Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-03-28
ABsTR kOr OF THE SPEECH OF HON. A. II.
STEPHENS.
DELIVERED IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF REPREsKN-
rAFIvns, AT NlLLEDGEvlLLE, GA, ON WEDNKsnAI
EvEzIAG, MARCH l6rH, 1854.
[ Reported for the Columbus Times.

pRLIvKRKD IN THE HALL OF THE HOUSE OF RRPRKsKN-
rAFIvns AT NILLEDGEvLLE, GA, ON WEDNESDAY
EvErHa, MARCH l6rH, 1864.
IReLoited for the Columbus Tines
Mr. STEPHENS began his speech at the hour of II D.
m. and closed at 1920 The Hall was crowded with
members Of the Legislature and citizens generally there
hanR among the latter many ladies' All seemed anx-
ions 70 get another sight OF whom the peoll1 OF
Georgia had often honored, and to whom they had
often looked for counsel in times Of peril He had en-
tered at an early hour in company with his Exeeency,
the Governor OF Georgia, and had not been observed
until he assembled the Speakers stand Then there was
burst of hearty applause that seemed to come from
ali present. tesJiug how truly and with what regard
he was called upon to speak.
He began by saying that his object was to speak On
the state Of public srs at this present crss me time
had passed when the measures which brought the
war should be dseu sed the great question to be de-
termined by legislators the proper outstanding and
management Of all the resources OF the country. The
country was enVironed by dangers and peris within
and Whout but though the times were periOus he did
mot regard the cause as hopeless II to ourselves
| and TO our cause, We must ultimately succeed.
The enemy had not yet inflicted any vital blow
our interests, though they gained some important ad
vantaVas-the chief of which was their success from
ther Suuboats We could not resist their attacks sue
eessfuy from this any more than lion could
suceessfully attack a ehark. IL asked whether we
should ultimately triumph, his reply would be yes,
thousand times yes, if We properly managed the re-
sources Of the country.
On the currency question he did intend TO speak
further than to say that he regarded it unwise
measure though might have been the best that could
have been adopted with the conflicting opinions the
subject.
On the Military Act-the second Conscripi0n Act as
ba termed i-he was severe. He thought it put
TOO large portion Of the lighting in the field
Only one third of the fighting men of country, IL
had been demonstrated by history, could be safely put
10 the field Whenever this proportion was exceeded
there was danger to the country in long WARE from the
want of means Of subsistence Of the army He feared
that sufficient regard had not been paid the fact when
the bill was under consideration As to the question
asaumed in the Act that all the mechanical msnuao-
turing and agricultural labor of the country oond be
INIT under the control OF the President, that ives
question left for the courts to determine and ne would
be satisfied with their decision
TIE next important question that would be submitted
IN The Legislature was the act suspendng the writ Of
6ab,as corpus He commended that while Congress had
the power to suspend that writ BY an implied grant in
the Constitution it did not have the power to do that
whlch the Act did which to authorize the arrest
of persons without charge being made against them
on oath or Affirmation probable cause, OF per-
son. That right Congress had not the power to take
away for it was expressly granted in the Constitution.
The Act contained thirteen specheaons In any one Of
which the writ might be Suspended There was need
Of The Act 90 far as concerned persons guilty of benga
snv or of treason or Of cutting telegraph Wires The
entire shirt of unity Of the people in the prosecution
of this war forbid che entertaining any such opin-
ion coud have reference to but one class, which is
utyled persons seeking 10 avoid military service
The great liability to abuse Of his power so far as
that class Of persons concerned was dWet upon with
great earnestnees and forcs Instances advanced
IN which the power would be likely 70 be abused One
was the case Of man Bho was put into military
Vice ihe field whom the family record and other evi-
dences showed be above forty years age because
under recent order the persons age had to be COM
pued according 10 the last census and the person
isrred 10 had had bis age WrongfuIy gvenin Another
n.acce was adduOed Of person seeking to get his son
into the army as volunteer as under the Act he had
right 10 do and having that suddenly arrested and
put into prison a. seeking to avoid military service"