Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1880-06-08
| GENERAL JOHN b. GORDON.
Why He Resigned at the Begin
ming Of Hts Second Term
in the eSenate-TheP P0-
1iticaI Situation
in the South.
N. Y. Herald, 2sth ult.l

N. Y. Herald, 2Sth ult.l
The resignation on the heel of ses-
sion of senator of the United States,
who had just entered upon his second
term, was a surprise to everybody who
had not been made acquainted with
the motives that led to an act so ex-
traordinary, Senator Gordon, of
Georgia, came to this city Immediately
after his successor had been sworn in
as a senator. In the st. James hotel
last evening he said:-
Seven or eight years ago | had an
income that enabled me to live COM
fortably, in my modest way, and to
accumulate something for my chill
dren; but after | entered the senate
my plantation and mining property
became unproductive, mainly through
my inability to give that property the
attention | could have given it but for
my public duties as a senator. |
could have paid my way and educated
my children on my salary as a senator,
but only a man with a heart Of stone
could resist the appeals of the manned
men who were once my soldiers, and
Of the orphans Of men who once
fought on my side. | soon found
myself unable to live in Wash
ington city. | had to borrow
money to get out Of that
city. The truth is | was driven from
public life by consciousness of grow
ing older year after year, and yet be-
coming poorer after the meridian Of
life and when entering upon years in
which | shall be less able to earn
something to leave for my children.
Yet, even at the sacrifice Of what
might accumulate for my family,
would have remained in the senate
had the interests of the south or of the
country required it; but l can do as
much in private life as could in the
senate toward uniting the south and
the north and making a perfectly
cemented union, and for that end
shall work ia the future"
General Gordon went on to say that
after he had made up his mind that
his duty to his family required him tC
resign a seat that threatened to i'm
poverish them, he had tempting offers
from two cOncerns-one in Boston
and one in 0regOn-both demanding
an answer. either yes or no, without
delay, and that the offers were so lib
eral that he felt constrained to ac.
cept. Thereupon he sent his resigna-
ton to Governor Colquitt and waited
for the appearance of his successor in
the senate chamber. Meantime other
fattering offers were made him
among them the position of counsel for
railroad, and already he sees
the way open for improving his
fortunes considerably and rapidly.
He will hereafter spend part Of his
time in Oregon and a part in Georgia,
and his plantation and mining prop
erty will again have that attention
which is necessary to make any ven
ture profitable. Of his sheep raising
he spoke IS an experiment, His
partner-a Now Yorker-is testing
it, how successfully the general
doesn't know.
The general was rather disinclined
to dwell upon political topics, but he
was willing to express his belief that
all the delegates from the south will
go to Cincinnati unpledged and with
out predictions for any one man, but
ready to support any candidate who
may seem to be the one to best beat
General Grant, yhpae nomination he
views as inevitable.