Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-23

stor Brown had been urged to take the
leadership of the mongrel Radical-Inde-
pendent coalition recently effected in
Georgia, and that he was giving the
proposition some consideration. 1t will
also be remembered that we dis
credited these reports on the
grounds that Mr.. Brown had but
too recently announced publicly, both in
the State and in Washington, that he
twas an organized Democrat, and that
he had by every act and deed since he
entered the United States Senate as a
Democrat, proven his loyalty to the
party. We reasoned, therefore, that it
would be simply a case of political stul-
LITIGATION should the Senator, after all
this, ally himself with the Feltonites, and
that he would not place himself in such
position.
The Senator himself has now justified
the correctness of orr views. In re-
spouse to a letter recently written him
from this office, calling attention to
these rumors and specials, and inquir
ing into their truth, he says:
[. S. SENATE CHAMBER.
WASHINGTON, January II, 1892
Colonel j. II. EstiH, Savannah, Ga:
DEAR SIR-I have the honor to &C
knowledge the receipt of your letter in
forming me that there are reports in cir
culatiOn in Georgia that l applied to
President Arthur to permit me to con-
troll the patronage of Georgia, and that
he declined to do so on account of my
Democracy. etc.
In reply, have to state that there is
no foundation whatever for such re-
ports. My personal relations with
President Arthur have been pleasant
ever since l first met him, but he IN
derstands very well my position as
a Democratic Senator, and | understand
his position as a Republican President;
and while, in accordance with the re-
quest of many Of my constituents, |
have presented the names of a few per
sons to him who were seeking appoint
ments, with such recommendations as |
thought them entitled to, | have never
on any occasion intimated to him that |
would like to have the control of the
patronage of my State, and have never
expected or desired it. My opinion is
that most of the Democrats who remain
true to their principles and to their duty
as Democrats, who hold Federal offices
worth anything, will be displaced to
make room for Republicans, or for the
class of Democrats who may be in
fluenced and won over to alliance with
the Republican party by the favor of
offices bestowed upon them.
You further call my attention to the
fact that there are reports that had been
approached by the administration and de
sired to take charge of what is termed
the new movement in Georgia. This,
too. is entirely incorrect. My position
as a Democrat is well understood by the
administration. l am not aware of any
act l have done here, or anything l have
said indicating in the slightest degree
purpose 10 depart from my duty as
Democrat. l know there is a disposition
on the part of those who are attempting
to consolidate an alliance between the
Republicans and a class of Democrats
who are dissatisfied with the party and
are ready to leave it; to characterize
every man who acts with the Democracy
and maintains its organization as
Bourbon; and they appeal 10 every man
who is in favor of progress and of the
acceptance of the reconstruction meas
ures and their faithful execution to 10 n
the new organization.
There can be no reason for this in
Georgia. as the Democratic party, an
overwhelming majority Of f. rs at pres
ent organized, is on the Pre- ssive line.
They have accepted the instruction
M assures and the constitutional amend
ments in good faith, and intend to stand
by them and carry them out in letter and
spirit, and to see to it that legal justice
is done to all the citizens of the State
without regard to race or color. The
Democracy intends to see that there is a
free ballot and a fair count, and that the
legal rights of the humblest citizen are
protected as sacredly as those of the
wealthy and influential.
If this is BOurbOnism, then the charge
can be Justly made against the Democ
rscy of Georgia. If it is liberalism, then
the Democratic party of our State is en-.
titled to be termed a liberal party. The
truth is, the Democracy understand and
appreciate the changes which resulted
from the war and are determined to
move forward on the line of progress
and development in future to stand by
principle and maintain the relative rights
and powers of the Federal and State
governments, doing all in their power to
| secure the movement of each within its
constitutional sphere, as the surest and
best mode of protecting the rights of all
and of building up, developing and en-
uching the whole country.
At the end of the war society was
greatly disOrganized IN Georgia and the
other Southern States. We have had a
| long, hard struggle, and have been
| obliged to exercise a great deal of pa
thence and forbearance in recognizing it
upon a Just basis. We have reached
point where peace, prosperity and har-
mOny are again dawning upon our be
| loved old State. The foundations of
society are again securely based upon the
rock of the Constitution. Race troubles
| have passed away; there exist now be
| tween the two races in the State the most
| cordial and fraternal relations. 1t is the
| interest of each to build up the other, as
/ neither can be prosperous while injustice
| is done to the other. We see on every
| side evidence of rapidly returning pros
perity. And it seems to me, in this state
of the case, that it is exceedingly unfor-
tunate for any portion of our people,
whether office-holders or Office-seekers,
or whatever their motive may be,
to attempt to tear down this fabric
I which we have been building up with
so much care and so much trouble, and
plunge the State back again into race
troubles by an attempt to upheave So
ciety. throw everything into confusion,
4 destroy our prosperity, depreciate the
value of our property, check our prog
ress, depress the price of labor, and pro
duce discord and dissatisfaction in every
part of the State.
Surely the people of neither race is
ready to encourage any new movement
| or any other sort OF a movement that
would subvert the old principles
| of the fathers of the republic, OBJ
literate the old landmarks of society,
or break the new ties that bind
us together. This is a vita question
that both races and all the people of
Georgia are Interested in. And if there
be any restless spirits who woul1 be
willing to encourage disOrganiZation and
/ disintegratiOn and destroy the prosperity
vva now eniOv for the DrOsDect of no