Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-19
Mr. stanhens, Position.

Aswill be seen by our Atlanta special,
elsewhere published this morning, Hon.
A. Il. Stephens has telegraphed to the
Atlanta Constitution emphaticsi'y deny
ing the 1,h of certain charges which
have been freely made against his De-
mocracy since his name hes been promi-
nently before the people of Georgia in
connection with the Democratic Guber-
natorial nomination. He denies that
any correspondence has ever been car
RED on between the FELTON, Speer cOali-
ton and himself, looking to secur
ing the independent Endorsement, and
that he has always been steadfasf,
organized Democrat, never failing in his
allegiance to the party but once, and
that was when he refused to support
Horace Greeley for President Nor is
he satisfied with a simple denial Of any
correspondence with the Feltonites, but
he emphatically repudiates any political
sympathy whatever with Longstreet,
FELTON,, Speer and others who wished to
use him as tool to disrupt and defeat
his party.
Regarding his famous Casey letter,
xIitten two years ago, he also disc'aims
any intention of, at that time, defying
his party. He wished, il he ran for
Congress at all, to run as the regular
nominee of the Democratic Convention,
and intimates that he would not then
have antagonized the party, except in
case that his integrity as Democrat had
been called in question by the conven
ton. and an effort had been made to read
b n out of the party. In that case, and
~ that case alone, would he have
appealed 10 the DemOcra. &c masses of the
State for vindication. We are free to
admit that this is, in our
opinion, not the proper course
for a loyal Democrat to pursue
under any circumstances. Mr.. Stephens,
even had his Democracy been called into
question, could much more satisfactorily
TO the people have proven that he had
been uuiustly treated by remaining in
The party and working and voting for its
service, than if he had endeavored to de
feat the party by boiling and running
against its chosen standard bearer in his
district. Still, he is only nan, and it
must be admitted that it is intensely hui.
man for any one to strike back when he
feels himself unjustly assaulted.
1t will be further seen that MIR. Ste
phens, more emphatically even than in
his SIN h letter, declares that there is a
wide CiFerence between himself and Mr..
Speer-the latter being an hide
pendent, working outside the party,
while he is an organized Demo
crat, working entirely inside the
OrganizatiOn-and that he would not
accept nomination from any party or
faction other than the Democratic, nor
would he vote for any but its nominee
This places him irievOcably and without
any question in the Democratic ranks,
and, therefore, If nominated for Gov
ernor on the Democratic ticket, and
elected, he must, while working for the
best interests of his entire State, still,
whenever the interests of his party are
concerned, be a partisan Governor. "
Surely the most thorough dyed. n-the.
wool Democrat who ever lived could not
ask more.
Mr. Stephens has done many things of
which his party has not approved, yet
occupying the position he does before the
country, and standing squarely and
unequivocaliy upon the Democratic
platform. the people are ready to fully
condope his faults, especially when it is
remembered that his present course has
completely crushed the hopes of the In
dependents. aud the administration to
successfully, through him, MahOneize
the State. We agree with our core
spondeDt, that he will receive the well
nigh unanimous vote of the State Con
vention aud, of course. he will be
triumpbantly elected.