Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-27
HILL ON THE COALITION.
He Replies TO an EnvI' alton from
ROme-A Letter on Ghe Situation
What Ghe Coalition Means.
UNITED STATES SENATE,
WA HINGTON, January 20, 1SS

WARRINGTON, January 20, 1882
GENTLEMEN-I have received your kind
invitation ''to address the people at Rome
on the political issues of the daY as soon as
1 may find it convenient to do sou
My official duties here will not allow me
to comply with your request now l will
cheerfully do so some time in the fu-ure.
have deemed 1t important to notify the
people of Georgia of the real character and
purpose OF a new and very insidious coali-
ton to Radicalizs our State at the next
election. This have done first in an inter
view reported by Mr. Grady, and subse-
qnently in my own language, in a letter ad-
dressed t. the Constitution
This coalition must depend for its sue
cess on the extent to which its au hors will
be able to deceive what are known as Inde-
pendent Democrats. While | have ALWAYS
been in accord with the D Damocratic organi-
zatiou, yet my relations with the Independ-
eut Democrats have not been at all hostile.
Indeed, | have been often charged with be-
ing largely responsible for the successes OF
the Independents in Georgia, and especially
in the Seventh district. All the time nv
motives haYe been patriotic, and my great
purpose has been not to allow local dissen
sions to succeed In engendering such divi
sions as would prevent a cordial reunion oi
all true Democrats whenever that reunion
should become necessary against the com
mon enemy.
When, therefore, saw an adroit coaIi-
tfon formed for the express purpose OF
using the Independent Democrats to bring
the Republican party back into power In
Georgia, l felt it was my special duty tC
warn the Independents of this attempt Do
only to deceive, but to debauch them. be
lieve there are TO truer Democrats, ir
principle, than the Independents in Georgis
and in the Seventh district, and l believe
| they will be especially emphatic in theiI
rebuke OF the few, once trusted but now
s0ured and disappointed leaders, who. srt
seeking to carry them where these very
leaders have promised them a thousand
times they would never go-by back door
into the Republican party, and into the
ultra-Radical wing OF the Republican party
at that.
Mark you, l have not charged that these
leaders have formally Joined the Republican
party. That would end their power TO de-
ceive. They still call themselves Independ
ents, that they may retain their power tC
deceive. But | have charged, and now re-
peat, that they have joined coalition, the
success of which f. is intended shall enure
to the benefit of the publican party IL
the government of Georgia. and bring
Georgia to the support of the National Rs
publican party in 1884 For the correct
ness Of this charge | am more than willing
to be held responsible before the people OF
the State. This coalition originated here.
It's au hors and promoters are and have
been the very worst enemies of the Southern
people. The coalition is not founded
on a single principle. nor animated by u
single desire TO benefit the people of the
SOuth-b ack or whte-nor OF the Uuion.
L. is not a party but a coalition. 1t is 8
union Of differing and inc0Dgruous ele-
ments to get the spoils of Office, State aud
Federal, by appealing to all the lowest iu-
sttncts OF men under false pretenses of re-
form. 1t is the very lowest type of politi-
C j intrigue and combination and is as ia
miliar TO the student of poll ical history in
Republics as are the symptoms of disease
in the human body TO the student of medi-
cal history Such coalitions are always the
products Of a general condition of political
C c1rrup'inn, g. the extent to which the
people allow themselves TO be deceived by
them has been held by all great hissoriaus
TO be the exact measure of the decay of
popular insti' utions.
do not say hat all those who have gone
into this coalition are them selves aware of
the full significance ard character of the
movement. Men who are always in a sour
ed temper of mind are always avatlahe ma
t9rial for the more artful and designing, and
those able but bad men who Inaugural ed
this coalition have calculated that the Inde-
pendents Of the South have become suffi
ctrntly soured against the Damocra ic
orgau iz4tion to be easily available for r
public IN rise. With the exception Of a very
few | predict they will fad themselves dis
appointed.
The coalition has commenced an early
canvass, hut its early failure will be visible
10 the naked eye before the grass Of spring,
unless the people of Georgia have become
more willing to be the victims of political
intrgues than at any former period OF their
history. With high regards. l am very
truly yours, BENZ H. HILL,