The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-25
ATKINSON AND THE BLACKS.
UGLY RUMORs AFLOAT SHOWN TO
BE UNJUST.

That 1t Was Issued with no Such
Motive as the POpuIists Ascribe to
II.
Atlanta, Ga. Sept 24-Following GOV.
Atkinson's disclaimer Of the circular re-
captivating the reasons why the colored
people Of the state should vote for him,
this circular having been the basis Of
much severe criticism Of the democratic
campaign managers on account Of the fact
that it contained a paragraph say
ing that the colored people should vote
for Gov. Atkinson because he had pardon
ed Adolphus Duncan, a negro who had
been twice convicted of rape upon white
woman, Chairman Clay to-day makes a
further statement 10 the public denying
responsibility for the circular. Accom-
panying the democratic chairman's state
ment is one from Principal Keeper J. S
Turner of the penitentiary department. in
which he assumes the sole responsibility
for the Objectionable document. Since
3his circular was sent out, which was done
without the knowledge or consent Of the
state committee or of Gov Atkinson, who
disolaim all authority for it. the populists
have been using it extensively to arouse
& bitter feeling against Gov. Atkinson,
claiming that he, or his managers, were
deliberately trying to secure the negro
vote by holding out to the colored people
the idea that the governors action in the
duncan case was a safe guarantee TO
them that if they should ever get into sim
liar trouble Gov. Atkinson would inter-
cede for them As result of this, espec-
tally in South Georgia, the black belt,
much antagonism toward the democratic
candidate for governor has been stirred
up. and considerable damage to the DEM
ocratic ticket in that section threatened.
In order to counteract this effect Chair
man Clay made his statement to-day. He
says:
Atlanta, Ga, Sept. "a, 1S96-To the Peo-
pie of Georgia: / notice in the peoples
party paper of this week 'Clays Circular
Rape Letter This is followed by the fol-
lowing letters: One to J. A. McCrary and
one to r. l.. Rainey, purporting to be sign
ed by myself as chairman of the state
committee. / desire to give plain state
ment in regard to the circular: What
Gov Atkinson has done for the colored
man"
A person reading the two letters above
referred to might think they are incon-
sistent, unless he knew the real facts. In
the mana cement of the campaign no one
knows the contents of all the literature
distributed. l have had special charge
of the speakers and the bulk of the cor
respondence, sending speakers to every
section of the state. This has consumed
almost day and night. The circular
above referred to l never read, nor knew
of its contents until Gov. Atkinson called
my attention to the same. AS soon as he
did this I read the circular carefully. The
governor stated to me that he had re-
ceived one of these through the mail and
had seen a newspaper reference to il, ana
] informed him that l had not read It.
! did so afterward and this was the first
time / had read 1t. None of the literature
has been sent out from this office since
then.
The letter to Mr.. E. L. Raney, which is
published above, and purporting to be
signed by myself, was written by one or
the clerks in the office in reply to a let
ter for literature, and / would never
have known that such a letter had been
written had my attention not been
called to it by this publication.
In regard to the letter to j. A. McCrary
] wrote this letter. I thought that he
had reference to some literature which
was being circulated over the state by
some of the colored people who are sup
porting Gov Atkinson.
In regard 10 the Duncan pardon, It was
presumed that everybody was familiar
with the facts, and / have never heard
any man say where the colored man was
charged with the offense of rape aught
against the governor for granting the
pardon. Every principle of reason and
justice demanded it. The supreme court
asked It, The solicitor general asked il.
The best people of the city of Atlanta
asked 1t. The best people of Atlanta ask
ed for the pardon. and these facts were
known to the public at the time the pardon
was granted. and Mr.. Turner was iusti-
fled in believing that the public was ia
miliar with the facts and that the govern
or did right in granting this pardon 1t
would be well for the public to go back
and see who began sending forth to all
sections of the state circulars making
charges in this campaign. on every stump
in Georgia Gov. Atkinson had been mis-
represented. Circulars with cartoons had
been sent among all the colored people
of Georgia to mislead the colored people
Mr.. Turner prepared this circular in reply
TO the Hinton circular, as stated in his
better. A. s. CLAW
Chairman State Committee
the statement from Principal Keeper
Turner. which accompanies Chairman
Clay's statement, is as follows:
Atlanta, Ga, Sept. "A, 1S96-To the Vot-
ers Of Georgia: In justice to Gov, Akin
son, who has been held responsible for the
circulation OF pamphlet entitled, what
Gov. Atkinson Has Done for the Colored
People of Georgia." l desire to make the
following statement of facts concernlne
Its preparation. After the malicious at
tack had been made by the populists upon
the governor in circular about the Hin
ION pardon, seeking by a false statement
of facts and gross Misrepresentation to
prejudice the colored people of Georgia
against the democratic party, and es-
pecially against Gov. Atkinson, seeking
10 make 1t appear that he had exercised
clemency in Hinton's behalf Improperly
and for political purposes, 1 was request
ed by several gentlemen, prominent dem
ocrats, to prepare a circular setting forth
what the governor In the discharge Of his
official duties had done for the colored
people In accordance with this request
] prepared the circular TO which excep.
tions have been taken. and it was pub
lisned and circulated There was but one
motive prompting me in the preparation
of this matter, which was TO disprove the
charges and insinuatlons made in the in
famous Hinton circular, and all intelligent
men who desire TO be fair and just, and
who will take the trouble 10 read the mat
ter prepared by me win readily see that
such was the only motive