Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-22

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THE NEW FEATURE IN THE
GEORGIA QUESTION.
The exposure Of The attempt of the
Bullock party to petpetuate their reign in
Georgia by brihing Senators 10 vote
against the Bingham amendment was
very probably The means Of securing tie
adoption of the Pomeroy amendment,
which is as distaneful to the Bullockites
as that of Mr. Bingham 1t appears that
it was known in Washington several days
ago that efforts were being made to bride
Senators to vote against the Bingham
amendment, and by securing its defeat,
extend the term of the present Legisla-
ture to two years longer. 1t would per-
haps have exerted favorable influence if
this plot hadbeen developed earlier. The
investigation viii expose the character of
Bullock and the men who have been lob
bying in the interest of the reconstruc-
ton of Georgia for several months, and
the desperate expedients TO which they
have resorted to carry their point. Three
witnesses were examined by the Judiciary
Committee of theSenate on the 10th inst,
Judge Hughes, formerly Judge of the
Court of Claims, Louis Porter,
Assistant Postmaster at Washing
ton, and MIR. Ramsdell, correspon-
dent of the Cincinnati CONNER
ciaL 1t is understood that Judge
Hughes, who is now practicing lawyer
in Washington, testified that he was ap-
preached by Porter with an offer of
large amount of railroad bonds, Endorsed
by the State of Georgia, if he would Sc
cure the vote of Senator Carpenter against
the Bingham amendment. Porter's testi-
mony was variable, and his examination
was long and rigid. It is said the COM
mittee finally succeeded in gaining some
information which viii lead to some
damaging revelations in connection with
the Georgia bill. Mr.. Ramsdell testified
that he sent the dispatch to the CONNER
cidl, published on the 14th, in which
the charges were first made; that
he obtained his information from Joshua
Hill, Senator elect from Georgia; that
Hill submitted to HIM certain papers
signed by him (HilD and Judge Hughes;
that he understood that Carpenter was the
Senator to be operated on with ten thou
sand dollars worth of bonds; that he be-
lieyed the statement to be trustworthy,
and refused to send it until he had some
evidence of its correctness.
The Washington correspondent of
the New York Herald stated on
the 18th inst, that there is one man
in Washington who has a large claim
upon the State of Georgia for
guns furnished just before the rebellion,
and it is said that this man has an interest
in keeping the Bullock party in power in
Georgia, and has been very laborious
with Senators, especially one from New
England, who is supposed to be weak in
the faith, to get them to vote against the
Bingham amendment. 1t is also said that
Senators and Senators sons and relatives
have been directly offered railroad bonds
endorsed by the State of Georgia, with
the understanding that they would sustain
Bullock. Judge Bingham, in his speech
on the Georgia bill in the House on the
It'll of March last spoke as follows of Bull
locks attempt to perpetuate his power
and control the State railroad:
''Why, sir, by law of the State Legis-
lature the Governor of the State has the
control of the State railroad, the annual
income of which, 1 am informed, avera-
ges about two million dollars. He ap-
points all the agents. Not content with
appointing his agents for the management
of the State railroad, to take care of the
receipts and return them to him to be put
into the treasury of the State, he put his
railroad agent into the Chamber of the
House of Representatives hast January,
and through him and by him adjourned
that House from day to day, in direct
violation of your law of the 23d of last
December. Instead of being protected by
any legislation Of this sort let him answer
when the day comes, before the tribunals
of the United State, for this violation of
the law of the United States touching
''the reorganization, " of the Legislature of
the State of Georgia. But, Mr.. Speaker,
l go further. l have intimated to the
| House already that, according to my
advice, the annual income of
the State railroad is, by She
laws of the State, under the control of
the Governor. do not say he is usurp-
ing any authority by exercising such con-
troll, for understand that by express le-
| gal provision be has entire control over
that matter, with no power to check him,
unless it be the tribunals of justice in the
| State, or the Treasurer of the State, or
the Legislature, by proceeding of i'm
parchment. Now, sir, this House is asked
to pass a bill, with the construction put
upon it in advance by its mover-whO
reports it-that the present Legislature of
Georgia may continue for two years here
| after to shelter and protect this Gov. Bull
lock that upon his nomination to the
Senate the present Treasurer of the State,
who alone can check the mismanagement
of the funds of the State railroad, may
be turned out. Thus, sir, the people of
Georgia would be bound hand and foot
by an act of Congress, and would be de-
prived of the protection intended to be
secured to them by their own constitution,
their own laws and their own tribunals of
justice from fraud, from plumber to the
amount of two millions of dollars year,