Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-12-28
DEAD AS A DOOR NAIL.
ATKINS, LONGSTREET, FARROW
AND COMPANY.

The Firms Rise and Fall-Arthur Thor
oughly Disguised - The Syndicate
Weighed and Found Wanting-The
President in Search of Heirs Who will
Inheriti
WASHINGTON, Dec. 27.-It was pretty
well delineated in this correspondence at
the time that the old Bryant-Clarke
crowd, which had been previously run
ming the offices in Georgia and all matters
connected with Federal actions there. had
been deposed, and that the regime had
passed to the Atkins-Longstreet-
people, or what was more popularity
known as the syndicate. am now called
upon to give funeral notice to the syndi-
cate. The syndicate is dead. The only
obstacle to it's burial is the fact that GER
tain understrappers of it do not know that
it is dead. They live in pranking around.
As Sam Cox said in a recent speech in the
House of the Republican party: ''The only
slmlle for them is the snake, which though
dead still wriggles its tail.'' But the syn
dicate is dead all the same. The natural
result of this could be but one thing. The
old Bryant-Clarke crowd think that in the
death of the syndicate they live again.
They have, therefore, decided and are
carrying out the decision to induce the
administration to return to them as the ex-
ponents of Republicanism in Georgia.
Like the wolf, with ever
ready jaw, they are ready to
seize upon any scrap after starvation.
The principal members of the syndicate
are doing nothing actively that can see.
But the minor beneficiaries of the syndi-
Gates doling out Of the places are at work.
Their efforts are laughable, They quar-
rel among themselves; can give no har-
mOny to the unsettled state of things, and
disgust the President and the members of
the Cabinet. The old Bryant mob, in at
tempting a return to the Executive ear,
inspire the same disgust in the same
quarters. The question right here
naturally arises, what is the attitude of
the President in regard to Georgia mat
ters? | think | can give it. In a
recent conversation the President eX-
pressed himself, not ''Uerbltn1 ct Literdt1t1)l''
as follows, but words to that effect, to
drop again into a convenient and express
i've conjunction of words: Sin giving the
dlctatiOn of offices in Georgia to Mr.. At
kins, General Longstreet and their imme-
dlate friends / was actuated by two con-
sideratiOns. One was that the old crowd
was not to be trusted; the other that the
new men promised good deeds, and seemed
to be able to carry them out. The fail
ure of my course is apparent, Upon
the representation of the new
men in handling Georgia offices l
made number of appointments which
have since turned out unsatisfactory.
Peasants appointment is shining ex-
ample in the list, and there are others. |
have been deceived. Not one of the new
men understands Republicanism as it is
understood at the North. The Georgia
Republicans whom Ihave trusted had not
in their eye the advancement of Republi-
canism in Georgia, but purely and simply
the parceling Of offices among their
friends and henchmen. AS l was con-
vinced of the untrustwOrthiness of the old
crowd, so am | convinced of the untrust-
wOrthiness of the new. l feel like saving
to them, with Mercutio, "A plague on
both your houses"
Another question arises: What are
Georgia Republicans to do? There is an
element among them which was over
slaughed under Bryant & Co., andwhich
was given no recognition under Long
street, Atkins & Co. If that element
should come to the front it might grasp
the power that is vacant. But it is under
stood to hold aiOof, in the consciousness
that it should be first called upon. Events
subsequent to this dispatch must deter
mine the outcome of it all.