Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-03-31
Alexander z. Stephens on the Politi'
cal Situation.

The luxury of having speeches, deliver
cd in the heart Of Georgia, reported by tel
egraph verbatim, for the New YORK TINES,
Ia not one that may be every day INDUCED
In. But the elaborate, temperate and jul
dicious discourse of Mr.. A. II. STEPHENS,
before the Legislature of Georgia, which
We publish in full in other columns to-day,
seems to us to justify the prominence we
give it. The day was one we'll chosen for
tho delil Dry of the best Union speech heard
In Georgia since the same speaker, I'VE
years ago, with terribly prophetic trHthtui-
aess, depicted all the horrors, and anguish
snd bitterness, and blood which must fol-
low the reasonable attempt 10 overthrow
The Government and destroyed the Union.
Mr.. STEPHENS with good sense refuses to
70 over the terrible experience OF the IN
iervening years. He points briefly to the
fearful damages that have to be repaired
But his discourse is mainly with the
pressnt, with the duties which the actual
situation demand-his references to the
past being mainly illustrations from histo.
~ of what is possible in the adjustment of
great public questions by an appeal from
the sword to the arena Of peaceful discus
sion and legislative deliberaIion.
The temper of Mr.. STEPHENs address
leaves nothing to be wished for. 1t is
response, frank, manly, and evidently sin
cere, to the restoration policy of the Exec
utiye. 1t comes not only from clear and
acute thinker hut from q reprcsen alive
Southern man. 1t indicates where the in
diligence of the South is to be found to
day on the vital question Of submiss on TO
l.. lol Inv, ~ Mr.
STEPHENS, "ill tempe exhibited either IN
restlessness or grumbling, will not hasten
restoration" Again he says: "The first
step toward local or general harmony IS
he banishment from our breasts OF every
feeling and sentiment calcula'ed to STIR
the discords Of the past. The question
whether Georgia was out of the Union by
The secession ordnace Of 1861, Mr.. STEpH-
HNs holds to be Of no practical account to-
day. What his fellow. citizens have to re-
oognixe, be urges, is that "The whole
United States is now our country, 10 be
cherished and defended as such by all oar
hearts and all our arms
Mr.. STEPHENS faith in the President
restoration policy is expressed in 10 equiv
ocal terms. And if, as We believe, he IN
terprets Alright the political sentiment OF
The intelligent people OF the South, the
Executive, and the Union Party here that
sustain his policy, will not find themselves
embarrassei by any solicitations for sec
.ional favor or immediate representation,
which are not founded in reason, and call
cd for oil the very highest grounds OF po-
litical exp-dieney and absolute right.
II is important that Mr.. STEPHENS speech
shout be read in every quarter through
out the North. IL is time that the era OF
GOOD feeling should open. Here, at least,
is fair occasion for beginning anew
friendly interchange Of sentiment-free
entirely from party narrowness or par'i-
san malignity. The country demands that
instead of exhausting measures for the
perpetuation of sectional haireds, there
shali be occasions made, if they DO not 9TH
srwise arise, for applying the Influence OF
Lind words and temperate COUNSEL. The
grand demonstration Of Thursday must in
this respec, produce most healthy intiu-
ence. And that influence, we venture to
think, will be greatly strengthened and
stimulated by this appeal from the fore
most public man of the SOUTH. J.
Reps. ......