New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-14
COLOR IN COURT.

| COLOR IN COURT
We have story to relate of judicial matters
in Georgia, which shall be delivered roundly
and with little varnish, for little is needed to
render it diverting. Gov. Bullock, it appears,
had made Mr.. r. R. Mills, jr, the District
Attorney of the First Senatorial District-Mr.
Mills being perfectly White Man, connected
Z" with one of the best families in the State"
Now it 30 happened that Mills applied himself
for the office CT desire the appointment" said
he), and within his letter or petition was
inclosed a recommendation from James NJ.
Simms, Judge of the First District Court, and
Man of Color, kindly backing up the light
colored Office beggar. 1t must be remembered
that r. R. Mills, jr., esq, sought for this GER
tiicate of his qualifications from the dark
colored Judge Simms and himself sent it to Gov.
Bullock and evidently he thought at the time
that it was nice thing to get, a handy thing
to forward, and thing very likely to affect,
in the beggar's favor, the decision of Gov.
Bullock. 1t appears to have exercised such
influence, for Mills, jr., received from the
Executive the appointment which his soul
coveted Meanwhile, Mills, jr., was in trouble
He suffered under what Gov. Bullock
calls g the specous Indignation of few
III
sundry castigations from certain badly recon-
structed journals of that city, for taking office
under Black Judge; and being "of one of
"the best families" these squibs, lampeons
and invectives hcerated his soul, filled his
heart with rcmorse and his head with mertiii-
cation. Under the influence of these compii-
Gated emotions he went "backn on his c0lOred
judicial benefactor Simms (Judge Simms) in
way which proves him either wanting in graf
itude or economical IN using it. He returned
his commission. He wrote a rather queer let
ter to Gov. Bullock in which he said that he
considered that it would be "a mnstrOus"
thing for him to accept the Office under " the
"embryo Judge Smms." Still more wonder
full to relate, he remarked that he felt himself
insulted,n "purposeIy insulted," and further,
that he thought the whole bar of the Eastern
Circuit insutedn also. Then he signed him
self, avery truly, T.. r. Mills, jr.," and very
truly he is T. II. NJ. and there cannot be
great many more like this sui generis man, even
among the eccentric. and unrecOnstruCted of
Georgia.
Gov. Bullock now had his innings, as the
cricheters say. He must have laughed both
inwartily and outwardly as the subject spread
itself richly before him. He had the docu
ments, and having them, the fastidiOus,
although rather weak-headed Mills, jr, was
entirely at his mercy. But tempering justice
with cemency he took his pen in hand and
wrote letter to the White Man who would
no5 be District-Attoney under Black Judge.
He flung all the documents on file relating to
the case at the soft head of the nice
Mills, jr. And here was the Endorsement
OF the file aforesaid: " District-Attor-
'a1ey, list District: Mills, Il. T., jr., re-
"auests the appointment of District Attorney.
ais recommended by the Hon. James N.
=" Simms n-the recommendation which Mills,
IT,, himself inelOsed to the Governor. This, OF
itself would be sufficient to put the Office
beggar in a ridiculous position. "Why," says
Gov. B., you asked me for the appointment
through the very party of whom you now
"speak so eontemptuously :" and you told me
that il l would give you the place "y you would
accept and perform the duties according to
"your ideas of honesty, and without political
"biasr "And now" the Governor might have
Justly added, "you throw the commission back
"again and abuse the very man whose indorse-
"ment obtained it for YOU"
And very good man too, says Gov. Bullock.
To be sure, he is Black. But he has had a
fair education, his moral character is excellent,
and he is possessed of far more than ordinary
natural ability He represented the city OF
Savannah and Chatham County in the lower
House of the General Assembly, and conducted
himself as Member with marked ability"
while "at no time did he fail to maintain his
proposition upon the floor of the House with
"a readiness argument, and eloquence which
/" did great credit to himself and his race"
And this was the man, 80 successful as
maker of laws, who was not fit to administer
them In the opinion of Mr. Mills, jr., ga young
gentleman connected with one of the first
families in Savannah" The White gentle
man, hungry like all his kind for place, did
not disdain to ask the Black gentleman for
recommendation. We have no fault to find
with Judge Simms, except that he is, perhaps,
little too free in giving his certificates.