The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1871-06-02
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Atlanta, Ca, May 20, 1871.

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
Atlanta, Ca, May 20, 1871. }
d. c. Sutton, Esq, attorney at Law
Lafayette Court House, Walker
county, Georgia
SIR am in receipt of your COM
munication of the ! 9th instant, for
warded through Solicitor General
Forsyth, from Rome, under date of
the 18th instant, wherein you inform
me that a prisoner has been commit
ted to the custody of the sheriff of
Walker county, charged with the
crime of murder, after the proper
preliminary proceedings, before the
magistrates, and that you have fears
the prisoner will be unlawfully TAX
en- from the sheriffs custody and set
at liberty, and for this reason you
suggest that | issue an Executive
order for the removal of that priso-
ner to the penitentiary, or some
other place for safe keeping: You
also inform me that / have "prece-
dent for such a course, set for me by
Gov. Brown in a noted case" You
further advise me in a postscript
that you want no more troops, that
"thsy would only aggravate and
make matters worse"
The above are the material points
presented in your communication,
but in the opening paragraph of
your letter you write as follows
III am Il Democrat. / believe that
you and your party are fast driving
the ship of State to ruin. would
not, therefore, willingly and won
only furnish you with sword to
stab my party, which conscienti-
ously believe to be the only hope Of
thecountry. Political motives would
therefore prompt me not to write
this letter"
Now, the impression necessarily
created by this paragraph from your
letter is that your reporting to me
officially in your capacity as an at
torney-at-law the fact that you have
in custody of the sheriff a prisoner
who is charged with murder, and
that in your opinion there is danger
that other persons sympathizing
with his crime will, By force, take
the prisoner from that custody, must
necessarily be understood aid ac-
espted as cause for diScredit to the
political organization known as the
Democratic party. In other words,
that by so reporting, you furnish me
with sword to stab your party )" a
party which you believe to be the
only hope Of the country, and that
therefore, your political opinions
would prompt you to withhold thu
report.
Upon this point, | would respect
fully suggest-and | doubt not bu
that upon reflection you will agre'
with me-that in this you do thu
Democratic party grave injustice
/ belong to a political organization
known as "the National Union Re
publican party" or in other words
am Republican, but l do not be
lirve, nor so far as my knowledge
extends, do my political associates
believe that the party opposed to us
is is made up of, or, as a party,
should be held responsible for the
wrong doing of every scoundrel who
violates the law and then seeks to
shield himself from its penalties by
claiming to be democrat. On the
contrary, we believe, as we claim for
ourselves that the majority of those
making up the Democratic party in
this State are of the most wealthy,
intelligent and law abiding citizens,
and it is unfortunate for the reputa-
ton of our State as a body Of law
abiding people, that gentleman Oc-
cupying the important position in
one of the most desirable counties
that you do, should arrive at the
enormous conclusion that the mis-
doings of badnen men can be- used,
even figuratively, as alsword whsre-
with to stab the party which you con-
scientiously believe to be sFthe only
hope Of country" Hopeless indeed
.sDb saseG szEc-