The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-07-14
The Race for Governor of Georgia.


Although IT. is really matter Of small con-
Germ To the people of South Carolina whether
Major Bacon or General Gordon Is Governor
of our sistcrStatc, yet the people of Atberille
county, who read the Chronicle, have watched
the race for Governor of Georgia with much
interest. This interest has been intensified
by what they consider the extreme PARTISAN
ship of the augusta Chronicle. Being Off at
little distance they are unable TO see the
force and justice of much of the Chronicle S
argument against General Gordon. This fact
created IL sympathy among our people for the
man whom they thought to be Ill treated.
We do not know how much the Chronicle cir
culatcS in tie Gordon counties OF Georgia,
nor 90 We know how much the Chronicle
has contributed to the defeat of Major Bacon,
but if the citizens of Georgia ale like the citi'
zcns of Abbcvillc county, they would resent
anything that, to them, had the appearance
Of persecution.
Atvarious times the Chronicle has made Sc
rItus charges against the Gordon men, while
at the same time, it has made most damaging
admissions against the Bacon men. For liz
stance:
]. Whatever may be said OF the corrupt
practices of Gordon is a serious charge, but
when the Chronicle admits that the Bacon
men yield to temptation it is, in our opill-
ion, an admission equally damaging.
.. Does not the charge that Bacon's follow
ers "abandoncd him or neglected him at the
first reverse" mean that great mass OF his
friends lack the pluck and manhood to en-
press their own convictions? IS IL not an adj
mission that tho other side was strongest and
most powerful, and that for this reason alone,
the weaklngs abandoned" their cause? Can
the Chronicle rejoice In afliliation with polit-
ical party, of whom it can say so large num-
her "decampcd" in tho supreme hour of its
peril?
1t is true that we know little OF the cam
paign, except what we learn from the Ch1oni-
Gle, but so far as we now rccollcct, General
Gordon has never made any charge against
the Bacon men which is half so damaging in
the public eye as the admissions which the
Chroniclc has made since the campaign began.
We are inclncd'to the opinion that the Gtro't-
icIe, in its wrath, has done its own party liz
Justice. While our sympathicS are for Cor
don, we cannot do otherwise than believe
that the Bacon men are just as good, just as
patriotic just as manly. and just as praise
worthyin all the noble qualities that make a
good citizenship, as are the Gordon mon. We
cannot believe that tho Bacon men are less
true to principle than the Gordon men. But
we do believe that the Bacon mon are in the
minority, and we further believe that the
Chronicle Is the first newspaper i'll the South
to cast Slurs at the men Of It's own affiliations
merely because they were not in sufficient
numbers to carry the election.
In the Chronicles article, which ia copied
elsewhere the following sentence may be
found:
credit to the remnant OF the Confederate
army that clung to their colors at Apponlat-
toX."
That is true. Still another fact is true.
When the surrender had been accomplished
these old soldiers on opposing sides shook
hands, ate n cracker together, and after bid
bing each other adieu, returned to their
homes. with all their selfrespect and the con-
sciousncsS of having fought Il good fight, bat
with no bitterness in their hearts. They haze
none today. Non-combaiant is and extremely
rious Christian men, in their church organi-
cations. alone, we believe, noursh and foster
any root of bitterness, and we hope the good
old Chronicle, with its big Irish heart, with its
honest principles, with Its noble frarlcssncSs
in acting according TO its convictions, may
not give way to temper and il-fccling in the
hour of defeat. Our people love and honor
the old C!yOnicle, and we think they would
sooner see it acknowledge its defeat in good
spirit. The defeat of Bacon has been so over.
whclmng that nobody here is disposed TO en-
ult over it, but all accord the Chronicle credit
for vigorous fight. Which many think has
already been carried too far.