Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-09
Alfred H. COlquitt.

Sitting where ye burst not soar :"
Enough of thing, is enough; too much is g
dogs mess.
For months past Governor Colquitt has beer
assailed in certain quarters-Gd nGaIseGmI-
without rhyme or reason"
shall not attempt defense Of this Illus
trious citizen and Chief Magistrate OF Georgia
He needs no defense of either his private or his
public character. 1t is legitimate, however
to point out to the people of Georgia that there
is a restless, and almost reckless, political ee
ment in the State, insignifc mt in numbers
but not wholly so in social position or intellec
tual abilities, and to warn them that this ele
ment is sullenly and stubbornly bent on rule
or ruin"
1t is this same cement which bitterly as
sa led Governor Co quit for daring TO suggest
10 Mr. Stephens, when ia Washington, to submit
his name to the Democratic Conven ion for
Governor In 1882; which subsequently, by the
most disiDgenuous methods, labored TO dis
credit Mr. Stephens Democracy, and when he
responded to the almost unanimous appeal OF
the real people Of the state and consented to
serve them in the office Of Governor of the
whole people left no stone unturned," as the
Old Roman proverb hath it, to defeat his MONT
nation. The most bitter and unrelenting of
this element are now. since the people have
spoken through their delegates in convention
mated, not reconciled to the popular will and
verdict.
Every Democratic newspaper ia the State
except two, believe including those opposed
to his nomination, havesince that event hoist
ed his anne ats masthead and is advocating
.hi election.
With '0hGt singular infeIictty the leaders of
this little nest Of political yelL0to Jdskets'
chooses its men to UictiBlize! Think of It,
Here is partial let of the names of the men
most obnoxious to them John B. Gordon,
Joseph f. Brown, Alfred II. Colquitt and Alex
ander H Stephens Four more lllustrious
names have rarely graced the annals of any
State.
when it shall transpire that these men can
discredit 81 csc heroes and statesmen with the
people OF Georgia, we shall have new oracles
of VISION new standards of character, of
patriotism and statesm anship, and new code
of morals, and a new social organIzationl
This infellci on the part of the leaders of
faction is more striking in toe case of Gov.
Colquitt, for the reason that, more than all
other men, he has been the mark at which
they have directed their deadliest shafts. This
has resulted from several causes. 1t will be
sufficient for our present purpose TO state one
of tn causes-the most obvious: he has
been for several years the official head OF the
party in Georgia.
1t is instructive to note that the enemies of
the Governor have manifested the prOfOItndest
ignorance of men and things IN every am
pOrtGlIt issue lUhich they haze made NTH HIM
They have uniformly assailed him at precisely
IbOSS pOtftLS tCfbeFe re tObS tHtlJT6BftUOtC
1. Ia the earlier ages of their war upon him
they were misled by his modesty, and esteemed
him destitute frmness because he was
amiable They found him. in the material OF
his character, solid as granite, and, fortified by
every virtue, as firm as Gibraltar.
2 They mistook his disposition to accommo-
date for cowardice, but when they assailed him
they found him as courageous as he is gentie,
knightly Bayard, gracious as Sydney.
These men do not comprehend how Caesar
could excel at once, in courage and magnan
unity.
3 His enemies tried to persuade themselves
and the country that Governor COlquitt is In
competent for the high duties of Statesman
ship " it'll ad nitte effectiveness as an orator,
and a scholarly odor and finish about his pro-
auctions, they yet blndly assumed that he Is
wanting in the strong, broad, deeply planted,
granite foundations Of greatness that, with
all his general information, he does not possess
the keen, clear discrimination Of character
the calm, compact. practical common sense
essential to a comprehensive, successful states
manship. 1t Is precisely at this point that
they haze made their greatest nststdsel To
exemplary mod sty and uncommon suavity OF
manner. Governor Colquitt adds great k1lOl1t-
edge of nsen-cleGr conceptions of the situG-
ton and calm, thoroughly practical cOnSeT-
UGtiUe craftsmanship. Let me illustrate this
little. But this communication will grow to
be toolong, and must beg your readers to in
dulge me in ano her. AGRIooLA.
july q, 1882.