Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-16
Mr. Stenhens and the Independents.

FELTON,. Atlanta, expressing the hope that
Hon. A. II. Stephens would be recon
mended" by the Independents as Gov
ernor Of Georgia, and stating that he
knows positively that he (Mr. Stephens)
would not reject such a recommends
ton" 1t is hard to tell exactly what
Mr.. Speer means by this. If he intends
to convey the impression that Dir. Ste
phens, in case he receives the Democratic
nomination for Governor OF Geor-
gia, will not reject the vote OF
the Independents or any other OF
his fellow citizens, he is doubtless
right. No candidate for any office will
ever reject votes cast for him even by the
opponents of his party. If, therefore, Mr..
Speer simply means to say that, as can
didate, Mr.. Stephens would not refuse to
permit the votes of Independents cast for
him TO be counted for him, then the In
pendent NJ. c. from the Ninth district
is safe in declaring that he knows posi-
lively that what he says is true. From
another point of view, however. there is
great cause to doubt the correctness of
Mr.. Speer's statement. Recommends
ton" by the Independents may
mean exactly the same thing
as nomination" by the Democrats
That faction of the opposition to the De-
mocracy make it boast that they do
not believe in csucusses, conventions
or party organizations, and they there
fore cannot believe in nominations, since
nominations are the result Of conven-
tons and organization. They must,
however. find some word to take the
place of the term nomination" and
recommendation is a most convenient
substitute. True, this is a play upon
words. a mere distinction without diff
ference, but the Independents are noto-
rious for that sort of practice, and are
skilled in the use of words for the pur-
pose of cOncealing their true ideas from
the people. They call themselves ''Jer-
fersonian Democrats, while all the time
engaged in fighting the Democracy and
playing into the hands of the stalwsrt
enemies of that party. So they profess
to be opposed to party conventions and
party nominations, yet they believe in
factional conferences for the purpose OF
making fractional recommendations"
verify the difference 'twixt tweedle-
dunn and tweedle-d dee.
If then Mr.. Speer, in saying that Mr..
Stephens will not reject an Independent
Recommendation for the gubernatorial
candidacy of Georgia, means to say that
he viii accept a nomination" at the
hands Of that faction for the purpose OF
making warfare against the regular
Democratic party of his State, then, from
all the lights before us. we must disbe
lieve Mr.. Speer. Mr.. Stephens, ever
since Rev. FELTON,, D. D., backed up by
the present stalwart administration OF
the United States, started his campaign
against the Democratic party, has vol
UNFAIRLY and steadily declared that be
was an organized Democrat, and that
his sympathies were entirely with the
party which has heaped such distin-
guished honOrs upon him. For him
therefore, now to accept a nomination
OF recommendation" from any party
whose avOwed object is to defeat and
demoralize the Georgia Democracy
would be the very height of ingratitud'
and inconsistency. He cannot de
so without thorough disqualification
This, Mr.. Stephens must know, anC
with his long experience in public life il
Georgia, and with his recognized intelli
gence, he must know, moreover, that sucl
a course would tend to his political death
Under Democratic rule the State of Geor
gia has flOurished beyond precedent
Notwithstanding that after the war
when, in common with her sister South
ern States, she was bowed down to the
earth in poverty, and was preyed upon
despoiled and almost ruined by the thiev
ing and misrule of Radical rulers KEEP
over her by force, from the very mOmen
that she threw off the Radical yoke ant
Democratic rule over her was restored
she began to rise from her ashes ant
take position among the most progressive
and prosperous of the commonwealth o
the Union. Now all classes of her peO
pie, except those consumed with thirs
for office and spoils which cannot b
satisfied. are contented, prospecting ant
happy, and she is everywhere Recognized
as the Empire State of the South, with tn
prospect of becoming within the presen
century the Empire State of the Union.
is absurd to imagine that the people o
the State, under such circumstances, vii
be willing to permit any one-even he
heretofore most cherished sons-to Leaf
them back to the tender mercies o
Ra icalism, and any one attempting
would meet with certain defeat.
This is Just what the Independent
propose to do. Not only must tie,
affiliate with the Republican party, sine
they rely upon Republican votes. tn
patronage of the Republican administra
ton and the support of Longstreet, At
kins and all such Radical leaders TO
success, but whenever they hav
gained Office they have invariably gOn
over body and soul to the enemy. Malone
their most conspicuous champion, though
elected as Democrat, has so far alice
himself with the Radicals as to vote Il
keep the people, not only of Virgins
but of the whole South, under an indefi
mite ban. Chalmers, of Mississippi, wht
has been honOred by his party term afte
term in Congress, now that he can NJ
longer rely upon election as Democrat
has declared his intention of hencefortl
becoming an Independent" and as
serts that he intends to support tn,
stalwart administration of Presiden
Arthur, while Acklen, of Louisiana
another sore headed Democrat. has made
the same announcement. Thus if ordi-
nary intelligence did not teach the peopl,
of Georgia that Independentism wa
simply Radicalism in disguise-just a