The New York herald., 1870-08-12
WASHING
Letter from Attorney General Akerman on
Georgia Reconstruction-Co Coinage Of
the Philadelphia Mint-New De-
velopments in the Spanish
Throne Question.
WASHINGTON, August II, 1870.
letter from Attorney General Akcrnian ON
Reconstruction in Georgia.


man relative to the Georgia muddle, he has written
very elaborate letter embodylng his views on the
whole question. AS the letter contains views OF the
highest importance In connection with the subject
Of Georgla's reconstruction have obtained copy
which transmit In opening he declines TO give
an opinion upon the late act passed by Congress,
through motives OF professional etiquette, as he
may be called officially to give an opinion TO the
President the subject. He then continues, as
foliows:-
without discussing question whether the government
OF Georgia provisional NOT when it's provisional
character ceased viii cease will remind you Of what
b. tie convention Of Is6i-ss raaed BY people Of
Ap 1855 as S y has A' Sssa op hs III
PIaefa legal and pomca m s the oI
Bullock was uauguraed under and 70 support It,
r. aa, na. and vey mebsP to
port In that lonth Judiciary was apo MED OF Judges
have officially REGARDED It the fundamental law OF the
oS laws snd Of se un
been .qq.ns the s, staSies Of the state BY it, and
ranlei ranted by IL, have declared them
by every other oeai Of the State down to The humbest
constable who executes preeep In the legs
the ground Of agreement or disagreement VITA y and his
the State has been IN harmony with this oasal action
latitude ana the stee OF Florida who has not Tor the last
men as the conStaton OF his State Have all the oicers
and people Of Georgia been aborins under stupendods
Concede, for the sake of the that the govern
poison fatal 10 constitutional lie May not provsonai
still be constitutional goyernmentY The only
case is found in the reconstruction act Of March g 1851
shall be by law admitted the Congress Of
the United States civi which may exist there
10 the paramount authority OF ned States amy time
visionai government them which may any time
sasop . United a ,es
thory exercised by the national Legislature. has had
nd Ia. Thought set hsr civil
neo, in important particulars; but it has not
'yeS aeo1 wa. departure By the ess.vs bodies the
State from that very constitution In the exclusion Of the
concede then, that Congress has had night TO destroy
constitution has stood and still stands in force Does the
chosen the election from the twenty
odd districts shall only hold their once FOR two
sentatives shall be elected for two years It provides
he within n pinevtwo davs after he aa ournPent Of
she convention which famsa the eonsiutioh ina. the
the Representatives who were o hold their oce for two
ninety days il.h day March, 1858 present
Legislature did 50 assemble and no Other body pretending
special ordinance of the Convention added to the
ss but no other wav eatesded the Terms The greater
part of the men who were elected in April 1868 members
support that constitution July 1855 have ever since been
tain ocers as such taxed the people as such received pay
such, is claimed by that these gentlemen
make laws for two years longer tax the people two years
There is not one Of these from he
Sdd districts who VIII say that c when ne was before
by that election ITO
@ e men o ~Se @ n a 5 m 10 c
that he at the time of his election expected to alter
lsa oy virtue o. ,nst election or ha one OF MS constituents
Can It De tight IN epIoean sovernmens 70 overreach
source do these gentlemen desire their powerl OF
any delegation the people them after 1902
h The se e % 1Is hs OF rpm
the doctrine that Legislators the agents Of the people
.e be- viii not 9 -rvss hs sope
Sut y aa by
i II tue Legislature improperly organized 10 july 1869,
tember, 1868 in excluding colored members, If the
ans was ae Who % hs r Of the eosa
Legislature, by whose fault ny II State has re-
in panfnfu and uncertainty Il the wnols country
es Ses s r y ee @ h1ss e
the fault Of the Legislature OF Georgia. and shall that Legs
eKisieucey Shall those who have grievosy offended
specially privileged because Of that very 9aeneey
constitution that Ihe General ASSEMBLE may
are and Tha
70 Georgia politics should be misled by ths language s
haps not very wonderful bat when an intelligent Georgian
for such purpose ind hard to believe HIM ser
be SO construed II possible parts
ge,he that the above provisions not intended
to TWO and tour years He must know that the first Of
iss &sSs 10 ~Ss % asp o sn e ane
day should be found more put never so 10 change
intended TO give the OLD members right TO st u
liked rthe assembling of the body. A small
argument sometimes made that the ought to be
who were shut ont ffom September, 1853. until
is consuraate peness VIII appear upon SLIGHT
examination. The principles which it would establish wiz
body whenever ia Of contested election member
tme-an at almost every session of
Legislature, national or State Less than thirty
toibs ,bry msp he oyed 70 noke laws for The ncon,e
for t % esr e than the peope have eiyeu III them a
thory. Because the people were for season de,
prised Of the services OF about one-seyenth of the
who had been chosen to represent he therefore they
mnst submit 10 the relnnng s1seyehs M tor wo years ION
enh they must therefore, be wrouged for
enough 10 show asurdiy. Whatever rights
for he Gs aSs When he did NOT ac ~
Whatever legislation there during that period
resumption of their lawful plaeei neither jus
ee The sa sm0fr hs esanra naT is an 10
kept ~ being w9 ysqrs Longer on har own account 60 &
lust PREPARATION which the nature Of things allows.
you an republicans and therefore win word to
has expressed that shall lose the State If election
@roaery Il welose he state IN fair election honsR L
may be dageeabc yet we shall have no right 70 complain
mnaea and u tas majority & choose 50 70 vote tae
rejection ami experience win bring them in the end
sounder politics do nqs see bow we can lose The state
years longer and mos, OF that half are republicans
ntepose constitutional cheek pernicous egisla-
non But shall the in fair election II
suitable for oalce and shall take stand
se ase us rom sbs rs paans a of the W" waSo
country Let the party be properly orsaaized let
nerey. horopsy boldly economical administration Of
IN n q