Year: 1871

| W. 81 SAAS VAAASO Va WV


ernor, to take effect before the meet


ing and qualification of tho new


members Of the new body, and


thereby defeat this nefarious schem,


of these desperate political cons


pirators.


By this course I shall be protected


my political friends in the Senate


from the expulsion that has beer


foreordained in order to secure my


impeachment, and, at the same


time, save the State from the disas


ters that would be sure to follow in


the wake of success on the part oi


the unpardoned unrepentant Rebel


leaders. who, though comparatively


few in numbers, move the masses


by the irresistible pressure of Sec


tional hate and social prescription


1 have maintained my official


position against the assaults Of


these people upon the course Of


equal rights and Republican gov
ernment just as long as it is pos
sible for me to be of service, and
now, for the purpose of again de-
feating this latest onslaught Of
these destroyers, I have resigned
this Office into the hands of that
noble and answering friend Of
right and justice, the Hon. Ben.
Conley, who, under the Constitu-
ton, by reason of being President
of the Senate, becomes Governor
during the unexpired part of my
term, or until q successor is elected
by the people. No charge has yet
been brought against him, because
he has not heretofore been sup
posed to be an obstacle in the way
of the conspirator's success. If as
saults are now made upon him the
country will understand the pur-
pose for which they are made. As
for myself, being divested of Off
cial position, the charges of every
character which these people are
sure to make and claim against me
can be brought before the courts,
and / shall never shrink from any
judicial inquiry that is divested OF
political bias and prejudice. May 1
be pardoned for q word of warning
to the men who fought for the
Union /?


Six months ago in Georgia the
mass of the people were acquiescing
in the results of the war, and were
willing to accept those results as
being finalities, but under the later
public teaching of certain old lead
ers who need not be named, the
whole situation has changed, and
leading gentlemen, even in the De-
mocratic party, who dared to speak
in favor of acquiescence and peace
have been assailed and denounced,
and the people SO intimidated that
they dare not follow the advice.


These conspirators fear, above all
else, the reelection of General
Grant. Their insidious efforts to
him as to the true situation
in the South having utterly failed,
hey now fear that some persistent
md irresistible maintenance of the
right under civil administration
which so brilliantly marked General
Grants military advances in the
overthrow of the rebellion may de-
eat their revolutionary purposes.


I am now fully persuaded and
'atis6ed that these men propose to
'ontrol the Government, and reverse
he political results of the past few
ears by peaceful means, if they
an, or by foul means, if they dare.
falling in this, another attempt at
separation will be made.


If evidence of this were wanting,
7e need but point to the public and
rivate utterances of those who
'ere foremost in secession and re-
ellion, and now denounce and ig-
ore the fundamental law-the Con-
of the United States.


Will the country heed and take
are, before it is too late to prevent
mother war with it's frightful con-
equences?


If my action in this emergency
ad been postponed until after the
'eeting of the incoming body Of le-
islators, the Executive branch of
1r State Government would have
een absorbed by the conspirators
the Legislative branch, and there