New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-16
THROUGH THE SOUTH.
GEORGIA POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.
PROSPECTS OF UNION OF THE WINGS WITT
p1r II, IOru TIL ID

GEORGIA POLITICS AND POLITICIANS.
PROSPECTS OF UNION OF THE WINGS WITH
THE REPUBLICANs-HOw THE NEW DEPAR-
TURE Is REGARDED IN THE SOUTH.
IFRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
ATLANTA, Ga, June 9.-The voting popula-
ton of Georgia may be stated in round numbers
sst of ooOo white Democrats from 5000 to 10000 white
Republicans and 90 900 negroes who would be Repub
now and would continue to be for years to II
left free to vote according to their convictions Tho
most stupid plantation negro has enough to know
that the Republican party emancpated him, and he feels
that is his duty to give that party his In return
for the great boon OF liberty gave him. But the
not allowed to express their convictions freely
by their ballots. All kinds Of influences, proper and i'm
proper, brought to bear upon them. In
appeal made their sefnerest TO induce them to
vote with their employers, In others their old masters
control them Kindness and in others fear OF violence
is very influential II election to DO held to-
morrow there is no doubt that onetrd II rot onehalf,
OF the vote would be cast with the Democrats.
The white Republicans have not sufficient numbers.
character influence TO organize and direct the negro
vote against the solid opposition Of the intelligent and
property-owning classes OF the State. Probably
jority of the white Republicans merely Republicans
because the National and State Governments in the
handsof that party, which gives them Office the hope
of getting office future. They the kind of
men who would command high degree Of respect In
any community. party composed, as the Republican
party in Georgia Is of few white Of little influence,
chiefly oice-hoiders and mass Of negroes without in
teligence, courage selfrefance, is clearly party
from which very little can be expected. There Is no
| doubt that the State is Overwhelmingly Democratic.
change is however likely soon 10 take place. greatly
strengthening the Republican party by adding to 1t
large number of influential white men, and this change
will result the general acceptance by the Northern
Democracy of the Valandigham New Departure Plat
FORM The present Democratic party Of Georgia contains
| nds of
Democrats with little reluctance, and solely because
they believed the Democracy TO be a sectional party
pledged the interests Of the South, which they
bound TO support for that reason II the national Demo
cratic party takes ground upon all questions affecting
the South identical with that occupied by the Republic
cans these former Wings will be freed from their allie
glance 1t longer has any claims TO their sup
port. The political struggles In which they
were engaged before the gave them
| a strong antpathy to TIE very name
Of Democracy, and since Reconstruction, they have
acted with their old political enemies with strong feel
ing repugnanee and desire to be released soon as
possible from such companionship. The Wings were In
the opposed to Secession, and the fact that they
overued gives them additional cause for hos
tile feeling against the Democrats, who they declare,
are responsible all the misOruDes and mseries Sc
has brought upon the South. 1t is easy to see
that this Wing element naturally belongs 70 the RepuD
can party and will gTavitate toward that party.
| The Wings comprise a large share Of the wealth and
| intelligence Of the white population Of Georgia, and
nearly all the of liberal and progressive ideas. AS
soon as this element becomes Republican It will carry
with it almost the solid negro vote OF the state, which
| will leave the Democrats IN q small minority.
These views were Endorsed to-day by prominent poll
teian OF extensive influence throughout the State. He
| told me he had been Wing from boyhood, and had
given Democratic vote in his life, except since
reconstruction, and then he only did IL because he be-
eved he acting In the interest Of his State. asked
ho,u halia lia
| and Democrats in Georgia would take place. "Very
State politics" he replied "There are questions
| of internal improvements and other local In
| terests that VIII early eaxse the division, but
in national politics it may not occur until after the
next Presidential election. The prejudice against the
Republican party is still strong among the people
they believe that party offended to humiliae
Cypress them by the Reconstruction measures 1t
will take time for them to forgive and forget this.
Another for the hostility of the white people to the
Republican party the bad results OF Republican rule
in the South presume you have learned what class Of
men got in Office in this State. With few excep-
lions they either unknown Adventures from the
North natives without character or honesty. They
have sought office To enrich themselves and have plum
dered the State outrageousy. believe they have cost
Georgia ten twelve millions Of dollars. Nobody knows
how much because our State finances kept covered
up SO that man. except the Governor tell TO what
extent the increased and he takes TO
keep his knowledge to himself. The masses of our
people take these men, whom thoy believe to
be corrupt and dishonest specimensof the material
OF which the Republican party eomposed and. until
they learn better you cannot expect their support or
course know better. know that the Republican party
includes majority Of the intelligence and virtue OF the
North and am satisfied that few Of the representatives
party Congress have any knowledge OF the char
acter Of the men we have in office here they would
not give them their countenance" He added he be-
leved that If prominent Northern Republicans would
| come South and Iningle with the people this
| prejudice against the party and against the
| North would disappear. He thought Horace
| Greeley's tour had been productive OF much
| good. He was sorry Mr.. Greeley had not returned
through Alabama Georgia, and South Carolina that
larger number Southern people might have had an
opportunity OF seeing him. he were nominated for
he would get the votes Of thousands Of white
men I'm the South who are Republicans but who be-
eve him 10 a friend TO the Southern States, be-
advocated universal amnesty from the first,
which, had adopted. would have put the Govern
Of the Southern States In the hands OF men OF
character responsibility, ndexperience instead OF gv-
| ing them over to ignorant adventurous
The conversation OF this gentleman give as O sample
| OF that OF many other old Wings with whom have
talked. They invariably cay that they are wings ana
not Democrats that they cannot be Republicans as
long the Republican party keeps up p0cy OF pro
scribing account Of the part they took In the
Rebellion and susains the conduct Of bad men in ONCE
In the reconstructed governments All the Democratic
ne wspapers In Georgia that have have acquesced
in the New Departure platform. few support IL
warmly of them acknowledge that they couh-
| tenance II because the Northern Democrats beheveh
is the only way beat the Radicals; and, as their
brethren In the North will have the heavy work
TO do I'm the Presidential campaign, they think
the Northern Democrats ought to be allowed TO
make the platform to suit their own Judgment A rev
of the old politicians denounce the new seheme
az dishonest trick that will not win. One of theses