The Dawson journal., 1883-04-05
Governor BOyntOn Speaks
On the Subject of Ills Service in the
Freedmen's 8ureau.
Governor Boynton said:

Governor Boynton said:
81 vas prepared for the accustomed
violence and abuse Of certain friends OF
Mr.. Bacon. They have steadily de-
nounced every gentleman who hsppen,
to be in their way. [ am not afraid Of
the verdict the fair minded public OF
Georgia will render between me and
them.
'FAe last char ,e they bring against
me, is at I accepted a position in the
Freed .eca's bureau Just after the war.
never did anything | was prouder of
than that very thing, and never cid my
people a greater service. Tine facts
are !'he bureau at Griffin was in the
hands Of bad and designing man.
lie mad4 his OIL &c AN engine of great
oppression and danger. The people
we're s-rionsy alarmed, aod there was
bad b opd between the races. At
length something had to be done. A
public meeting was called and it was
the lasg ST meeting | ever saw in Grif-
fin, the late Judge Cincinnatus Peoples
| remember taking Il prominent part in
the proceedings Of the meeting, which
was attended by the most prominent
and very best people Of the city and
country L was unanimously reques-
ted by that meeting to take the place
and administer III the interest of peace
rather than violence Although the
call was then unanimous, | relncla antly
consented to ill the llace. and l be-
heve that in so loing I aYerJed much
troub e and confusion in the comm mi
ty. Should taeir call, as made under
the circumstances have rec united, be
repeated, | woald again, with less hesi-
tatlon THAI [ then had, enter a service
as humble anl distas eful as WIS the
service to which they called me in
1867 | did my duty then, and I am
proud of it now. Let nv ene.n;es
MAKE he most of it, Now, through
no choice Of my own, | stand in the
way ot small but violent cliq le of
politici nS, aud am thus assaiied by
them. [ stand on IN. record. n
peace ard in war. | have served INV
state and ms people with honesty and
devotion. The people amoag whom
have lived, my own people, who know
my motiv S aud very heart, and who
have watched my lie, have never failed
me, and they never will And | have
this further TO say; Since then I have
been thraa times elected mayor of
Griffin, and have also been member
OF tine state 9mocralic committee,
member aud chairman of the county
committee. | was afterwards twice
elected to the senate The second time
noninated BY the dem cra5s of Forsyth
when, by the rotation rule, that coun-
ty uaa the right to name the eandi-
date fOc senator OF the district and
twice elected president of the senate
Aud no one has during all these Years,
doubted my doWocracy or referred to
the fact that had served as agent of
the bnrea as reason for withholding
their confidence and suffrage.
ST is proper to state in addition to
this, in 1866 was elected judge of
.Spalilng county court, and in the davs
of reconstruction I was erving in that
capacity. Consequently, neither on
the stump nor through the press did I
take any active or prominent part in
politics. Having held Office before
the war, l was disqualified from voting
in the election between Gordon and
Bullock, but / did during the for
days of that memorable election on the
streets and at the polls d. all 10 my
power to aid in the ele ,tion of General
iordon and the other democratic C noml-
nees."