Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-19

hALAAANa
! There are no forces OF the enemy
this State under political motives. tn
/ rebel Indians Of Chan Santa Cruz con
tinue in their hiding places wlthou
having made any movement N IL
/ course Of February. II is rumOred tina
the gac5feudes had made common caus
with them but nothing Of that appear
according % the last dates.
THIS REo0NsTRUCTION COUNCIL
AGAIN
Testimony Of Hon Alex. II. Stephens.
WAsHINGToN, April I6.
Hon. A. II. Stephens was before tn
4 Reconstruction Committee on the ia
( inst. He was sworn and examined b!
/ Mr.. Boutwell, as follows;
O. State your residence A. Craw
. f0rdsvIle, Georgia.
! @. What means had you, since Lee
/ surrender, 20 ascertain the sentiments o
/ the people Of Georgia regarding th'
J Tnion2 4. was at home in Georgi'
/ at the time OF the surrender Of Gen. Lee
/ and remained there TIL the Ilth or May
[ and during that time conferred with Tia
with the Governor Of the State and witt
one or two other leading or prOmlnen
men IN. the State. From the llth o.
Z May until my return 70 Georgia, which
I Was on the 26th Of October, I had nL
( means Of knowing anything Of the pub
| lie sentiment there except through
the public press, and such letters as
| received from the time Of my return
until j left the State on my present visit
here. I had very extensive intercourse
with people: visiting Augusta. ana visi-
ting MlIledgevilIe during the session of
Legislature, first on their assembling,
again IN January upon their reasSem-
bling and again In the latterpMt of Feb
ruaFy. White there I c0nversed very
freely and fully with all the prominent
leading men, or most Of them, I'm the
Legislature, and me, great many of
the prominent influential men Of the
State, not connected with the Leglsia-
-Gre, and, ly letters ana from correspond
ence with tine men in the State whom
have not met. 7 believe that embraces
a full answer 70 the question as TO my
means or asCer-alDi1E the sentiments o.
the people of that state upon the subject
stated in the question.
=. As the result Of your observation
what Is vour opinion of the pur-
poses OF tas people with refer
enee % the reconstruction Of the
Government, and what are their desires
and purposes 4. My opinion, ami de-
cideG opinion. is, that an overwhelming
majority Of lae people 0f Georgia are
exceedingly auEious for tire restoration
OF the Governments. and for the State to
take her former position In the Union, TO
have her senators and representative
admitted into Congress, and enjoy alb
her rights and TO discharge all her obj
Cations IS a state under the Constitution
of the United States as it stindsamended.
q. What are their views concerning
the Justice Of the rebellion DO they al
present believe 20 was q reasonable or
proper undertaking, or otherwise A.
Mv opinion Of the sentiments of the pe0-
pie OF Georgia upon that subject is, that
the exercise Of the right Of secession was
rss0rled 10 by them from a desire 20 rem
der their liberties more secure, and be-
lief on their part, that this was absolutely
necessary for that object. They were di-
vided upon the question Of the policy Of
the measure. There was, however, but
very little division among them upon the
question Of the right Of it, Il IS now
their belief, ia my opinion, and give lJ
merely as an opinion. that The surest, II
not the only, hope 0f their liberties, is the
restoration Of The Constitution Of the
United States and Of the Government Of
the United States under the Constitution.
Q. Has there been any change Of opin-
ion as 10 The right OF secession, az a rlgntl
in the people or in the States a.
think there has been very decided
change OF opinion as 10 the policy ID those
who favored d. L think the people gem
erallv are satisfied sufficiently with the
experiment never 10 resort &c mat mode
OF redress again By force. Whatever
NAV be their own abstract ideas upon
that subject they have given up all idea
OF a maintsinRnce Of these principles by
a resort TO force. They have come ID the
conclusion il Is better TO sppeal TO the
power Of reason and Justice, 20 the
halls OF legislation and the courts Tor the
prosecution Of the principles Of cOnsttu-
uonal authority, than 90 the arena O.
arms. 1t is nay settled conviction there
Is not any idea cherished at all IN the
public mind Of Georgia Of ever nesorhng
again to secession; that the wnUsc policy
Of the maintenance of their rights, in my
opinion. is at this time totally abandoned.
q. But the opinion as 10 the right, as
understand, reHIains substantially the
same 2 A ] cannot answer as 10 that.
Some may have changed their opinion
on this subject It would be an unusual
thing. a. well as a difficult matter, for a
whole people 10 change their convictions
upon abstract truths and principles.
have not heard this view OF the subject
debated OF discussed recently and wish
10 be understood as giving my opinion
only on that branch OF the subject
Rnieh is of q political character and i'm
portance.
q. To what do YOU attribute the change
Of opinion as 10 the propriety ofattempt-
ing 10 maintain their views by force 2
A Well, sir, my opinion about that, my
individual opinion, derived from ObseT-
walton, IS that this change OF opinion
arose mainly from the operations Of war
amongst themselves and the results OF
the conflict, from their Own authorities
on their individual rights Of person and
property, and from the general breaking
down OF the constitutional barriers
which usually attend all pr0tracted wars.
.. In 1851 when the ordinance Of le-
cession was adopted IN George, 10 what
extent was il supported ny the people
A. After the proclamation Of President
Lincoln calling out 1000 militia, unfer
the circumstances 10 was issued anu
bloekading S0uthern ports, ana the siis-
pension u the writ Of h0he06 corpus,
T" the Southern Rights cause, as II was
termed, received the almost unanimous
support Of the people Of Georgia. Before
that they we're very much DIVIDED on me
question Of the policy Of secession. But
afterwards they supported the cause
within the range Of nay knowledge, Win
.
few exceptions, not exceeding haE q
dozen think. The impression then pre-
yaililg was that public liberty was en-
dsngeTed, ana they supported the cause
because of thclr constitutional rights.
They stlll differed very much a. % the
ultimate object 20 be attained, and means
% be used But these differences yielded
70 the emergency Of aPprehended com-
mon danger.
Q. Was not the ordinance Of secession
adOptea 10 Georgia earlier ia date than
that of the proclamation for 1900 vol
unteers2 A. Yes, sir I stated the peo-
pie were very much divided on the ales-
Ton OF the ordinance Of secession, but
that after the proclamation they became
almost unanimous iu the support of the
cause. There were some few exceptions
iD the state. think not more than
half a dozen among my acquaintance.
A. I said. While they were thus almost
unsninous in support Of the cause,
thew differed also a. 70 the end
10 be attained BY sustaining it.
Some looked 20 an adjustment or set
tlement Of the controversy upon any ba-
Sis that would secure Their rconsuiguonal
rights, aud others looked te a Southern
separate nationality as their 9nly objeol
and hope. These different views, a. 70
the ultimate offsets, did not interfere
with the general active support OF the
cause.
.. Was there popular vote upon the
ordinance OF SECESSION A Only 30 far
IS ia the election Of delegates TO the con-
vention.
Q. There was no subsequent action ?
A. No, sir The ordinance Of secession