The Brunswick times. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 188?-1900, 1891-10-03
An Interview.

formation you possess ?"
The visitor was wound up in much less
sime than it takes to wind q Waterbury
watch, and thus he spoke:--
Il never knew his excallency, RUFUS
B. Bulloch, until after his abdication oil
the gubernatorial chair; indeed. did not
meet him until after his return to Geor-
gla. The last time l saw him, which
was less than two years ago, be stood on
street, near the Oglethorpe hotel, and
talked with me of the time when people
cursed HIM on account of his official con-
nection with the Brunswick and Albany
(now Brunswick and Westerly railroad.
He expressed the opinion in that brief
but pleasant interview that Brunswick
owed him debt Of thanks. He is GER
tainly, in private life, one of the most
genial and pleasant of gentlemen.
"As all know lie was succeeded by
Governor James M. Smith, who went
into office with the declaration Il believe
In the omnipotence of honesty 1 knew
him well. His rugged and unyielding
character. as well as a hasty temper, in
voIved him in many troubles. In offic-
ial lite, he was eminently honest and the
state of Georgia owes him debt of
gratitude. He was man with a great
big brain and would have doubtless re-
tanned fully his hold on the public, but
for the causes mentioned and the further
fact that the constitution of the state
gave him the appointment of almost all
officers. Hence where he made one
friend, he made dozen enemies. For
tunate it is for his successors that the
constitution has been changed.
Senator Alfred FL. Colquitt's adj
ministration was stormy indeed.
No man was more bitterly
opposed or more ardently sup
ported. As a politician he has had
within my recollection perhaps one equal
in Georgia, but no superior. suppose
Senator Joseph K. Brown to be his equal
in this respect.
Governor Stephens short term,
the finale Of long political
career, was marked by the large NUM-
Der of pardons issued by him It was
sand that if he had continued in Office,
tie eanxics leass question void Tor the
time at least, have been thoroughly set
tied.
Governor Boynton was one of the
gentlesL of men whom have ever seen
to have been conspicuous upon many
battlefields. 1t it is fact that upon one
occasion when the bloody thirtieth
fsltered, he rallied the regiment by pro-
posing to Billy Adamson, young
private soldier, that they two charge the
opposing line of battle.
His successor, likewise brave soldier,
was surprise to the state. No one ex-
pected his nomination, and only his inti-
mate friends knew his powers. 1t was
wittily remarked that the successor Of a
governor who could not walk, was an
other who could not talk. But Henry D.
Mcdaniel could talk, provided you had
time to spare to let him get it out. When
it did come, it was in great chunks OF
solid wisdom. There has never been q
more Level headed man IN public office
than Governor Mcdaniel. No mis- takes
have ever been charged against him. OF
all the governors have known, he was
the most thoroughly devoted to duty. ]
mean by this, that his conception Of duty
allowed him to leave nothing to his
faibhful subordinates, which the law said
the governor should do. He personally
inspected every paper before he signed
1t. He signed nothing, however formal
in character, in blank. All the blanks in
the Official forms had first to be filled in.
The marvel of the completion of the
state capitol within the appropriation
was largely due to his prudence and
practical wisdom, and the handling of
our state finances uuder his admInistra-
ton was superb. 1 tell you we have
meyer had his superior as governor and
rarely his equal.
"All know the wonderful race of Cen
eral Gordon for the Office of governor.
At the time he entered upon his brilliant
canvass. Major Bacon had a dead sure
thing of it. There was but one man in
Georgia who could defeat him under the
then existing circumstances, and that
man was the most magnetic man whom
have ever met. His administration
was indorsed by the people in his re-elec-
tion, and the seat in the senate, to which
he was last winter elected, could have
been won by no other man in the state
under the same circumstances"
"What of Governor Northen?' was
asked But the Waterbury had run
down and seemed then incapable of be-
ing re-wound.