N.L. Angier, treasurer of Georgia, to the Reconstruction Committee, in reply to Governor Bullock, and further comments on the affairs of Georgia

N. L. ANGIER,
Treasurer of Georgia,
TOTH*
RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE,
nr RBPLT TO
GOVERNOR BULLOCK, And Further Comments on the Affairs oj Georgia.

METROPOLITAN HOTEL, Washington, D. C., January 21,1870.
To the honorable members of the Reconstruction Committee of the House of Representatives :
I have to claim your indulgence for again appearing before you in the vindication of truth against the aspersions aud wilful misstatemente-of one who has sought, in violation of truth, to do, not simply me, but the people of Georgia, great and grievous wrongs: I refer to the leugthy letter of Gov ernor Bullock to Hon. B. F. Whittemore, M. C., member of the Reconstruction Committee in the House of Representa tives.
As the bill to promote reconstruction in Georgia had be come a law, I determined to allow his letter to pass unno ticed, hoping the Governor would he satisfied with a true interpretation of the bill. But as he has, in my judgment, placed an entirely erroneous construction on the bill for his own selfish ends, and will, in all probability, ask at your hands a supplementary bill to carry out his wishes so he can. reach me, and visit his vengeance upon qne who would no* go into, and is in the way of his schemes of fraud and plunder, I feel myself justified,'and even called on by a sense of duty, to make a brief review of his extraordinary letter.
The first noticeable feature, to which I desire to call your attention, is his statement, " and then it was that these, acts of mine which, as is fully shown by the report of the Finance
Committee of this body, were fully in accord with a long list of precedents."
The report adopted by the House yeas 86, nays 37 paragraph 6, page 262 of the Journal, says: " The course pursued by his Excellency is, in our opinion, not only with
out authority, but is alsq without precedent, so far as we are. advised."

Does the Governor pretend to say that the $55,000 drawn by him, and paid to Eimball, or used by his Excellency, at tended by his private secretary and others hovering around Washington in his efforts to induce Congress to place in his hands the supreme control of affairs in Georgia, was done in pursuance of law ? We quote from paragraph 8, section 6, article 3, of the new constitution of Georgia: " "So money shall be drawn from the Treasury except by appropriation made by law." Will the Governor say there was any ap propriation for the expenditure of the $55,000 drawn from
the Fourth National Bank by him ? We further quote from the report of the committee, adopted by over two to one* which says: " It is evident to us that this Legislature, at its last session, distinctly refused to authorize the Governor to purchase a heating and lighting apparatus for the temporary capitol, and that his Excellency tided in direct violation to the known will of the Legislature. From the same report, " No emergency existed which demanded of Governor Bullock thisjextraordinary departure from laic and the usual custom of the executive department."
Again from the same: " That Treasurer Angier did noth ing more than his duty when the aforesaid irregularities were brought to nis knowledge, in investigating fully the manner in which the money had been drawn, and in ascer
taining, if possible, what disposition had been made of it, and in ascertaining precisely to what extent the unauthorized proceeding had gone with a view to his own protection as a bonded officer, and the protection of his securities, and the preservation of the funds of the State. His course was com mendable, and for it he is entitled to our thanks." $20,000 of the above $55,000 was drawn by his excellency after the above legislative action, and never reported to or received into the Treasury.
The Governor continues, " The money referred to as hav ing been paid for the preparation of the Capitol building in putting it in a proper order to receive the legislature and

government of the State, has never been regarded by me as being a sum which should ultimately come from the State Treasury, and is an expense which I am sure the city of Atlanta will be at a proper time ready to liquidate." This is a virtual ' acknowledgement that he had no authority to spend this money for the State, and I have never heard of his being appointed agent for the city of Atlanta to spend $55,000. The truth is, the substantial mahogany desks, and strong armed cushioned chairs (purchased in I860,) taken from the Capitol at Milledgeville, were ample and plenty good for any general assembly,' especially for a temporary capitol. The
whole object was to get the State involved in- the building and force her to buy it at twice its value.
Governor Bullock further states : " It was found after the adjournment of the legislature, that the proposition made by the city and accepted by it, did not provide for the Capi tol building and offices being furnished with the necessary material for heating, lighting, seating, and otherwise placing it in a condition to be used for the purpose* for which it was intended." A letter from Ex-mayor Williams, published in the Atlanta Intelligencer, contradicts this whole statement. He says: " The City Council did not contemplate purchasing new and expensive furniture to fit up a temporary capitol, but, of course, expected that furniture, c., of the old Capi tol at Millidgeville, could be used here as well as there. When the contract was made with Mr. E. N. Kimball by the City Council for the Opera building to be completed in ac cordance with certain plans and spccificationSj which plans and specifications wcresubmittcd to theassembly and accepted, the furniture had been brought from the old capitol and was not being used by the assembly; also the newand costh'chan deliers and gas fixtures that had been purchased for the old Capitol. The State having all these things, could it have been expected by them that the city should go to heavy expense to purchase and furnish new furniture, &c., merely for temporary use," As to the heating of the building,

while it is not specified in the contract, I, (Ex-mayor Wil liams,) will state that Mr. Kimball was asked by Mr. Rawson, in council, at the time the specifications were agreed

upon, how he proposed to arrange for heating the building?

He replied: " with steam; and on being interrogated fur

ther, he states that it would be heated with a register, and on

the latest and most approved plan." Governor Bullock boastingly states, " not a dollar of

money could reach the treasury of the State from our finan

cial agent in New York, the Fourth National Bank, except

upon my (his) checks." The letter of the president of the

bank settles this matter.

" FOURTH NATIONAL BANK OP THE CITY OF NEW YORK, New York, April 2Qth, 1869.

" Hon. N. L. Angier, Treasurer of State of Georgia, At lanta :
DEAR SIR : I have yours of the 20th inst., with extracts

from the laws of*the State in reference to the Treasury De

partment, and your remarks thereon, which we shall regard

us instructions for our guidance, in conducting the business of the State.

To avoid confusion, and give notice to Gov. Bullock of

the position we are required to take, I see no impropriety in furnishing him with a copy of your letter and extracts, that the matter may be thoroughly understood on all sides.

Trusting we shall be able to perform the duties of finan

cial agent of your State to your entire satisfaction."

I remain, yours, respectfully,

(Signed)

P. 0. CALHOUN, President.

Fortunately for Georgia, there has been but one State

official, who has had a reckless disposition to draw drafts,

give notes, and sell bonds in violation of law. My labors have been to economize that I might be able to meet hia

Excellencey's prodigality.

The Governor is exceedingly unfortunate in his assump* tion, and I pity his ignorance of the code of Georgia.
He continues; " He (meaning me) also attempts to criti cise my action in regard to placing certain bonds of the State Ac. It is a sufficient answer for me (him) to say that all my action in that connection is fully covered by lawful au thority." "What an argument: " Sufficient answer for me
(him) to say !" His " say" is all the authority he choses to recognize. The act of March 12,1866, page 20, says: " ia hereby authorized to issue bonds in renewal of bonds now due and interest thereon.'' Again Dec. 13, 1866, " is hereby au thorized to issue said bonds, in exclmnge for or in redemption of the said old bonds of the State fatting due in the years 1868, 1869,1870. Not a- word of authority to sell bonds, which the Governor did.
But it is useless to undertake to track him in his legal aspect, as he leaves few if any marks of that kind in his reck less course.
I am sorry for the Governor in the version given, and the spirit he manifests in his long paragraph recounting his suit against me, as it shows a depravity and malignity I hoped no human being possessed. He continues :
" It now becomes important to look for the moving cause which should have brought about this last attack from the Treasurer, and some light may be thrown upon it by the statement of a fact which is notoriously public in Georgia, to wit, that in the examinations made by a committee into the financial affairs of the State at the last session of the Legislature, it was sjscestained that this man Needham L. Angier, in August, 1868, entered into arrangements with the National Bank at Atlanta by which the said Angier was to receive for his personal use and benefit a certain percent age of interest upon balances of State money deposited by him therein as Treasurer, and that the hank did pay and the said Angier did receive for his own personal use and benefit certain sums of money as interest for the use of the State's

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money; and that .such action on the part of the said Treas urer being in direct violation of the statutes and laws of the State of Georgia, which provide that any person making use of himself or allowing others to use any money belonging to the State shall for every such ofiense be liable, by himself or by his bondsmen, for a fine of $500; and that upon these facts being made apparent I instructed the Attorney General to bring suit against the said Angier and his bondsmen for such violation of the statute; that such suit was brought for some forty-two violations of said statute, in the.sum of $20,000 or more, for fines and penalties ; that such suit is now in progress, and is set down for trial at the spring term of the Superior Court at Atlanta, when it is believed and expected that said sum of $20,000 will be recovered of and from the said Angier and his bondsmen for the benefit of the. Treasury of the State of Georgia."
In answer to this fine specimen of venom I will quote a portion of my rejoinder to his suit, when commenced, and also some articles from the press.
Before" allowing my name to be used as a candidate for the office of State Treasurer, knowing the? salary was not an adequate compensation, in view of the heavy responsibilities of receiving and disbursing nearly two million dollars per annum, giving bond in the sum of two hundred thousand dollars, and performing labors of office, I consulted legal authority, and was advised that both by law and custom the Treasurer was entitled to the interest accruing on temporary deposits. Acting under that advice, I allowed my name to go before the General Assembly as a candidate for State Treasuer, and was duly elected. After my election, having no secure place in the Treasurer's office to keep the funds of the State, I assumed the risk of depositing the same in the Georgia National Bank, at the same time entering into an arrangement with said bank by which I was to be allowed a small per cent, on the daily balances of the funds required for immediate use, all the funds on hand at that time being

of this character, and even having to resort to temporary
loans and my own credit and individual funds to meet the heavy demands, the General Assembly being in session and the State greatly in arrears. As I assumed the risk of deposit ing, I thought I was clearly entitled to the little benefits accruing on the temporary deposits, which for a period of nearly six months amounted to the small sum of three hun dred and thirty-six dollars and ten cents. By a strict con struction of the law, doubts having arisen in the minds of some whether the Treasurer was entitled to said interest, I paid the same into the Treasury, previous to any knowledge that I was being prosecuted, although leading lawyers and the best commercial and financial men of the Legislature gave it as their judgment that the Treasurer was entitled to it.
This is the man (Bullock) with all his corruptions, squan dering the State's funds by thousands, in his own interest, in violation of law, with mind so perverted that it seems to be his pleasure to shield and reward iniquity and punish honesty and virtue; who has the superlative littleness to commence a vexatious, malicious, libellous prosecution against an official because he dares tell the truth and act honestly; and he finds miscreants to join him in the cry, *' Crucify him! crucify him!!" who can get their hands into the State Treasury through executive patronage. Thus, by his reckless extravagance and inroads upon the Treasury, does he find willing accomplices in mischief, and forces poor Georgia to furuish the dagger to cut her own throat
In connection with this I would state the fact that no for mer Treasurer of Georgia ever credited the State with any interest oil deposits, either temporary or permanent. The
attorney with whom. I advised states as follows:
"ATLANTA, GA., January 15,1870. "At the request of Dr. Angier, I hereby certify that before he was elected Treasurer of the State of Georgia we con ferred togetherj and Stated that two thousand dollars was too

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small a salary for the duty and responsibility imposed. I gave to him my opinion that under the law he was entitled to the interest upon temporary deposits, and that would make his pay for services ample.
"V. A. GASKELL."
[From the Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel.]
" Bullock, while in Washington lobbying for the Georgia bill, was not so completely absorbed with that subject as to forget or neglect his quarrel with Treasurer Angier. As usual, the creature could not bear to tell the truth about the affair, as appears by the following telegram from the Tri bune:
" ' The cause of the attack on Governor Bullock's charac ter by the State Auditor, read in the House yesterday by Mr. Beck, of Kentucky, arises from the fact, as the Governor states in his letter to Mr. Whittemore, that the Auditor is now being sued for certain alleged defalcations in his ac counts.'
" If Bullock made such a statement and we believe he did Angier should prosecute him for a libel. It is well known that no such charge has been made against the Treas urer, and that not even a whisper has been heard against his official integrity. It is true that the honest Bullock has suc ceeded in trumping up a sham suit against Angier, about a little matter of interest on his bank account; but every one here knows that this suit was commenced for personal spite."
The " Federal Union," the oldest paper in the State, has this note. " "We wish that every honest man in Georgia could read Dr. Angier's letter, which will be found in our paper. We have fallen upon evil times indeed, when a public officer is to be punished for his honesty, and this is literally true in Dr. Angier's case. He is prosecuted for righteousness sake. If he had opened the Treasury door to Bullock and his hungry pack, Bullock, no doubt, would have divided liberaly with him.
Mr, Angier did not wish to sell his soul for the sake of

ii
plundering the Treasury; Dr. Angier's cause is the cause of
the people of Georgia." His excellency undertakes to read me out of the Repub
lican party. Does the Governor mean to intimate that no man can be true and honest without being a Democrat ? If so, he has far lower estimate of Republicans than I have. It may be. he takes himself as a sample; if so. I shall not contest the point, further than to protest against honest Republicans being judged by his standard. I suppose the testimony of expert Democratic editors will be admissible. The Augusta Chronicle and Sentinel says: " We know little of the antecedents of Mr. Treasurer Angier. We have heard and believe, that he was so much opposed to secession that he openly took sides against us, and that he boldly espoused the Federal cause. We know that since the war he has been among us as a government official, and did dis charge the functions of his office courteously and acceptably. His Atlanta neighbors speak well of him as a man of probity and high toned character. But had we known nothing of Mr. Angier, apart from his political affiliations, and the support -of the iniquitous and abominable and fraudulent reconstruction measures, which, aside from all questions of principle, have subjected us to the government of vampires, that are sucking our life's blood, we should have reached the conclusion that whatever may be the bias of his political opinions, that as a man he was worthy of the opinion in which he is held by his neighbors; and that as an officer he has not merged the conscience of an honest man with the position of an official."
The La Grange Reporter, the Democratic paper from which Butler quotes so much blood and thunder, says: " However much this journal differs from Dr. Angier politically, feelings of justice prompt us to say, that he deserves the moral sup port of every man in the State, in his efforts to guard the people's money against fraudulent expenditures. He is em phatically an honest public officer, a rare instance of fidelity
f

to a high public trust in these times of corruption. He has sternly but dignified ly refused to become the mere automaton treasurer of Governor Bullock and his favorites. He recog nizes the fact that he is Treasurer of the State, and is respon sible to the people for the correct performance of hia dutiesi
that he has a reputation of long standing as an honest man to sustain. He has made a noble fight with corruptionists. He stands at the Treasury 'door with a demascun blade, and will not allow political thieves to enter to despoil the people of the public money. We are willing to forgive Angier for "his political wanderings for the reason he has been so faithful and true to his official trust.
This much we feel called upon to say as a journalist in favor of apolitical opponent, who has the honesty and nerve
to do his duty." Governor Bullock, in his letter of three columns, has man
aged by fraud to incorporate one solitary card certifying to his character, and this he has the hardihood to publish, know ing at the time the committed repudiated it and withdrew it
from publication before it ever appeared in type. In his note heading the dispatch, which he sent off himself he says:
"ATLANTA, GA., February 2. " The sub-committee (composed of two Democrats and one Republican) appointed to investigate the charges against Governor Bullock of an unlawful use of the State funds have
issued the following card." [Then follows the card.] You will please notice he is particular in having stated two
Democrats. One of these, H. Morgan, is a true specimen of a Bullock Democrat. W.'R. Bell is one of the Republicans who voted to expel the colored members, and skulked under Bul lock's lash to defeat the fifteenth amendment, when it was before the House last winter. As to C. C. Cleghorn, Esq., we will let him speak for himself, in the following card:
" TO THE PUBLIC. "ATLANTA, GA., Feb. 4, 1869.
" My attention has been called to a card of the above cap-

tion in the press dispatches signed ' H. Morgan, W. R. Bell, C. C. Cleghorn, committee,' and I take this occasion to state that I was surprised to see this publication, as it was unauthorized by me.
" The Treasurer's report in rejereuce to moneys drawn by Governor Bullock on hypothecated bonds of the State was referred to the Committee on Finance, and by it to a sub
committee of three, named above, for investigation. When the card alluded to was presented for my approval and sig nature I pronounced it improper and premature, and after
various modifications and erasures a majority of the commit tee agreed on the card.
" On reflection, my conviction of the impropriety, of such a card was so strong that I called upon General Morgan, and
after consultation, we determined to suppress the publication of it, and it was at once withdrawn from the press.
" The other two members of the committee having fu.ru ished Governor Bullock with a copy without my knowledge, and he being ignorant of the action of General Morgan and myself, telegraphed it to the country. Besides the impro priety of such a course by a sub-committee, I considered it open to the same objection complained of, namely, prema ture publication. In reference to the last concluding sen
tence, * We are induced to make this request of you because of the hasty course of the Treasurer in making public cer tain communications,' it is due to Dr. Angier to state that when he ascertained .that Governor Bullock's letter in reply to his report had been sent to the city press for publication, he sent his sou to me with the request that he be allowed to publish his rejoinder at the same time, which I consented to without consultation with General Morgan and Dr. Bell, for the reason that the former was off on leave of absence, and the latter was not in his seat at the time.
" Papers that have published the card alluded to are re
quested to publish this also. " C. C. CLEGHORX."

Thus it will be seen, after striving to manipulate a com mittee to cover his own infamy, Gov. Bullock introduces a certificate of his character, knowing at the time the com mittee had withdrawn it from publication: Can depravity
sink a man any lower! Section 2 of an act to promote the reconstruction of Geor
gia requires each and every member to take the oath or oaths required by the constitution of Georgia.
Article 3, section 4, paragraph 10 of the constitution of Georgia requires every Senator or Representative, before taking his seat, to take an oath to support the Constitution, of the United States and of the State of Georgia.
Article 4, section 1, paragraph 1: The executive power shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold his office dur ing the term of four years.
Article 4, section 2, paragraph 8: There shall be a Secre tary of State, a Comptroller General, a Treasurer, and a Survej'or General, elected by the General Assembly, and
they shall hold their office for the like period as the Gover nor. These officers having been elected before the colored members were expelled, and without the votes of the three members, who were by the Committee pronounced ineligible, are, by the constitution of Georgia, (which each member, not only by the constitution itself, but also by the bill to pro mote reconstruction in Georgia, required to swear to sup port,) entitled to hold their several offices for four years, or a like period as the Governor.
And I most respectfully urge upon the President and Con gress to see to it that the General Assembly of Georgia is not allowed to violate the provisions of the constitution and the act to promote reconstruction in Georgia.
Section 4 of said act authorizes each House, after they have qualified, to re-organize said Senate and House of Rep resentatives by the election and qualification of the proper officers of each House. But the bill gives them no power or authority to go one step further back. And I beseech the President and Congress to confine them strictly to

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the provisions of the bill, that the past legislation may stand, and save Georgia from being thrown into a wild state of ex citement and trouble. The State, in her legislation since the constitution was approved and adopted, has endorsed some railroad bonds and pledged her endorsement to others, which have gone forward and spent large amounts of money to develope the State and add to her wealth and prosperity by reason of these pledges. Besides these she has committed herself in various other ways, and by a vast number of acts now having the force of salutary law, and no one can tel\ the amount of idjury that would accrue by going beyond the provisions of the bill, and tearing every thing up, or turn ing everything loose. We have been laying loose about, first in one condition theu another, far too long, and it is absolutely necessary to hold what wholesome restraints we have, and go forward and make all the improvement we can.
Having been in all parts of the Southern States before the war, there at its commencement, and a portion of its dura tion, and ever since its close, mingling freely with all classes
of her people in different sections, I beg to be indulged in the expression of a few thoughts in the spirit of candor, hu mility, and supplication.
Horace Greeley, by his sound, good sense, and great kind heart, with his pen pointed with burning patriotism, has sounded the true note to the settlement ot our difficulties,
Universal Amnesty. Rebellion was a great crime, but common ever since Adam and Eve were placed in the Garden. At this late date mercy will be more potent than revenge in its full and fiual extinc tion. No true hearted person ever loved a government vrhere virtue, intelligence, and wealth are subservient to ignorance, poverty, and vice. And the wealthy and intelli gent will not enlighten the poor and ignorant, or feel very
kindly towards them, when they are made political vassals of the latter. Pardon, when bought at what the erring con
sider too great a sacrifice, insures no certain love, or per-

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manent good behaviour. If none are to be pardoned in Georgia, save those Governor Bullock petitions for, and he petitions for none only those he can make serve his corrupt . purpose, then are the people of Georgia his slaves, so far as political privileges are concerned.
I Know nothing in Governor Bullock's record or char acter, before, during, or since the war, that should entitle him to such distinction and privilege, when there are thous ands of Union men, good and true, in Georgia, who haveuniformly been so, who are as much above him as the blaz ing, burning, meridian sun is aboye the deceptive Jack-o-
lantern, exhaled from the miasma of the dismal, pestiferous swamp.
The law requires the net earnings of the Western and Atlantic Railroad, (which road belongs to the State,) to be paid into the State Treasury monthly. The payment for the month of September is the last that has been received, up to my leaving on the 15th instant. Governor Bullock is the chief officer of the road. Former administrations paid into the State Treasury, of net earnings of said road, from thirty to fifty thousand dollars monthly, and the road is said, by the best judges, to be doing more business now than it ever did before, running, as it does, eighteen freight trains a day. My predecessor's estimate of the net earnings, in his report of July 1,1867, was fifty thousand dollars per month for the whole year, and he had been State Treaeurer for eight years. Certain amounts are known to have been paid or loaned to individuals in no way connected with the road, in palpable violation of law, supposed to be for, or in
the interest of the Governor, to secure influence and adher ents. Democrats, or rather I should say, " JButtock Demo crats," who sustain him, but abuse President Grant and the
Republican Members of Congress and their policy, especially the Fifteenth Amendment, were sharers.
Propositions are said to have been made to some members
who have taken the oath, to have their disabilities, removed,

igm.
if they will withdraw it, and join the extreme plundering wing..
The honest moderate Republicans, and the honest mode rate Democrats, would coalesce if allowed to organize, and defeat the Governor's plans of corruption and plunder, and unmask his frauds in the use of .the State's funds, and form a party that would be overwhelming against all corruption 'and violent extremists, and give to President Grant, a hearty .support, in a wise and just administration of the govern ment. While, so tar as Governor Bullock is concerned, he has no party with the people outside of his patronage; and it is doing violence to the Republican party, and will lead to their defeat and overthrow if not stopped, for Congress to be constantly bolstering up such a man a man whom the good substantial people of Georgia have got no respect for, uot on account of his being a Republican, but on account of his want of truth and honesty, as is fully shown by the re cord in answer to his letter.
Instead of striving to promote peace and prosperity as the Chief Executive of a Great State, he strives to .excite all the disturbance and bitterness he can, that he may find occasion to call on Congress for further interference, in order that hi* wicked rule may be perpetuated, and full reconstruction pro hibited, well knowing, that his days of tyranny and fraud, as the Executive of Georgia, are short when once the people are free. Hence his lengthy telegraphic despatches to Con gress, full of the most abominable, shameless misrepresenta tions. And it is supprising to me, Congress does uot, by this.time, fully understand the object of these despatches.
Though the name of the author of the despatch that was read iu the Senate on yesterday was refused, the people of Georgia fully understand, through whose instrumentality these despatches are sent, and that the object of their being sent, is to mislead Congress and perpetuate a dynasty of fraud.
is it there is so much more complaint now than
LIBRARIES M ^
Jk

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when General Rugar was Provisional Governor? The an

swer is plaiu, General Rugar ia a sensible and a fair-minded

gentleman, and his administration was characterized by

economy and honesty; and if our worthy District Com

mander, General Terry, would re-instate him, the people of

Georgia would be under lasting obligations to him.

Most Respectfully/vour obedient servant

,

N. L. ANGIER.

Treasurer of Georgia.

Mix Hargiett of