Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-21


on Elections, who reported that the Republican
was elected. These were certainly severe
tests of party fealty.
2 II 1876 went to Georgia In advance Of
the adjournment of Congress in order to be In
Cartersville on the day the Executive Commit
tee of the Democratic party was called to meet
there to issue the call for convention.
made this visit at the special request of DR..
FELTON,, and for the special purpose Of ascer-
tanning. IL l could. whether DR.. FELTON, could
probably get the nomination II he would sub
nit his name to the convention. He was
anxious to avoid the repetition of the struggle
of 1874 and was anxious for him to avoid It,
and he was then not only willing but anxious
to be reconciled to his party and get the nomi-
nation. The result of my inquiries
were not encouraging ard so advis-
ed him. So again In 1873
wrote letter urging the Rnggod convention
to tender DR.. FELTON, the nomination. and said
he rejected it, 1 would canvass the district
against him. / knew he would not reject IL,
and I was anxious to see the reconciliation.
regret vet that the nomination was not ten
dered him. SO again in 1880 made, with 9th
ers. and at DR.. Felton's request. an earnest
effort to discourage any nomination against
him. He was anxious to be brought into ac-
cord with his party, but thought the over
ture should come, or seem to come, fr~ "A the
party.
deeply regret our efforts were not success
ful. II they had been successful would not
now be writing this very unples SAINT letter, and
the Republican manipulators of the new coah-
ton to capture the South would have to find
another leader for Georgia.
l thus personally knew that DIR. FELTON, was
not only Democrat, but a party Democrat
and that his apparent hatred of caucuses was
only apparent, for he attended the caucus in
Washington, and was really anxious to have
voluntary caucus nomination in the Seventh
district of Georgia. I thought his desires were
sincere and honorable, and earnestly labored
to crafty them
never saw defeat affect any man as 1t did
EaltOu If Caamad n oil the oviI OF
his human nature. have really had serious
apprehensions about him in more respects than
one, hut never suspected that he would actu-
ally abandon all his convictions and pledges
and aid in a coalition to secure Radical domina-
ton in Georgia, and | firmly denied intima-
tions of that character here up to the very ap-
pearance Of his new platform. I knew sadly
what that meant; but did not suspect even
then that he would fly into mad rage with
me and become all at once my worst calum-
niator. | now see he is fallen and a changed
man. and is a sad illustration of the dangers of
a reckless ambition for political place During
the last six years the Democrats Of Georgia
have frequently complained of what they
called my encouragement Of the Independents
l did not encourage them and did not abuse
them. While the Republican party in Georgia
was dormant, and there was practically but one
party in the State, it was natural that discus
slons would spring up, and the opposing Demo
Gratis under various names would contend for
the offices. | was anxious that this should not
breed bitterness and permanent divisions in
L
Independents as Radicals. because l thought
the denunciation was neither true nor wise.
There are no truer Democrats in their convio-
tions than the great body of the Independents
did not doubt that the time would come when
the dormant Republican party would wake up
and make another effort to Radicalize the
State. believed in that event the Indepen-
dents would all come home, and be as true and
gallant as any against the common enemy. l
believe the time has come when they will JUS
tify my confidence believe no Independents
~, fs.A-
a few who have lost themselves in the bitter
ness OF disappointment, or who are hungry for
office 'and tired Of waiting" l know / have
no better friends than the great body Of the
Independents, and do not and cannot believe
they will be led blindly into the Republican
party.
Every intelligent and patriotic citizen Of the
United States must see the great Importance
of eliminating from our politics all war issues
and race issues. No man has been more open
and n undisguised in the expression of the
opinion than myself But the truth is we can
never get rid Of either the var issues or race
issues until we get rid of the Republican
party, ,and especially of the stalwart ring of
that party. This party lives by these issues
and would pass away forever without them.
Less than one year ago there was some hope
more than mere suggestion-that great
and elevated movement was possible which
would lift the couLtry out of the mire of sec
tional hatreds and form our political parties
on living issues adapted to every section alike.
But this hope has been rudely brushed away,
ana bn6 lowest ana most INFAMOUS coalition
for more corrupt party ascendancv has been
formed In its stead. This coalition has already
humiliated the noblest old commonwealth Of
the Union by combining ignorance and venal-
ity against Intelligence, property and honor.
This coalition embraces four distinct PROPOSE
tiOns:
/ The reopening of the race issues by pan
dering to the ignorance and prejudices of the
black race
2. By encouraging local divisions among the
Democrats or the South on any and all ques
tions that are available for that purpose
By promising the Federal offices to such
Democrats as will agree to aid the work. and
this is called "cementing the coalition"
4 By blatant pretenses OF reform, and still
more blatant outcrieS against that my ythical
monster-the Bourbon Democracy of the
| South,
And it is boldly proclaimed by the most dan
gerous and efficient man in the Republican
party that anything which will build up this
coalition in the South is justiflable in morals
and law
This is the foul coalition into which the Inde-
pendent Democrats of the South are now so
wooingly invited OF all men on earth. the
real. true Independent Democrat ought to feel
the most insulGed by the offer. 1t assumes that
| ne will betrsy his party either as the victim of
his local spite or as the CORRUPT subject Of a
| debauched civil seryice.
1t is understood that the selected leader in
| each State may write out his own platform
that will suit him and his State, and he Is not
| to be embarrassed by any inconsistency in his
platform with that of the national. party, or
| that of any other State. Anything that will en-
tice or buy Democrats into the coalition is to be
| considered ''1usti1able in morals and in law. y
| provided alU avs that the result shall enure to
| the benefit OF the Republican party and break
down the Bourbon pemocrats : q
This is the whole scheme briefly stated II
| is not new. 1t is precisely the scheme on
| which CatillDe formed his conspiracy, and It
! is covered already with nineteeh centuries of
| infamy
! have an abiding faith that even the col
ored people will discard 1t, for to them it nor
| tends the greatest mischief. believe the bet
| ter class of Republicans will repudiate the
coalition ana adhere to their party integrity;
! and the Democrats who allow themselves to
be ensnared into it will find no life long enough
| to repent sufficiently their folly.
| Can anything be more utterly disgusting
than the proposltion to reform Georgia as 6y sucn
| a movement as thisY
| In our State more than In any other the peo-
/ pie are recovering from the effects Of war and
| reconstruction. The race issue has completely
| disappeared from our politics in Georgia.
| Nearly one hundred thousand of the colored
! children are being educated by the taxes Of
the white race. The State has endowed a col
| ored college. Colored people own ak hundred
| thousand acres of land in their own right
| Everybody votes as he pleases and his vote is
| counted. Factories are springing up in all
| directions Our industries are being multiplied
as never before Thousands of the best men of
the North have gone home from the Exposi-
ton enthused with the frightening prospect of
| all business in the State. Our taxes uera
scarcely ever so low. Our credit was never so
high. Capital, and people, and machinery,
| away the tears of war. and iG laughing with a
| new hope ia a new era All this has baen aC-
complished under the rule of the men who are
denounced by trading politicians as narrow
minded, intolerant Rourbons; and this is the
| condition Of things. which must be reformed
! by coalition OF ignorance, disappointment
| and venality, cemented by the public offices
| and all shaped, directed and Controlled bv a
| lot of audacious machine Republicans, who
owe all their prominence to corrupt methods
| in the politics Of their own States II any man
! cannot see and understand the real meaning
/ and significance of the new movement in
/ Georgia, he is one who, having eyes, sees not:
| and having ears, hears not" Must our peace
and our budding prosperity arrested merely to
| gratlty Few men who are willing to run with
| all parties and be true to none
For several years we have had divisions in
| the Democratic party in Georgia. because hav.
| ing no common enemy to fight we have fought
| each other. have studlouslV labored to keen
| out OF these party wrangles have not hes-
| tated to condemn what believed was wrong
even in my own party. But now. that a new
| movement is made of most insidioua charac-
tsr to take advantage of our divisions and
| utilize them for the Republican party, they
| will prove themselves the best Democrats and
! trueSt Geor ians who soonest forget their in
| dividual grievances and labor most earnestly
/ to heal all party wounds. The new enemy is al
| ready organized, and are opening the campaign
| before the SHOWS of winter have melted Let us
not make the mistake Of assuming that they
will oe weak because their coalition is incon-
| gruous and their purposes are iniquitous
| They must not only be defeated, but over
whelmed, and then no like coalition viii rise
/ to fret this generation. Let regulars and inde-
| pendents now forget their differences, and
| when we see common enemy before us let us
unite and organize, and meet that enemy with
united strength. If we will do this now and
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