GEORGIA. 



351 



road, show a reckless misappropriation of the 

 hard earnings of the people, which amounts 

 to prima facie evidence of fraud, and demands, 

 in the judgment of this committee, the most 

 thorough investigation." 



In September, Mr. H. V. Farrow, Attorney- 

 General of the State, who had heen counsel for 

 the railroad under Blodgett's administration, 

 was arrested on a charge of obtaining the sum 

 of $1,800 fraudulently, but it was proved that 

 he received it in payment for legal services, 

 and he was discharged. On the 27th of the 

 same month, Foster Blodgett was arrested on 

 a charge of "swindling and cheating" the 

 State. Several indictments were found against 

 him for larceny by the grand-jury of Fulton 

 County; but before he was brought to trial, 

 viz., on January 19, 1872, Governor Conley 

 issued a proclamation granting the Executive 

 pardon for the offence alleged in the indict- 

 ments and "for any, every, and all violations 

 of the penal code of the State, or any part, 

 section, or clause thereof, in any act done, or 

 any omission to do any act, as Superintendent 

 of the Western & Atlantic Railroad, or as an 

 individual in any matter connected with said 

 road or its management, as well as for any 

 mismanagement of said road," and ordering 

 "that the said Foster Blodgett be discharged 

 from any and all arrests and from the obliga- 

 tion of all bonds given by him for his appear- 

 ance at any court in this State to answer any 

 charge, or to answer for any violation of the 

 law whatever, in any way connected with said 

 railroad, and that the said Foster Blodgett go 

 absolutely free from further arrests, imprison- 

 ment, punishment, or criminal liability of any 

 character whatever growing out of any trans- 

 action connected with said Western & Atlantic 

 Railroad." The preamble of this proclama- 

 tion, giving the reasons of the Governor for 

 this act of clemency, was as follows : 



Whereas, The late Governor of this State, in. a let- 

 ter addressed to me, bearing date December 3, 1871, 

 informs me that he examined into the allegations 

 of fraud made against said Blodgett, in connection 

 with the Western & Atlantic Railroad, and became 

 satisfied of the said Blodgett's integrity in the mat- 

 ter, and that the assaults upon him, the said Blod- 

 gett, were and are intended for political effect ; and 

 that if he, the late Governor, had remained in the 

 Executive office, he should have tendered to the said 

 Foster Blodgett an Executive pardon for any and all 

 criminal offences charged against him in connection 

 with the management of the said road, and requested 

 me as his successor to grant said pardon as a matter 

 of justice ; and 



Whereas, Said Foster Blodgett has filed his peti- 

 tion in the Executive Department asking said pardon 

 for the reason that, owing to the prominent position 

 he has occupied politically in the State, and the great 

 bitterness of the Democratic party against him, wnich 

 has produced a high state of excitement against him, 

 he is fully_ satisfied that it is impossible for him to 

 obtain a fair and impartial trial, before a iury in this 

 State; and 



Whereas, I am satisfied from my own observation, 

 and other sources of information, that the said Blod- 

 gett could not, for the reasons aforesaid, and owing 

 to the high state of political excitement and pre- 

 judice, obtain a fair and impartial trial, therefore, etc. 



Meantime measures had been set on foot in 

 the Legislature to investigate the lease of the 

 road and its management under Blodgett's 

 superintendence. The reports of the commit- 

 tees appointed for this purpose, and of the 

 other investigating committees, will probably 

 be submitted in 1872. 



The shortcomings and misdemeanors of Gov- 

 ernor Bullock, real or supposed, in connection 

 with the financial concerns of the State, and 

 the management of the State railroad, coupled 

 with the fact that a majority of the Legislature 

 was now hostile to him, induced that official 

 to resign the Executive chair, his resignation 

 to take effect on the 30th of October, two days 

 before the meeting of the General Assembly. 

 His reasons for that action were fully set forth 

 in the following letter : 



EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, STATE OF GEORGIA, ) 

 ATLANTA, GA., October 23, 1871. f 



To my Political Friends and the Public: I have 

 this day received information, the truth of which 

 cannot be doubted, that the political conspirators 

 who seek the overthrow, not only of the reconstructed 

 government of Georgia, but of the United States, 

 have secured the pledges of a sufficient number of 

 the incoming members of the Lower House of the 

 General Assembly to vote, without, previous investi- 

 gation, for articles of impeachment against me, im- 

 mediately after their assembling and organizing on 

 Wednesday, November 8th ; and that, having adopted 

 such articles in the House, a sufficient number of 

 Republican senators will be unseated by the majority 

 to insure a two-thirds vote for conviction. Also, tho 

 judge of the Supreme Court, who has continuously 

 acted with these parties, has informed his friends 

 that this plan has been perfected, and that he has 

 been selected to preside, during the trial, over tho 

 Senate, while the Senator representing General 

 Toombs's district is to be elected President of the 

 Senate, and immediately announce himself as Gov- 

 ernor pending the trial before the Senate, and during 

 the unexpired part of my term. 



Upon this state of facts I have decided to resign 

 the office of Governor into the hands of the Hon. 

 Benjamin Conley, now President of the Senate, and 

 thereby defeat this nefarious scheme of these des- 

 perate political conspirators. By this course I shal 

 protect my political friends in the State from the 

 disasters that would be sure to follow in the wake or 

 success on the part of the unpardoned and unrepent- 

 ant rebel leaders, who, though comparatively few in 

 numbers, move the masses by the irresistible power 

 of sectional hate and social proscription. I have 

 maintained my official position against the assaults 

 of these people, upon the cause of equal rights and 

 republican government, just as long as it is possible 

 for me to be of service. And now, for the purpose 

 of again defeating this latest onslaught of these de- 



tution, by reason of being now President of the Sen- 

 ate, becomes Governor during the unexpired part 

 of my term, or until a successor is elected by the 



Eeople. No charge has yet been brought against 

 im, because he has not heretofore been supposed to 

 be an obstacle. If assaults are now made upon him, 

 the country will understand the purposes for which 

 they are made. 



As for myself, being divested of official position, 

 the charges of every character, which they are sure 

 to make in the public prints, can be brought before 

 the courts, and I shall never shrink from any judicial 

 inquiry that is not the result of political bias and 

 prejudice. 



