The Savannah morning news., 1901-11-05
THE HALL OF FAME.

Editor Morning News: I read with
interest the views of Col. George A.
Mercer and Hon. Pope Barrow as to
whose statue should be put in the Hall
of Fame. The men named are very
good, but if Georgia is to speak in the
Hall of Fame, and put a statue to hen
great representative man, there is no
one who can rank Gov. George Michael
Troup, born Sept. 8, 1850. AS repre-
sentative and United States Senator in
Congress and as Governor of the state,
he made a name and a reputation He
was known in public life as the mo
blest Roman of them all" He was
tried and never found wanting in any
respect.
He created a party but was the fol-
lower of no party-When great consti-
tutional principles were involved. he
was no COMPROMISED of principles. If
Georgia can boast of a real statesman,
a pure patriot, one of high exalted
character, then Gov. George. NJ. Troup
is that man. In f1rmness of purpose,
in fearlessness of executfons~ and de-
cision of purpose, he had no superior
if any equals.
He has left a record, a record of fame,
not the mere notoriety of his day. His
speeches in Congress, and his messages
10 the Georgia Legislature are the
speaking monuments of his fame.
What statesman has Georgia ever pro-
duced has ever approached him? L
speak advisedly. He was not given to
oratorical efforts, to rhodomontade, to
passing philippics, to bunkum talk, to
bellicose invectives, and above all,
never talking or writing to catch the
ear of the masses. He was entirely too
great for that.
One must know or be acquainted
with the times and issues in which he
lived and acted to appreciate the real
greatness of the man. He was the ia
Their of states rights, and right nobly
did he vindicate them in the face of
Federal authority. None surpassed him
in that line Some may have measured
UP to him, and if they did, we have no
records of the fact.
Allow me, Mr.. Editor, to give few
excerpts from his messages and writ
ings:
"Give the more important elections
to the. people, and confde to others the
less"
Our political morality will never be
pure as long as Offices are sought with
avidity and importantly" Very true.
"A prictice ripened into custom
among d .NHOAG pGOP4Ci lnOh6ll PlONCd
to be a bad one. is not easily changed
or discontinued"
81 would reproach myself were to
withhold a single sentiment. the ex-
preston of which It was believed the
interest or honor of the country re-
CURED" There we have the true man.
Il recommend to you to avoid the
unnecessary multiplication of laws, as
we'll as their frequent alteration and
amendment"
"Violations of the constitution admit
of no degrees and 1 woUsd abstain
from following the example of the
North.,' He knew the North had no
great reverence for the constitution. as
Seward and Thad Stevens declared in
1850 and in 1866.
IF any one believes there can be
dissolution of the Union without the
most. bloody contests he deceives him
self and he who is best armed is like
ly to be the most successful" There
we have, political prophecy. There we
have the craftsmanship of Gov. Troup.
you cannot compromise a power or
principle of the constitution. If you
could il would soon be a different
thing. both from what 1t is and from
what il was intended to be"
I'm reference to doubtful power,
forbear to exercise it,, because it is
doubtful"
1T is worse than useless to conceal
ANYTHING from ourselves: il is better
to lay bare the naked truth, and in
good time"
"At no period in our history has the
South not suffered from the false opin-
ion or open teaching of Southern men,
He spoke what he knew.
Georgia must be sovereign upon her
own soil. within her chartered limits;
she has made no surrender Of her ter
rItorial sovereignty and jurisdiction by
entering the Union
Such are a few extracts from Gov.
Troup's writings He was no theorist
about government; he was no political
trimmer, no officeseeker, for his great
character forbade that but office
against his wishes and Will was thrust
mon him. r. NJ. o.