had become
thoroughly reconstructed in sentiment, and
socn after the new administration came into
power his political disabilities were removed
by Congress, and he was nominated By tho
President and confirmed by the Senate a.
United States Attorney for the District Of
Georgia-a position for Which his high legal
attachments fully qualified him, even Il his ID
vocacy OF secessiua should morally 1is1ua1ify
him from holding seat IN the Cabinet. He
Was leading member Of the convention Of
1867 By which the present constitution OF
Georgia was framed, and, it is said, made IN
earnest effort to have incorporated N
tho fundamental lev Of tho State
provision which would place The right
Of the colored raoplo to hold Office beyond
doubt or dispute. Afr. AkeFman. however,
has not affiliated with the extreme radical
wing Of tho EeEublicEa party Of Georgia, but
has been : firm opponent Of the Bullock
regime, q circumstance which is to be put down
to his credit Last winter, when cx-AttozneY
General Hoar was rejected BY the Senate IS
Justice Of the Supreme Court Of the United
State, and the President endeayored to meet
one Of the objections urged against his first
appointment by selectiug Sou,heru man for
the racancy, il is said that be had fixed upon
Dir. Akerman for the position as the best and
most available person TO be found, in case the
nomination Of Judge Bradley. Of New Jersey,
should encounter i fate like that which met
the aspirations OF Mr. Hoar-