Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1861-03-19
viexyn Of yice-pre.idcnt Stephens.

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Views of yice-preAidcnt Stephens.
Mr a. II. Stephens, Vice President Of the
Southern Conlelleracy, reached Atlanta from
Montgomery on Monday last, and was received
with every demonstration Of respect, admira-
ton and confidence on the part Of the people
CT Fulton aud the adjoining counties. The
Atlanta Confederacy" says: Expectation
sas on tip,tae, and the whole population were
out to meet their favorite. We do not remem.
Der ever before 10 have seen so large un assem-,
blagc of our citizens brought together. The
numerous military companies in full dress, md
the fire departments with gay uniforms and
brtIian. torches were uut in full force.
We publish Il synopsis Of Mr.. Stephens
speech on the OCCASION, as given in the '' Con-
fcdcracy," knowing that it will be pernsed
wilh interest aud Satisfaction 10y our readers
Mr. Stephens let it he borne III mind occu
pics the second place officially in the uew Col-
!clrracy; Il position To which he was called
by the Congress thereof, and By their conslitu-
enls of all parties. The people Of Georgia, and
other people who know him, acknowledge the
fidelity Of the picture Of a. Ii. Stephens as
drawn in his memorable Congressional canvass
oc 1875, BY an enthusiastic friend and adnrer
thus
Stephens is small in stature weighing 100
pounds, sometimes more, sometimes less bat
he is the best illustration Of mHltam in purro
to be found anywhere. There is mIch con-
tained beneath his dimin!ltlve cxterior-an in
tcllec:ual and moral treasure which you will
rarely tind in n enlightenment either large or
small. liz runites the cloQusn:e rl Randolph
with the simplicity and purity Of Macon"
Such, We SAY, is the estimation in which Mr..
StephrI,s is held by his Southern ueighbors
and iiicna. Thus introduced und endorsed,
his statement Of the present and his opinion
u( the future of the Southern Conlederncy,
Cannot fail 10 have its effect upon the border
States ana upon relecting ncn in other por-
siors Of the old Union. Bat We will no longer
withhold Mr. Stephens speech from the reader:
Mr. Stephens was presented to the acres Of
enthusiastic admirers who stoood there to do
him honor, by our worthy Mayor in n few
verS appropriate words Of welcome.
In response, Mr.. Stephens excused himself,
from bis state Of WEAKNESS and fatigue, from
max ing any very extended remarks, but said he
desired to notice All allusi0n Of the Mayor 10
the labcrs Of the Congress at Montgomery
With marked Emphasis, Mr. Stephens said that
in all the public bodies in which he had ever
served the country, and in his experience they
had not Leen few, he never met sS many men
combining the same exalted talent with as
much OF devoted, unscltiSh patriotism. Their
whole aim seemed to be to see the right and
to pursue it This was his opinion, but very
soon we would have the opportunity Of seeing
what mad been done aud passing upon it our.
selves He ventured to say, that the history of
the world did not present such another social
phenomenon as the existing revolution in the
Cotton States. \ vast empire was dlYidcd-a
government thrown of, a new system iliaugu.
rated in juxtaposi!ion to the old, and without
drop Of blood, the slightest social disorder
OF physical suffering. All we had to do, suid
the speaker, TO perpetuate this happy state oil
things. was to be true 10 our own honor and
fame We were once Unionists hut now wc are
all Sccessonsts, and if we continued 10 dis.
play to Ill the world the proper uHicn Of hearts
and purpGSs. there could be no such word as fail
fJr us. But, ia NOS, eloquent tones he de-
cared, il dissentons spri1gng from venal and
selfish ambitions, if unrcasonng and captous
fault finding should discourage the true friends
OF Southern liberty, "hc cuu!d prophcsy no
good for US.
Mr. Stephens said that lie had once venera.
ted The old Constitution under which he had
been born and did still feel great respect ior it.
But upon dispaSsionate comparison Of the two
Constitutions he did not hesitate TO declare that
the rev was an improvement on the old. lie
went OH 10 state that he thought the mcde Of
appropra,ing money when brought into the
Treasury by taxatiur, as provided for by the
Constitution OF the Confederate States, Geci
ded improvement OH that Of any government
whatever. The labor, he said, was not so much
10 get money into the public chest as to pro-
iect it irom Insappropriation after it was raised.
L}y the new Constitution not dollar could be
drawn from the public Treasury, unless by
two.thirds vote Of Congress. An exception 10
this rule was only made when the President
should report to Congress that pressing public
necessity and eXigenry called Tor IT, Another
rrand difference between the old and new Cor
Stitution was this, said Mr. Stephens, in tho
old Constitution the Fathers looked upon the
iaacy Of the equality Of races as 'Intcrlaylns
the foundations Of republican liberty. Jeiler-
sorl, Madison and Washington, and many 9th.
ers. were tender of the word slave in the organic
law, aud uli looked forward 10 the time when
the institution Of slavery should be removed
from our midst us q trouble and stumbling
block. The dcluson couldno: be traced in any
Of the component parts VI the Southern Con-
siitution In that instrument We soeniny
discarded the pestilcnt heresy of fancy poiitl.
clans, that all men, Of all races, were equal, ard
VIC had made African Inequality and subordi-
nation, and the sguality Of white men, the
chief corner stone OF the Southern Republic.
With an hcncst administration OF government
so founded, Mr. Stephens said, the world was
vet TO see in US the model nation nt history.
Restore peace, set cur people quietly to Woik
out their destiny from this point Of departure,
and we would 60 on from one step ol glorious
development 10 another. We would expand
Southward and Westward, to the East and TO the
North (Gud forbiJ, said gallant Secessionisl)
until there would be no complaint about terri
tory. ETen row our galaxy numbered "seren
stars" and ike that we'll known cluster We
would soon have the admiring gaze Of the world
to follow us.
Mr.. Stephens said before he el,ssd he would
u.uke prediction that some might take in the
way Of good news if they wished. He gave
it us his opinion that before Saturday night
We would hear Of the surrender Of Fort Sum.
ter. What the labors ard science Of General
Bcauregard had done in convincing Msjor An
derson that his position was not imprcgnabie
he wpuld'not undertake to say. But let this
prediction turn out as it may, Of one thing We
might rest assured, that tho Forts would be
given up, or they would be taken away. MIR.
Stephens seemed 10 be satisfied that We should
have peaceable separation from the North,
nut he said our general preparation and readl.
ness to meet different result might have had
great deal to do with such u consummatlon.
He said we all desired pesce-none of US felt