The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1878-10-17
oEoRGIA's sTATEsM MEN.

supremacy in physical and mental
endowments. By the first, we have
reference to broad and fertile acres,
rolling rivers and majestic noun,
tains, each in their several waya,
conferred upon man by the hand of
nature for his admiration, conven-
fence and happiness. By the latter.
Tor mental) we mean, the accom-
plishmen.s that man by persistent
effort, secures himself. Therefore,
need we to say, that this old common
wealth, profuse 10 everything, is i'm
perial 10 her Statesmen.
The first to whose feet we shall
humbly do reverence is Alexander
Fl. Stephens, the great commoner,
unco nmoner we think would be
the proper word as it is something
longer, and take him all in all, we
never shall see bis like again We
acknowledge that we are at loss tor
words to do justice to the mental
qualifications Of this gifted man.
Respect for an Empire State" should
not permit US to transcend her limits
for the means to measure the capaci
ty of her fields or the genius of her
cons, and if our efforts prove unsat-
isfactory to either the public or Dir.
Stephens himself, the fault must be
laid to other sources than to the To-
tention of the writer We will ven
ture to say however, that in the
varied and rare intellectual accom-
pIishments, that are comprehepded
in the term "wisdom," Mr. Stephens
is fully equal to the Georgia State
Constitutional Convention, the Hon.
Robert Toombs inclusive, in this
modest declaration. We think the
ex Vice President Southern Confed-
eracy, will coincide when we reflect
that life and exploits of the great
Napoleon we're expanded in book to
3S4 pages or less, (see Lockhart) our
illustrious statesman's deeds are con
tracted into a volume of $40 pages
and he IS not dead get.
10 this brief article, we could not
think of eulogizing 1.-THE of the
beneficial acts and reforms that MIR.
Stephens, his potent influence in our
National Legislature, has conferred
upon his people, (of which they have
never even heard and perhaps never
will unless they purchase the volume
aioresaid) not so much as stopping to
notice his position on the electoral
commission, by which our govern
ment was honored with fraud in
the highest Office within the gift OF
freemen, nor of the "Potter investi
CATION" but will pass on to the act
upon which bis reputation is based
and which lives ever fresh in the
memory of his constituents known
as the SALARY Grab" As busi>
ness transaction, it was a coup de etat,
a grand success, a ten stroke, regu-
lar bonanza, and certainly merits
our highest admiration, but as an act
of patriotism, we regret to say, that
our enthusiasm is most cruelty
checked. Indeed, to use a strong
nbrase lust at this time, it has the
'vomito.' OF the many ways to get
money in the pocket, men differ. A
huge legacy is, according to Horace,
an easy way of stepping into fortune,
while Byron, objects and says, 'that
there is too much waiting. 4 grand
prize in a Havana Lottery might be
acce ptable, but that costs something
and is not exactly sure in every in>
stance. When opportunity offers,
we think the most facile procedure
to replenish the purse, is to cote 1t
in. 1t has all the elements of sue
cess, without the wish of failure. =
The gentleman's reasoning on the
subject is exhaustive, but not quite
satisfactory. Brain, like many other
things is a commodity in the market,
and has its price. First>class legal
and executive talent is just worth
stipulated amount, all paid 10 excess
is so much lost. If sum OF money
procures the ablest minds in the
country-double or quadruple that
sum and you get no more. Is there
more virtue, eloquence, statesman>
ship and patriotism, now than there
was when Webster, Clay, Cass, Ben>
ton, Calhoun and Adams, graced the
Halls of our Capitol, and Marshall,
Story and fancy added lustre to our
Supreme Bench !
They all served their country to
the best of their ability for less than
half of what is exacted by the little
Solons of the present time, and what
appears to US to exhaust all argu>
ment on the subject. Mr.. Stephens,
himself lent the Nation the benefit OF
his great mind at the same price.
BY refenece to the Eleven Appro~
priations of Congress, we find that
the item of expense for the Execu
tive Legislature and Judicial departs
ment, is in round numbers about ff-
teen million dollars, now presuming
that all salaries of Congress, like the
Presidents, have been doubled by
the grab we find that our expenses
are needlessly increased about seven
and a half millions dollars annually.
There is retrenchment and reform
for voters to ponder, and to keep as
a souvenior for people whose pubs
lie debt amounts to perhaps two