The New York herald., 1876-02-25
The Reign of Stupidity in the Empire
State of the South.
GOVERNOR JEEMS MUNCHAUSEN SMITH
His Elevation from 0bsourity and
His Probable Return.
A FIN CIAL CHAOS


ruined, her merchants embarrassed her industry
parayzed and her people dispired Her crops for the
past two years have been almost total failures
the end of fifteen years OF misrue heroic perse
veranee and brave toll she stands with nothing left her
but heritage Of withered hopes which make the
heart sick However her people are courageously at
work trying to build up their fortunes They
have abandoned the suicidal policy or planting all cot
ton and no corn, and that their future will
be as dark and desoate their past has been. The
Legislature Is in session and political excitement
runs high The people stirred up trying to fence
against tho difficulties that environ them Two ques
tions profoundly agitate them-one is the calling OF
constitutional convention and the other who is
what is the Governor OF Georgian The constitutional
convention will be called, and should be, the
stiles Of the situation imperatively demand it. The
Governorship OF Georgia has been involved in great
uncertainty until recently but 1t has been finally and
oonclusively ascertained that 1t joint stock affair
and that she is afflicted with three Governors who
called their order DR.. J. r. Bozeman, Colonel W.
Alexander and J. N. Smith, sometimes facetiously
called Jeems Muncbausen Smith, Esq.
THE THREE GOVERNORS
Or. Bozeman is q fine old dapper gentleman, dis
cple Of Escuapus and somewhat addicted TO finance.
Colonel Alexander is a newspaper man, Of local
lebrty, and during the war figured somewhat war
correspondent He is clever gentleman of the old
school, thoroughly in decay, and is, If was,
most emphatically lost cause.
Jeems Munchausen Smith, Esq., whom the people
elected to I'LL that position is OF those who.
unfortunately, figure too frequently in the worlds his
tory. He is = squarely built compact man, between
whose neither extremites and mother earth there
lists a most distressing intimacy. view OF His Ex
ceency he promenades up and down the streets OF
Atlanta is the submest spectacle that greeted
mortal gaze. We have that grand old hero, Lee
riding at the head OF his victorious legons; have
seen the mighty Jackson charging at the head Of his
columns and bursting like a storm upon the hosts OF
the enemy but the appearance OF Governor Smith,
he goes 10 and from the Capitol for pure unmgated
unprovoked and nexcusable grandeur far surpasses
them all HIS Excellency's mere walk is overwhelm-
ngly eloquent He wears his hat in such manner as
expresses whole volumes of meaning and he wirls his
yellow hickory stick with worldwide significance.
His oratory corresponds with his personal appear
ance and is decidedly unique. When elected he was
serenadcd by his friends, and he responded
in just such oraton Demosthenes with
all his genius, could never have delivered.
Says he:-'Teler citizens, We'll kyour these
carpetbaggers OF sucking eggs, you bet So fur as
am consarned, I'd vote for the devil from he'll with
birthstone in his pockets and his tail on fire. before
would for Grant" Qntense amazement and disgust
the part of the hearers) How Jeems Munchausen
Smith to be Governor OF Georgia is mystery.
1t is OF those accidents which the OF
American politics and against which no experience t
seems can guard In the first place. Governor Smith
is a selfmade man, a fact which the religious world
will gladly learn 1t relieves the Almighty of fear
full responsibility Then his ambition is inordinate and
equaled only by his matchless imbecility. He also
belongs TO that class OF men who look wise a
gregaton Of owls but are in reality densey ignorant
and phenomenally stupid.
smTH's ADMINISTRATION GIGANTIC BLuNDRR.
But chiefly he had for nearly sixty years lived in
Georgia during which time he had reveled in obscu-
rity. When the State OF Georgia passed under demo
cratic rule its people confronted with many grave
problems for successful solution OF which was re-
ouired the highest order of statesmanship She had
many highly gifted sons who were thoroughly com.
pctent 10 the task Yet In obedience q cowardy and
ultra-conservative feeling they CONTEMPORARY
thrust aside and Governor Smith shed up out Of
the lowest deeps OF obscurity, a man about whom
nothing good or bad could be said and who unob-
jectonable simply because he unkDown. The
usual result has followed His administration has been
disastrous failure and gigantic blunder. When
the reins OF government placed in
his hands officers to be ap-
pointed, and ring OF punderng thieves, who under
Bullock had preyed upon the vitals Of the State and
fAened upon the msfortunes and Of the peo-
the State were regulated and Georgia to
q sound and healthy prosperity. What has been the
RESULT The people in many instances not satisfied
with his appointments and especially the manner In
which he has treated some worthy and distinguished
gentlemen As soon as the Governor was elected no
rained food Of promises all the State, which Of
course was followed by drought ofperformances. He
sent for Herschsl V. johnson, 1ltimss Romdnorxm,
man whom the people Of Georgia have always delighted
10 honor the express purpose OF appointing MIN
Of the judges Of the Supreme Court Yet after
having done so he appointed In his stead whose
name was hardly mentioned In connection
with the Office II seems that he invariably
promised every who applied 10 HIM, and
disappointed every one by nominating some
one who was hardly considered an applicant When
the late Treasurer, John Jones, removed by
HIS Excelency, DR.. G l. Redwine and W. B. Lowe,
the position He told each Of them go out and make
up bis bond, which each OF them did Yet he appointed
J. W. Renfroe. very clever gentlemen. II is true,
General Of the State, and who under
stood to be personally opposed to His Exccllency
ever been punished They when in power
invested largely in property in Georgia When Bull
The Georgia National Bank was conascated and the
property Of Bullock, Blodget, Kimball Hoyt, Harris
and all the rest amounting to vast sum- no one
Yet strange TO say, not dollar OF this money has
ever found its way into the treasury Of the state.
THE PNANcKs GEORGIA
are just in a very muddled condition, and II was
hoped Governor Smith would clear up the matter in
his Annual Message TO the Legislature. But In vain
That Message Is the most extraordinary production
that emanated from the brain OF IL has all
the captivating lucldy OF black mud and is intei-
gble would be the dissertations OF Hottentot on
the Nebular hypothesis Whoever desires explore
Its mysteries must be content like Milton's Satan In
his voyage through chaos, 10 nnd his uncouth way
through the paipaDe obscure" IL dmiy appears that
the State has lost $500 COO though by what
| by whom does not appear The Governor charges
IL 70 the late Treasurer, John Jones Mr. Jones
hitherto has borne character above reproach. No
offence has been proven against him, and 10 requires
something more than the assertion Of His Excel
lency TO destroy the favorable opinion which the pco
pie Of Georgia have ever entertained for Mr.. Jones
The Governor In his Message admits that Mr. Jones mas
executive warrants for large portion Of the alleged
deficit and ieebly attempts destroy the effect Of this
damaging admission. There several ques-
tons that forciby suggest themselves, and
one Is where was Governor smith and what was he
doing during the time, four years, in which these al