The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-04-10
A Bird's-Eye View of a Lively
Political Race.
A QUINTILATERAL FIGHT.
Personnel Of the Aspirnnts and Important
Aspects Of the Contest.
ATLANTA, April 6. 1870.

as symbolicaly representative OF Southern tendency
Her people have always been progressive and excep-
tionaily liberal In NO well established case havc
they over boon sectionally proscriptvc While inde-
pendcnty adhcrent to their peculiar convictions
answering in the resolute OF their prnci-
PIES they have been broadly national The State has
larger clement from tho North and West assmilacd
than any other State. Tho warm welcome extended 10
good people, regardless OF their nativity and tho hos
ptabe appropriation Of any solid and valuable citizen
ship, have not oaly given tho State forward impetus,
but they have berazcd her civilization and enhanced
her social and political power. Georgia among
the highest bound victims OF post reconstruction
Her condition was seemingly among the hardest Her
spirit OF resistance to wrong was most impacabc
and her adhesion to principle uncompromising; yet
she so carly showed patient sagacy aud wise states
manshp that with her mingled hrmness and tact, she
was among the nrst 10 reinstate herself in fully re-
habalcd sovereignty aud has since steadily held tho
leading place among tho restored Southern States Of
the Union.
One among the most important steps she has taken
has been to call her ablcst to Official position,
both In her State aud national places She is deter
mined to impress her individuality the Union, as
far as she do so logtima.cy. She sent to the
national councils her brightest public men, and
poses to continue to do Gordon, stephens, Nor
pacity and most disntercstcd patriotism.
RATTLE GOVERNOR.
Georgia Is In the throes of the most important
political contest Of the next four years. the battle
Governor and coming the matter does, concurrcnty
with the Presidential fight tho struggle is full OF vital
interest An impartial and candid review OF the stu
alton will not be without vauo for national journal
like the NEw York HERALD. The contest, whic .
local Quo, has yet an Importance something than
local, inasmuch tho State will forecast her admins
tration for the next Presidential term and that ad
mnIstraton must depend upon It's policy for giving
the State its proper and natural influence the national
advancement. An intimate acquaintance with the
public men Of this State and long familiarity with her
politics, added to absolute freedom from favor
hostility TO men and desire TO present the uncm-
belshcd truth, enable to fairly hmm for your read
the status Of matters this powerful aud
tive State Perhaps the history OF Georgia did
the bright baublo Of the Governorsnp present atrac
tons SO fascinating to an ambitious The term Is
for four years The power almost Unlimited Tho rad
ca regime that framed tho present. In respects,
most excellent constitution, endowed the Executive
with scope Of patronage too broad for public benefit.
But Il done with the subtle purpose OF self perpetu-
alton in authority When tell you that the Governor
appoints the judges aud solicitors Of all the
Supreme Superior and County-the heads OF all tho
bureaus, and a hall dozen notarics public in every
county, you will see how his official friends ramiiy tho
whole State a continuous, comprehensive, jealous
championship OF grateful domination. In the 1877
counties composing the State tho rcigning Governor
has strong, influential nucleus OF powor, invested
with Official authority the lives and property Of tho
people, work for his reelection. II Is dangerous
state Of things, and demands organic alteration as
speedily as possible The temptation to use this largo
grant Of authority for personal ends very great
And the seduction OF gaming this grand exercise Of
patronage Is powerful But apart from this the hon.
orabc opportunities oil the high occ arc transcc nden
TO q virtuous public ambition.
GOVERNOR
Tho number OF capable gentlemen who arc willing 10
be Governor If a DISCRIMINATING people shall call them
20 the splendid chair OF State very large and has
local bounds The asprants crop out in every section
and strange TO say IN nearly every instance they only
desire the Office aud only seek under the impcrous
and irresistible coercion that mysterious yet dcspotc
king known a vague sort OF away my friends /"
II man friends that want HIM 10 no Governor and
not his own reluctantly yielded wishes II must
remain among the unsolved political problems OF tho
American people 10 what really constitutes
tho "irlendiy' influence that forces an unwilling
70 aspire TO the dsagrccabe distinction OF beng
Der OF gentlemen who have been for long time
prominently connected in the public mind with the
TDa ns most n% nsye vesn
II. Coquitt, OF Atlanta The race lay between these
two up TO month ago. with perhaps the advantage in
favor Of ColQutL But this gentleman has lost ground
through the fact that he Vice President OF the At
lanta branch OF the Southern Mutual Lie Insurance
Company OF Memphis, Tennessee, that failed a month
ago. This has undeservcdly hurt Colquitt's chances
though TO what extent cannot DO now measured But
think that Il has given his close competitor, Harde
man. the advantage IL 10 difficult TO choose between
the two rs 70 merit
COLONEL THOMAS HARDExAx yR
has been conspicuous ngure In Georgia politics for
long time. He IS not professional man. but cotton
factor and commission merchant He has been Con-
gresham Representative, Speaker twice Of the state
House Of Representatives president Of several State
conventions, delegate TO national conventions, member
and chairman Of State executive committees and all
that sort OF thing He Is taking stump orator. ready,
ornate. norid aud effective. He Is u large hearted,
genial man, shrcwd, practical, bold and true His
enemies charge him with trckcry and q consider
able capacity for successful intrigue. His friends
claim him sincere and open. have observed
that very successful men In public matters always
Ing And must confess that know OF no public
easier to spot and fix than Tom Hardcman, as he Is
generally called HIS place on public questions Is
always dccidcd ana unwavcring He Is large, stout,
very dark compexioned person, with certain brusque
hastness IN bis manner and very independent look
about him.
GOVERNOR JAMES n SMITH
Tho man closest to Hardeman in the now Ia tho
present Governor James NJ. smith, powerfully built,
coarse featured blond Individual, whose square set,
sturdy figure Is a type OF the mans mind. lie rs
strong man IN brain. He came from the mud siils.
He began life q blacksmith md has worked up 10 be
Congressman, legislator Speaker OF tho House and
twice Governor, and evidently wants to be Governor
again or United states Senator. And he Will grazc
either one OF these gildcd honors closely enough He
is cold naturcd this Mt smith, rs he Is called
polite, brawny In intelligence and with manv oil tho
qualities OF the natural statesman. Smith has moro
development IN him Than almost any public man that
know. He has made In the main good Governor,
with some very vulnerable spots IN hts executive rec
ord He is far beyond an average Governor IL Is
not often that one finds better Executive But he
leaves big gaps open his official career for hostile In
cursions.
Take smiths general administration and II has been
wise, honest and able. This IS due TO him. Al tho
same time he has made grave errors In his appoint
ments he hns offended some oil tho best mon In the
State. and incurred very widely circulated and per-
sstcnty urged OF double dealing and false
promising. DO this true or false, hts appointments
have averaged we'll A charitable construction OF his
conduct would that his kindness OF heart has been
against him unjustly. II must be admitted that
he has in this matter Of appointments laid himself
open 10 the charges against him. Ho Is not apt, how
ever, TO do the thing again.
But the srnvest objection TO Governor Smith Is In
the treasury matter Treasurer Jones, now dcposed
paid several hundred dollars OF State bonds
already pnid, and he did on Governor
SfnlIhl war handz ihall