The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1882-08-31
Dr.. FeltOl's New Movement.
A CONNECTED HISTORY OF THE
COALITION.
The Programme

From tie Chicago Tribune, (Rep) Dec. 80
doctor" | asked, "whas effect
if any, will Mahone's recent victory
in Virginia have upon independence
in Georgia T"
~ think one good effect will be the
assurance it gives the Independents
of Georgia and of the South that VIC
tory is possiblec Heretofore one
great obstacle to the success of the
Independents has been the belief,
entertained by thousands of our best
citizens, that organized Democracy
in Georgia and all the Southern
States was impregnable; that against
lis moss covered rsmpsrts all sg>
gressive movements were doomed to
failure. 1t was considered almost
sscrilege to question the strength
and infallibility of an organization
which had so long dominated all pc
litical, social. and economic matters
in the South, and whose traditions
were interviewer with our history
before and during the civil war.
Our young men felt their future po,
litical, professional and business sue,
cess was largely dependent upon this
organized Democracy. All their
dreams and aspirations were colored
in some measure by the hope of the
kindly approval aud friendly sssis>
lance of this political power. To
oppose it was to become a political
outcast, to throw yourself away po"
litically. Indepsuden!ism, 3might
succeed 10 some counties, 10 an oc-
casional Congressional District, ow-
ing to local and personal causes /;
but to make an attack along the
line was to fight the irresistible.
Mahone's victory teaches our people
that
ORGANIZED BOURBONISM rs VULNER-
BILE,
that like Achilles, whose mother
thoughtIessly failed to dip his heel in
the river Styx, and thereby left one
vulnerable place in. bis body, which
proved his overthrow, this orgsnizs-
ton, heretofore considered invincible
and perpetual in the South, is shown
to be mortal-can be wounded can
be defeated, and, 10 my judgment
when men generally recognize that
fact the prestige and power of the
organization will have departed.
Men have long been tired of it's
metbods-iss frauds-its intolerance
its proscription-its utter lack of
well-defued principles-held tOgeth
err only by the hope of spoil and off
fetal place-subordinatiug country
to party purpOses-resting like 40
incubus upon the growth and pros
perity Of the South--runniug in ruts
that the institution of slavery cut
deep in Northern thought and South
ern Legislation. I believe that now
men who have been looking for a
way of escape from these evils and
who have seen the power of Inde>
pendentism, will join their political
futures to this rapidly growing move
meDt in Georgia"
"WilI there be a regular Indepen>
dent movement 10 the State next
year and who will lead it =
"There will be that is to say,
there will be Independent candidates
for all the principal Offices which are
to be filled by elections next year,
Governor, Congressman, and others
Indeed the moral force of organized
Bourbonism has been broken in
Georgia ever since 1874. 1t only
needed one breach in its walls
TO SHOW ITS WEAKNESS,
to remove the awe and veneration
with which it inspires men. Before
this time the most intelligent citizens
would tremble at the simple intima'
ton that they were not in line with
their party-that they neditated
anything like revolt from the behests
of the assembled tricksters and
manipulstors of the organization. 1t
was regarded something like excom
munication from the church in the
fourteenth century. 1t was social
ostracism In many cases it 10
volved business ruin. Bot now con-
tempt rather than terror is awaken.
ed 10 liberal and intelligent minds
BY the threats and displeasure of
Bourbon leadership. Another mats
ter has heretofore operated in Geor-
eia in favor Of Bourbon solidity, viz:
the pretended apprehension that the
State might fall into the hands of the
Republican party, and some Com
gressional Districts be controlled by
negro votes. Bot our citizens have
had the courage 10 these las. years
to inquire wherein have they been
benefited by this unrelenting war on
the Republican party. What have
we gained intellectually, morally,
materially Has the South Under
the dominion Of Organized Democracy
prospersd and grown in manufac-
lures, agriculture, population, and
wealth generally more than in the
North anCter Republican sacay P
Have our affairs been administered
more honestly, more economically,
and more wisely than theirs Alas!
the inquiry has not been favorable to