The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-05
GEORGIA POLITICS.
Inauguration of a Third Party
Movement in the South.
HOW BEN HILL WAS CONVEX TED.
--~.----~+.-~
Political Wire Pulling AT a Baptist
Prayer Meeting.
The Southern Republicans To Be Handed
Over to New Party.
THREATENED BETRAYAL OF GRANT,
~ .----~s,>,>-~>,,y~~->>~-.
The Election for President To BE
Thrown infn CnmCrpss
THREATENED BETRAYAL OF GRANT


success OF which depends upon the adrollness OF
the chief wire pullers.
REMARKABLE CONVERSION.
But before entering into the details OF this move
ment 1t IS best tell the story of Its inception. You
may remember that not many weeks ago Simon
Cameron and some other radical politicians were
here and that a banquet rendered them by their
political brethren. AT this banquet appeared Ben
hni-the redoubtable Ben-to the very great sur
prise Of everybody. Ben also made speech, In
which he declared that he had never been demo-
crat, ana added that II he had ever said anything
to indicate sympathy with the ''unterrlnedn 1t
purely slip OF the tongue. But Ben could not
deny that he had abused Ex-Governor Joe Brown,
eXcOriated Bullock and 1ayed the radicals gener-
ally during that memorable campaign, beginning
with the passage OF the reconstruction laws and
ending with the election of Grant. AT the aforc-
mentioned dinner Ben had hobnobbcd with Joe
Brown, fraternzed with Bullock and drank Wine
with Cameron. Ye shades of departed reconstruc-
tlon why was this thus9 Herein hangs tale.
AKERMAN's OPINION"
Now, what / sGall write Is merely what is said
here, and pretty generally said In political circles.
As O consequence If the statements be Incorrect,
you must blame the on an not me. But to the
story. IL was after the passage OF the Election law
of last year that the State election was hed In
Georgia. Attorney General Alderman gave an opln
ion concerning the meaning and intent OF the law
for special benefit OF his friends IN this (hls)
State 1t a clear case Of heads radicals win and
tails democrats lose. No matter how you READ the
opinion it operated against the democracy. Bayo-
nets to be omnpOtent, no person was to be al
lowed within ever so many feet, or yards, miles
Il forget whch) OF the polls after voting, and no
person was to be challenged under any circum.
stances whatever. Thus, when the radicals i'm
ported numerous negroes from Tennessee, bringing
them free OF charge over the State railroad from
Chattanooga, they were allowed to vote unlno-
Tested, and the beauties of the Election law were
exhibited TO their delight.
FOSTER BLoDGETr SPREADS HIS NET.
Well the campaign opened. Mr. roster Blougett
who claims to be United States Senator from
Georgia. made significant speech in Augusta. He
referred to the fact that he had been AN old line
whig an opposer Of secession and stanch unionst.
ana he called upon the former wings to join HIM In
a new departuren intimatinC strongly that the
time had arrived for a Reorganization OF parties.
To make the matter short, Bodgett's speech was
the inauguration or u movement which was 10 Ell
TRAP all the OLD line wings into net OF radical
Manufacture and hand them over to Cameron Co.
BEs III LII. GETS CAUGHT.
After delivering his speech Blodgett came To At.
lanta, ana u few days later Ben Hi followed him.
Up TO this time I'LL had been Blodgetts especial
aversion and Bodgett mad been like unto u poecat
or "a skunk IN the nostrils OF Hill. IL would make
your blood run cOu II were 10 repeat all tue ami
Of each other. Had the days OF cnivalry not de-
parted when Lee surrendered under the ever memo
rable and historical apple Tree there would nave Deen
pistols without coffee and vanouS saitpetre would
most assuredly have been burned between these
gentlemen. The one, however, wouldn't fight ana
Tie other didn't want to, SO each cOntented himself
with wOrdy abuse OF the other. Considering what
bitter personal enemies they were 1t more than
passing strange tnat when Hill arrived In Atlanta
he should send verbal message to BlOdgett re-
questing an interview Foster, the story runs, re.
pied declining TO see Ben unless that individual
ply, asking for AL interview. This precaution,
had The request in black and white Hill would not
hesitate, at some future time, TO swear upon the
biggest stack Of Bibles that could be got together
that he had never, even III Dreams neld commune
ca,ion or sought an Interview with the Augusta
sage. This was rather rough on Ben. but he seems
on the following Sunday, while Blodgett was en-
gagged IN prayer ut the Baptist church, letter was
BEN with the coveted "black and whitc' in his
possession Blodgett mad his old adversary In MS
power beyond te Snance vi Hs WrsSng n e
after, but few days later Ben came out III letter
declaring the political situation had changed,
and advising the whites not TO be restricted 10 party
candidates, but to vote Tor negroes Or whites as
| they deemed the most honest-rather limiting In
| favor of the cOlOred man. This was bombsheli In
| the democratic ranks. Had Bob r0Ombs declared
himself favor OF Fred Douglass for the next Presl
uent IL scarcely could have excited more SURPRISE
| UNsAvORY ANTECEDENTs.
| That there a little game AZ the bottom OF this
sudden conversion was evident and it was not long
| Ben Hill had taken prominent part III the recon
| sructon excitement he had never been trusted by
| the mass OF the democracy. After the secession OF
| Georgia he was elected Confederate States SEN
atOr TO crafty the old wing element, and his career
instance in secret session he denounced the Con-
| script law as unconstitutional, and Immediately
after, hearing that Joe Brown, the then Governor,
neld the same opinion, he hurried 10 Mledgevllle,
| the captal, and made speech 10 the Legislature,
pitching into Joe right ana le Tor asserting rnas
to revive the Old sedtion Oil o. John quincy Adams,
which, by the way, was the origin OF ms row Win
| w. L. Yancey, Of Alabama. On the whoe, the De-
| mocracy didn't believe in Ben; hence, no matter
how much talking he might do Tor them they would
| not confer onlce upon him. AS an old line wing he
| mad consequently seized the opportunity for n new
'''"' PROGRAMME OF THE BUSY BIS.
| The programme simply ths:-Ben, Bullock,
BlodgetI, Brown Co. entered into a political CO.
| partnership. Under the wording OF Akerman's
opinion they felt every confidence in their abilty to
carry Georgia. out they perceived that their triumph
would transient unless they could seduce the Old
whig element their ranks Bul ock dld not aud
never did, possess any influence whatever. Browns
double game during the reconstruction period had
lost HIM all the influence he ever possessed Ben
Hill, however, had maze many friends by opposing
negro suffrage and was believed TO be very strong
| alter the election there should be new deal. A
| sort OF conservative republican party was 10 be
formed and Ben was 10 be It's candidate Tor lover
nor, the understanding being that ne was 10 take
| care OF Brown, Bullock, Blodgett ana the rest.
4 SUDDEN COLLAPSE.
The iuea that HIPS sudden conversion would
draw many white voters over Co the republicans was
entirely dlsslpated 10y the election. In spite OF the
! election law and Akermans opinion, the democrats
swept the state by an enormous majority.
eecting four-6iths Of the lower House
| of the Legislature and more than two
| thirds of the Senate Things now began
| to look serious for the ring. rhc old legislature,
manufactured by Congress, mad Authorized the Cow
ernor 10 lease the state roao an important railway
| from Atlanta 10 Chattanooga. ring wa formed
| to get possession Of the property. zoe Brown re-
signed the position Of Chief Justice Of tue state 10
enter II. ana he, Bullock. Hin, Cameron, Deldno ana
| Others were granted lease for twenty years
| RAILROADS AS POLITICAL WEAPONS.
About the same time as the western ana Auanuc
| the state road) was turned over 10 the TINY VIE
| Pennsylvania Central Railroad stepped III anu ~
tanned control OF tue 'Ar Line" and other impei am
railways In the State. There seems 10 Oe no uvuvs
that this sudden interest OF PennsyNs,a % nn
In the railway interest OF Georgia arises rom poll
tics Senator Cameron is sa,d 20 be at tDe bottom on
L tho v MNafher NE is WArkLnk IOT