Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-10-11
SPEECH OF THAD. STEVENS
His Position and Purposes.

Hon. Thaddeus Stevens made a speech
at Lancaster on the 9th ult, from which
we make the following extract:
And since you have called me out. and
| am able to speak, / will explain one
single point, which have been informed
my friend Mr.. Doolittle made particular
ly upon me, and which, have no doubt,
some of my Republican friends consd-
cred particularly well made TO put me
below the ticket ! cannot blame them
in this. / shall not blame them for any
thing of the kind but | shall be just as
good friends with them as before.
But let me explain. He spoke of ne
gro equality. Let me tell you exactly
how it is. He, understand, found fault
with me, particularly because | advoca-
ted what he called negro equality. Under
our law there is not word said in either
the Civil Rights bill or the new proposed
amendment about color 1t simply pro-
vides that the same law which Furnishes
one man shall punish any other for the
same ofiense it simply provides that the
law which gives verdict to one man
shall render the same verdict to another,
whether he is Dutch, Irish or negro.
[Cheers Is there anything wrong in
that 4? Voices, mo Nol"1 That is
the doctrine of negro equality. There is
nothing which prohibits the negro from
learning TO read and write and say his
prayers. There is nothing in it which
says he shall have anything superior to
another
| admit that these copperheads have
lot. e.
such a provision, for there is great dam
ger that those who find fault with this
provision will find rivals among the col
ored race in business and in life. There
is one thing, however, which noticed
Mr.. Doolittle alluded to--a bill which /
introduced for fixing the condition of the
Southern States-and since | am here
| will say one word in explanation Of
that. / introduced bill into Congress
for the purpose Of enabling the rebel
States, under certain conditions, to form
loyal governments. They have no gov
ernments now except some counterfeits
put up by Andy johnson. "Three
cheers for Thad. Stevens
proposed in that bill that every one
of those conquered States should be put
upon the same footing with a territory
should elect delegates to convention to
form O republican constitution mot such
as they have got now, with slavery in
them, and in fixing the right of voters
to elect those delegates, made it uni
versal-I allowed the rebels, | allowed
the black men, allowed every man to vote
for delegates 10 the convention When
they came TO form the constitution they
should form it to suit themselves mot
doing as Andy johnson did, debating
what the terms of the constitution
should be-, and when they formed it,
they should be allowed to refer it
back to the people for ratification; and
if ratified, they might present it to Con-
gress Now, did hope, in doing this,
that our loyal friends, together with the
colorcd men, would carry the Conven-
tions and give negro suffrage. All loyal
Southern men came to me and asked
me to put it in the bill. There was not
a loyal man, from Gov Hamilton to Gov
Holden, Chief Justice Powell and Gov.
Shefwood-there were twenty of these
men driven from their homes-who dare
not 60 back for tear of being murdered.
They came to help me fabricate the bill
1t was not the rebels that did il it was
the loyal men that said give us that
bill; and the vote Of the loyal white men,
added to the vote of the loyal black men,
can carry every State but Virginia |
was in a caucus one night when Gov.
Hamilton told us Ito give them the law,
and although we are now in the minor
ity, dare not 20 home, for should be
us the bill and we can
carry Texas on the side Of the Union
by twenty-five thousand majority" Gov
Holden told me the same thing, and so
did everybody except the Nirginians.
The noble men who went TO Philadel-
phia after the traitors convention, ap
pointed committee and passed resolu-
tions asking that this very thing should
be done by Congress, a copy Of which !
they sent TO me TO strengthen my hands.
This is confined TO the rebel States alone. /
! am for il; first, because il protects our |
brethren there secondly, because it pre-
vents the States from going into the |
hands of the rebels, and thereby giving |
the President and Congress, for the next |
forty years, to rebel hands ] am for IL, |
and / shall 60 for il when Congress |
meets with all my might
Now, however, remember that do not /
say, and never meau 10 say, that when /
these amendments which | now propose /
are adepted the rebel States shall be \
allowed TO come in, until they present |
containing the essence Of |
liberty; and when they do that / viii |
let them in at any time