The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-04-01

nor TO let us try IL over again. Is that
fair?
Further on in your letter of November
l9. 1894. you say:
:" The election is shrouded i'm doubt. 1t is
most desirable to settle that doubt
Admitting that the feeling in regard
TO the wonderful vote of Richmond county
was merely one of doubt again ask why
you are not as anxious 10 settle that doubt
you were when you were getting me into
an agreement that would shut off a con-
test?
Further on i'm your letter of November
70. 1894 you say that. after rejecting my
offer to purge the ballot boxes, only two
methods remain Of settling the dispute
one is a contest under the law; the other is
a new election.
"You objected to the contest under the
law. For what reason? Because, as you
said. that course is tedious Does not this
language Of yours prove conclusivey that
you. last November were seeking a shorter
route TO settlement than you now seem
disposed TO take.
Again. i'm the same letter. you say that
you defer the day upon which your resigna-
ton shall take effect to March f. 1895. be
cause it is desirable TO postpone the new
election till after the city election in Au-
gusta i'm December. and after the county
elections all over the district i'm January
LAS a further reason for delaying the
vacancy till March 4th you said 1t is proba-
bic by that date new and more sausfact-
CRY election law than the present may be
enacted
''The law you desire TO wait for arrived
last December 1t is n new law'-very
isfactory to you than the present,
our mutual friend Hon. W. III. Fleming
Will be seriously srieved.
RecnpituIation.
Now let US recapitutate. You wanted
time for the municipal election in Augusta
10 pass by. and it has passed; you want
Cd the January elections TO pass, ana they
have passed; you wanted new election
law, and your friends have made you one.
These are the proofs CLEANED from your
own letter. which show that when you wrote
H..gF Fgll
contemplated an election to take place at
an early date after March 4, 1885.
And l think you meant that L should
so understand you.
Il did 80 understand you.
TO put the fact beyond all dispute, how
ever. l expressly stated in my open letter
of reply 10 your proposition. that constru-
c,i your offer TO mean that the new election
should occur within thirty days after your
resignation took effect.
y GA certainly read this letter OF mine,
FOR you acted upon IT almost Immediately
By handing in your resignation IN accord
ance with our contract.
"If YOU did not mean the contract as
construed il, why did you not put me upon
notice?
Your silence misled me: then was
the time for you to have spoken. You saw
that l construed the contract TO mean an
election within thirty days after March l.
1885.
Your are a lawyer: better yet-a gen
tsman; better yet, "A Christian-as l firmly
believe. DO you. as Christian, or gentle
in not telling me that | Was putting con
struction upon your proposition which 1t
did not warrant?
Mind Won. The contract was still incom-
pictc. Your offer had TO he mated with
my acceptance before a contract could be
born.
Until our minds came together there
could be no contract.
II may have been wrong i'm constituting
your proposition as l did. but | put you
upon written notice that l did construe
IL that way.
II aid not leave you in doubt. In plain
words told YOU how understood you.
III l was wrong, why did you not tel
me-
You were getting me to part with valu-
able goods. You wanted me 10 surrender
by written remuneration. my legal right TO
put YOU on trial before congress-a republic
can congress at that.
ITO induce me To surrender this legal
right. You offered me a certain considera-
ton. You proposed TO resign, and test the
question 10y "a new election whose result
would not be 'shrouded i'm doubt 10y reason
of the activity of the 1900 voters who poll
5000 votes in your home county!
Lost His Right to Contest.
'''ro fix the time of the new election was
a matter III Importance. matter which
was OF the essence Of the contract. Your
proposition was not distinct upon that
point. and l. therefore. made il 50 i'm my
reply, because l thought IL should not be
left 10 become subject OF dispute there
after.
wow l submit that you are in law hon
or bound 10y the construction l put upon
your offer and which you allowed me to
act upon without notice that you had meant
otherWis Use. You knew ! put this condition
i'm thc contract. and until you acqulesced
i'm ID there was no legal contract our
minds had not come together.
"liy your silence, by your failure TO I'M
deceive me. YOU obtained an unconscion-
able advantage Had YOU objected To the
condition / put upon my acceptance, /
would have withdrawn the acceptance; /
would have gone on With the contest, Tor
which / had already engaged counsel.
by your failure to speak, believed that
our minds were one upon the contract;
and Loyalty performed my part Of il.
Il lost my right 10 contest the election,
II is too late for YOU To restore me TO the
position and To the advantage ! held in last
November and December; but il Is not too
late for you To Loyalty stand to your part
of the contract-aCcordinS TO its letter, its
reason, and its spirit.
What have asked of YOU is not great
dcal-ouly that You should join me in re-
quest To the governor
You base your refusal upon the ground
that We differ to the contract.
In courteous terms ! have stated my side
of it-hoping to change your opinion.
your side of it-possiby you may change
my opinion. At any rate, the cOrrespon-
dence setting forth both sides can be- laid
before the governor, who has expressed a
desire TO hear from each side Of this con-
troversy in writing. and il is partly TO con-
form 10 his suggestion that enter into such
detail in this letter.
correction: but if | am right ] expect you to
reconsider your refusal TO grant my reason
THOMAS e. WATSON"