Year: 1870


uops upon reconsideration by the Legislature, be
deemed valid, the bills may be amended: Not only
last last year A presented to me ss the very end
Of the session. 80 tnat no alternative was
len me nu. 20 approve no,nwitnsssnd,ng irnlnI ing
at great public Inconvenience. For these reasons
well as all bills appropriatng moneys for the support
OF the State government, be taken up early IN Inc
bills Of great gen general Importance % oe postponed no
longer than the state OF pubic business makes ne
cessary.


have now, as far as 1t seems to me necessary,
presented to you facts ana suggestions connected
with the condtlon OF our own State


BY laboring to secure more prudent, honest and
economical homo government Recognizing the
cies. acknowledging our dependence upon Him,
looking to Him for wisdom and guidance, trusting
Him to lead us through all the dangers which beset
us, let us ai in our respective spheres, labor 10
secure to the State and TO the country substantial
prosperity and real and enduring peace


FEDERAL AFFAIRS.


The people OF this state are deeply concerned in
wise administration OF federal AFFAIRS AS represent
ing them believe It TO be my duty, before closing
against whatever IN the policy OF the general gov
ernment strikes at their commercial and agricuitu-
raj interests or Is In any way preJudlcal TO their
welfare protest against the revolutionary course
Of Congress with reference 10 amendments OF the
their other efforts at Capitalization they seek the
absolute control OF elections In the States Power.
unable to procure the voluntary consent Of three
f0urths Of the states, they force the consent OF
the Southern states as condition 70 representation
whose proper relations to the federal government
have never been Interrupted, and whom they can.
Congress and the President OF the United States In
subjecting the people OF Georgia anew to military
power, their State governments being In full opera
tion and the restoration Of their Constitutional re-
lations with the federal government having been
recognized by the federal authorities as complete.
7 oinut fh0 RI rAnrn
sentation or any OF the States; II any one be ex-
cuded the rights OF all are unsettled. and the mar
mony OF our government Is destroyed.


THE TARIFF LAWS.


I protest against the favOrtiSm OF our present
tarlfr laws, which have virtually destroyed American
masses OF the people and especially upon the great
agricultural States. between whom and our own
State the relations are close and intimate aud upon
whose prosperity and freedom nom unjust eXac-
tlons depend largely the welfare OF the whole c0un
try, and It's ability to defend Its honor and pay Its
debts. l protest against pOstponing as has been
suggested by the President OF the United States the
revision Of these laws The evils connected with


Our taxation Tor the accumulated responsibilities
heavy. It's weight Will be felt the more severely
now that low prices for our agricultural and other
peany ts 70 All taxes hecesary for the Of
the government and OF It's credit, lhey nave q
right to demand, however, that the burden OF very
heavy taxation shall be fairly ana equally adjusted.
and so adjusted as to interfere rs little as possible
with their daily comfort 1t Is the direct interest OF
the people at large that they shall be able TO buy
cheaply whatever they have TO buy. Our present
tariff OF duties on imports cOmpels the many to pay
high prices Tor he benefit Of few few. Although en-,
was, nevertheless framed not for the one great
end OF giving the federal Treasury the largest
income but with the view Of favOrng certain special
prvaIe interests. No government has o right to
tax. except 70 obtain its necessary revenue. To
mere purpose, by increasing their price, or fvoring
the capitalists engaged IN tneir manufacture or pro-
ducton Is an abuse OF the taxing power. SO long as
laws enacted upon this principle powerful COM
binatons Will be formed among those whose special
interests are to be benedciay arected py them, to
push through schemes which favor their private
business, regardless Of the interests alike OF
the people and OF the federal Treasury. Laws Of
mos so The u M % tapa mEnsSs% IN eW
hands, and to the creation and strengthening OF an
illegtimate influence to which Congress becomes
more and more subject. In enforcing duties intend
ed to be prohibltOry. an extraordinary and very
costly body OF officials Is made necessary the temp.
taton to smuggling ana r dsud Is mc1easeu va anu U
would be avOided, while the revenue would not he
decreased by return to the simple duty Of govern
ment and to moderate lmpOsts. To make just
tariff OF duties the principle OF iavortism should be
abandoned altogether: II t4e principle be sdnhtted.
no limit can be placed on the abuses under It,


GENERAL FRANCES


protest against the continuance OF financial
policy which falls either to strengthen the public
credit or to diminish the peoples burdens; whicn
Keeps values uncertain and unsettled which bafles
business foresight; which, while permitting the sale



the evils OF an irredeemable paper currency; which
threatens to Withdraw from the people wnat is now
in use as money before providing substitutes which,
underlined IN character and variable III action ex.
poses the business Of the country constantly to the
chances OF disastrous panics; which seeks to exert
fluctuatng control over the gold market. instead
OF making steady progress towards permanent
soundness IN financial condition; which can suggest
no method Of meeting tho legal tender promises
except to get them back from the people by pro-
cess Of contraction both painful and dangerous;
which negects to redeem the legal tender notes held
UhArA tha
OF excessive taxation, purchases at premium
bonds that the government Is under no obligation TO
nay for nearly fifteen years; which saves few mil.
lions Annually IN interest on the bonds thus pur-
chased, when, by raising the credit OF the country
to It's proper level. many millions more could be
saved by the negotiation OF new loan at lower rate
OF interest; which assumes that the rate OF in
terest on our bonds can be lowered at the sole
Will OF the borrower or that capitalists who now
hold bonos paving SIX per cent interest IN gold can
be persuaded 10 exchange Them voluntarily for bonds
bearing only four and half per cent; which. failing
TO devise permanent financial system TO which
the business OF the country could, without un-
due sacrifices conform, substitutes series OF
experiments that entail losses upon individuals,
without contributing to the general good which sug
gests remedy for the nuctuating value Of the
legal tender notes. except that the government snail
redeem these promises at price fixed by itself,
which is TO be less tnan their face, or, in other
words, repudiate SO much OF its obligations. and
which. by failing to secure the confidence OF the
capitalists OF the world, keeps the government
rites below par IN gold everywhere, when, in view
of the vast resources OF the country, they should,
even at five per cent interest," command premium.


we are enduring great evils from our lrredeema.
BILE currency The financial panic which occurred
in New ork IN september last threatened for time
widespread disaster. very little increase OF the
then prevailing dlstrust might have thrown the
whole business OF the country into confusion. That
panic would not have been possible but for our hay
ing in use as money something which lacking The
intrinsic worth OF the precious metals, must depend
Tor lis current estimated value upon the caprices of
opinion.


Money OF shifting value Is q curse to the great
body OF the people. II renders the rate OF wages
delusive, counteracts and defeats the economy OF
the household and makes the savings OF labor, laid
up at the cost OF much sei-denia, OF uncertain and
variable value. If we would avoid dlscouraging
regular industry, and fostering, In It's stead, splr
OF speculation, the money which we use to denote
the value Of what we have to buy and sell every
day, and in which we fix the rate OF wages must be
constant IN Its own value and not Liable to capri
ci0us fluctuations.


Ii is a misfortune that we ever departed from
the use OF the money of the constitution. Sooner
or later we shall be Obliged to go back to 1t. We
have before us the alternatives OF returning to q
sound condition by wise and prudent efforts OF our
own or Of awaiting the possible advent OF 6nan
cia panic OF greater intensity than any we have
yet Witnessed and q return to specie payments. at
the cost Of great and proracted suffering, by the
operation OF self-enrorclng laws which are above
trOl