Atlanta - Yesterday, Today And Tomorrow. John R. Hornady
Marshal, and he, also, was warmly received as a former citizen of the community. A. W. Stone, an Atlanta man, was appointed District Attorney, and thus the people felt that in their officials under the new regime they had men who knew them and who would deal justly with them.
Starting off under these fair prospects, Atlantans faced the future with optimism and confidence, but as the reconstruction machinery of the Federal Government began its slow but implacable movements, numerous situations developed which called for the exercise of the greatest fortitude. Most of these troubles here, as elsewhere in the South, were due to the colossal and amazing blunder of conferring the full rights of citizenship upon a vast horde of ignorant and bewildered blacks.
The question of negro dominance became a burning issue throughout the South immediately the full enfranchisement of the former slaves had become the purpose of the Congress of the United States, and Atlanta was no exception. The movement ''to disfranchise our intelligence and make the hereditary slaves of two centuries rulers of our political destiny," as I. W. Avery expressed it, was one to inflame the passions of the people to fever heat, and a tense situation prevailed throughout the closing half of 1866, continuing into the new year.
Feeling in Atlanta led, on February 28, to the publication of a notice calling a mass meeting for March 4, at the city hall, in order that the people might have an opportunity to express themselves. The call for this meeting was signed by the following representative citizens: Ira R. Foster, Joseph Winship, E. E. Hulbert, Lemuel Dean, J. H. Flynn, A. Austell, George Hillyer, H. Sells, D. F. Hammond, P. L. Mynatt, Richard Peters, E. E. Rawson, S. P. Richards, P. P. Pease, R. P. Zimmerman, Clark Howell, E. P. Howell, W. F. Meador, J. W. Simmons, F .M. Richardson, J. R. Wallace, H. C. Barrow, W. A. Fuller, W. W. Butts, J. D. Pope, W. C. Moore, R. M. Farrar, C. A. Pitts, J. J. Morrison, John Silvey, T. W. J. Hill, H. P. Farrow, J. A. Hayden, T. J. Healey, J. W. Loyd, J. Lemmons, E. F. Hoge, H. Muhlenbrink, L. S. Salmons, J. B. Campbell, J. E. Gullatt, A. A. Gaulding, J. A. Doane, A. K. Seago, Vines Fish, H. C. Hornady, J. C. Hendrix and C. C. Green.
Many of these names will be recognized as belonging to men who played a most conspicuous part in the building of Atlanta, and in shaping public thought throughout the State.
When the hour for the meeting approached, it became clear that control of the gathering was going to be difficult. A throng had assembled that taxed the capacity of the hall, and from snatches of conversation heard on all sides, it was evident that feeling ran deep. The task of the conservatives clearly was to keep the extreme element from dominating the gathering and precipitating some action that might make bad matters infinitely worse. The conservatives met no opposition in electing Richard Peters as Chairman and W. I. Scruggs as Secretary, and when a motion had been adopted providing for the creation of a committee on resolutions, the chair named on this committee Colonel Farrow, Colonel J. J. Morrison, T. W. J. Hill, V. A. Gaskill, E. E. Rawson, I. G. Mitchell, J. O. Harris, C. P. Cassin and E. E. Hulbert — all men who favored a conservative course. This committee reported resolutions reading as follows:
"Resolved, That it is the sense of this meeting that the people of Georgia should promptly, and without the least hesitation, accept the plan of restoration recently proposed by Congress.
"Resolved, That in the opinion of this meeting there are persons in each and every county within this State sufficient in numbers and sufficient in integrity and ability, who are not debarred from voting and holding office by the provisions of this law, to perform all the functions of government.
"Resolved That we earnestly hope that as soon as practicable, all those who have the right to do so, will, in good faith, enter upon the duty of instituting for Georgia a legal State government.
"Resolved, That we, citizens of Fulton County, do hereby proclaim to our fellow citizens throughout the entire Union, a sincere purpose, on our part to heal the wounds inflicted by the unhappy past, and we take this method of extending to our fellow citizens of every state, a cordial and hearty invitation to come and settle in our midst, assuring them in the name of everything that is sacred that they shall be received and treated as friends, and as citizens of a common country.
''Resolved, That a copy of the proceedings of this meeting be forwarded to Governor Jenkins, and a copy to the Reconstruction Committee at Washington."
These resolutions were read amid a tense silence and at the conclusion of the reading it was evident from the lack of applause that the verbiage did not suit the majority of those present. Speeches in support of the resolutions were made by Colonel Farrow and Mayor Calhoun, but before a vote was taken Colonel L. J. Glenn obtained recognition, and thereupon offered the following:
"Resolved, 1. That in view of the present condition of the Southern States, and the passage of the military bill by the House of Representatives over the President's veto, we think it the duty of the people of Georgia to remain quiet, and thereby at least preserve their self-respect, their manhood and their honor.
''Resolved, 2. That in the event said bill has or does become a law, we trust Governor Jenkins, either alone or in connection with the governors of other Southern States, will at once take the necessary steps to have the constitutionality of the law tested before the Supreme Court of the United States.
"Resolved, 3. That we hereby tender to his excellency. President Johnson, our heartfelt thanks for the patriotic effort he has made to protect the constitution of the United States and the liberties of the people."
The reading of these resolutions brought forth prolonged cheers, which left no doubt as to the temper of the gathering. Then, no sooner than the tumult had subsided, a further demonstration was brought about by Colonel T. C. Howard, who offered an amendment to the Glenn resolution, denouncing the Sherman Military Bill as "harsh, cruel and unjust, as it surrenders life, liberty and estate to the arbitrary and despotic will of the military power." The bill was further described in this amendment as "degrading to the bitterest and last degree, as it sinks us below the legal status of our former slaves, surrenders the control and policy of the Southern States to the blacks, and by our own hands stigmatizes, disfranchises and disavows the men who have periled life, fortune and all worldly ambitions for our sakes; that by our assent to the principles and provisions of said bill, the Southern people commit political suicide by arraying themselves against the President of the United States, who, with sublime courage, has resisted the combined energies of the enemies of the government and constitution, by adopting and ratifying outrages on our liberties that would not be tolerated an instant by that tribunal while a vestige of that instrument remained," etc.
The fiery eloquence of Col. Howard swept the crowd, which was now ready for almost any extremes, but in the end, after much confusion and uncertainty, a motion to adjourn was made by Colonel R. J. Cowart, who expressed the view that the people were not then prepared to pass judgment upon a subject so grave and so far-reaching. The motion to adjourn carried, but immediately General L. J. Gartrell leaped to his feet and called in clarion tones for all who favored the Glenn resolutions to remain in the hall. Most of those present resumed their seats, and thereupon another meeting was organized with General Gartrell as chairman and J. G. Whitner as secretary.
As soon as the second meeting had become organized for business, Colonel Morrison asked if it was the intention to bar those opposed to the Glenn resolutions, and upon being answered in the negative, he made a vigorous speech in opposition. Other speakers were heard, and then a vote was taken, the result being an overwhelming majority for the Glenn resolutions.
Colonel Farrow, whose committee had offered the resolutions that went down in defeat, thereupon announced that an adjourned meeting would be held that night to further consider these resolutions, and the gathering dispersed. That night the Farrow resolutions were adopted, with an amendment calling upon the Governor to convene the Legislature immediately with a view of calling a convention to comply fully with the terms prescribed by the Sherman act.
At the night meeting ex-Governor Brown was called upon, and he made an earnest plea for conservative action upon the part of the people, pointing out the futility of resistance and the harm which might result were any save a constructive course followed by the South.
It was a day full of excitement, accompanied by no little feeling, but in the