many insisted on the stern legal right to collect all that was due them.

Many debtors paid up entire, dollar for dollar. Many others were willing and ready to adjust and compromise, and pay as much as they were reasonably able to pay; while others favored repudiation of debts, and favored all the means proposed for avoiding, postponing, and obstructing the payment of old debts, and for reducing the amounts due and claimed on them. They favored the ordinance of 1865, the provisions of the stay laws, the constitution of 1868, and the bankrupt law of 1867.

A voluminous act was passed for the relief of debtors and to authorize the adjustment of debts upon principles of equity, and an act to carry into execution the provision of the State constitution setting apart a homestead of realty to the value of $2,000, and exemption of personality of $1,000, both on gold value. These acts gave rise to immense litigation in all the courts of the State. On writs of error to the United States on constitutional grounds, those laws which tended to prevent the collection of pre-existing debts were set aside, as impairing contracts under the Constitution of the United States. Even debts due for slaves were held to be binding by that tribunal, notwithstanding slavery had been abolished and forever prohibited by the Federal Constitution.

The spirit of enterprise and development then rife among the people found a ready response in this Legislature, in the liberal acts incorporating railroad and other companies, and other public acts to which reference will be made.

On the 29th July, 1868, this Legislature on joint ballot elected Honorable Joshua Hill and Dr. Homer V. M. Miller United States senators. By resolutions respectively

in the House and Senate, passed in September, the colored members of the Legislature were declared ineligible, and for that reason were expelled. And thereupon a new reconstruction began.

These negro members had been holding seats and acting as legislators about two months, and voted on the pas sage of laws as well as in the election of officers and of senators. They had been admitted to seats without question of eligibility, as had all the white members, without enquiry as to whether they were eligible to seats under the requirements of the 14th constitutional amend

ment.

When Mr. Hill, one of the senators elect, applied for his seat at the December session of Congress, objection was made, upon the grounds of these alleged illegal proceedings; and thereupon the whole matter underwent investigation. It transpired that when negro members were expelled, the white members receiving a minority of votes were seated, that twenty-seven members disqualified by the 14th amendment held seats, and voted for senators.

At the session of December, 1869, upon the recommendation of President Grant, Congress proceeded with the reconstruction of Georgia by the passage of a law, by large majorities in both houses, declaring the government of the State provisional, until the State should be admitted to representation in Congress. Brevet Major-General Alfred H. Terry was in command of Georgia as a military district-assigned by the President, January 4, 1870.

The Legislature, acting under the recommendation of Governor Bullock, adopted the 14th Amendment again which had been proposed by the 39th Congress, and ratified by that body in July, 1868. Also the 15th

Amendment, which in the meantime had been proposed by the 40th Congress. The General Assembly also proceeded to restore the negro members who had been ejected, and to apply the test oath under the 14th Amendment to the senators and representatives, and to seat the defeated competitors of all who refused to qualify under the requirements of that oath. Some members who had served through two sessions previously were ejected, and the persons who had received a minority of votes, called and qualified in their places, and were voted pay from the first of the first session. The ejected negro members, were restored, receiving full pay for the whole time; and the members who had been temporarily seated retired on pay for the time they had served.

Under the constitution of 1868, the Governor's term of office was four years. Hence, in the popular elections of 1870, there were only the representatives and half the senators of a legislative body to elect. This election having resulted in the selection of Democrats with a decisive majority in both houses, Governor Bullock would have to hold the executive office contemporaneously with a Legislature fully in sympathy with the people and therefore hostile to him; and there being various matters hinted at, and statements made in private, and some of them in the public press of the State, imputing criminality on his part in the administration of his office, and a disposition to investigate and to prosecute, the dispirited governor resigned his office and left the State.

At a later period, and after indictments had been preferred, the ex-governor was brought back under requisition of his successor, Governor Smith, placed on trial in the superior court at Atlanta, and fully and finally acquitted by the juries.

Governor Bullock's departure from the State and vacation of the executive office occurred just before the assembling of the Legislature-elect, which was known to contain in each house a majority of Democrats. Benjamin Conley of Augusta—a man of Northern birth but long residence there, a Republican, who had maintained the character of a good citizen and reliable man-was one of that half of the Senate elected for four years, and therefore would hold over with the governor. He was president of the Senate at the previous sessions, and therefore assumed the duties of governor as required by the constitution.

Upon the organization of this Legislature, Hon. L. N. Trammell, of Dalton, was elected president; and Hon. James M. Smith, of Columbus, speaker of the House of Representatives. Prompt action was taken by the Legislature to bring on an election to fill for the unexpired term the vacant executive office, while Mr. Conley, a member of the Senate, was exercising the functions of the office.

At a party convention, Hon. James M. Smith was put in nomination, and at the election held soon thereafter he was elected without formidable opposition. Soon thereafter he was duly inaugurated, and entered upon the duties of the office. Hon. Jos. B. Cumming, of Augusta, was elected speaker in his stead.

During the summer of 1872-six months after the installation of Governor Smith-the Democratic party of the State was preparing by the appointment of delegates to the national convention, in anticipation of the nomination of Mr. Greeley, a Republican; and the full ratification of reconstruction, and all the amendments to the Federal Constitution, and the unqualified pledge of the

party to their support,-all of which occurred soon after. The convention of the party, of the State, in full accord with the people, most cordially ratified the action of their national delegates, and renominated Governor Smith, without opposition, for the four years' term next ensuing. He was elected by an immense majority over Hon. Dawson A. Walker, the Republican candidate. The public odium that had attached to the Republican party during its rule in the State, followed by the departure of the chief, had completely dispirited the people and many of the leaders. Judge Walker, though himself an able man of good private character, was literally overwhelmed by the new and popular Democratic governor, who had the sympathies of the people in all parts of the State.

The most important work upon which the legislators at this juncture entered, the one in which the people were most in sympathy and accord with them, was the investigation of the acts of malversation and fraud, which had been publicly alleged through the press of the State, during the preceding administration-by the governor, the legislature, and public officers and employees of the State.

As it is the purpose to defer a full account of the times. following those of Republican rule, to a later volume, I only present here the results of investigation in the important matters that had previously transpired, and were part and parcel of action of predecessors.

FRAUDULENT BONDS AND PUBLIC DEBTS.

This subject is directly connected with the faith, the credit, and prosperity of Georgia. The excitement produced by its discussion and exposition was intense among our own people, and also among the holders of the State's obligations abroad.