New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-17
politic9l Condition of Arkansas, Mississippi
Alabama and Georgia.
rridsnv of Ex.GOV. ShaTkey Of Mississippi, Gen
Chetlain, Gen. Wager Swaynr.
ALEXANDER Il. STEPHENS'S TESTIMONY
wAsHNoroy Monday, April l6, 1866


9e.ss, relating to the condition Of Arkansas Mississippi
,lhn and Georgia 1t IS conflicting in It's character IN
eet 10 ali the States excepting the former about which all
svtases so far examined agree in testiignS avoraby
~. Gen JAvrs BLUNT was in Western Arkansas IN
u l-65 those who had been identified with The Re FL
cement ana those who sympathzed with and aided m tie
ION were acting "a good faith according 10 the eOnd
So, which thew surrendered the relation between tie
ien end the resident people including great many re-
f-rel Rebels seemed 20 be satisfactory there was dspos
,r urt io seek employment and there seemed TO be
iensioI the they would be deauded itleltct
hs s. lost large percentage Of the population she had
f. announcement Of the war; bu the loss has Do great
ssrr. supplied by loyal people from other stat s 10
he district Represented by Col johnson OF Western Arkan
hes M Federal troops were withdrawn and the mater lf
s son o. The resident population including those who
bad scn n the Rebellion the elections would be con
"I.y,- n TIrBrrIs lawyer ard a loyal refugee from
Arkansas daring the returned % Little Rock ID Ja0uay
lest Il people VI the state, including many o. ae leading
snr o. he Rebellion. then thought they could esaba tAe
Coaelc-pcy attempted In s6 They would now pre-.
Ger che cstoratoa OF the mon Inc WitneSs re'u et.l
fon Gov Murphy, IN which he says: The State Is doing
oo5r cei proud OF we people 0 Ikansas never since
IL. been state have the people displayed more energy Ia
t the counties foot OF cleared land viii be cult
rsiel and the demand will be supplied Civil law Is m
COL operation. Crime Is rare Inc le ann aNIess nave gen
VA l.r ho country. Grand jures doing well The
5,sf. clements harmOniz1g rapidly. II unanimi'y
md ltrsnrss Guide the Government M Washington,
rll m De a. end Harmony between Congress and the
president IS OF the Importance 20 the peace Of the
S91tI God grant that tle harmony may pie'an ~ oI
,toe' earrc and may an the departments be- guided Us
the rt wisdom and patriotism party spir aId seihsl
5r' bsrr The southern people tired Of ambition they
want quiet ana protection tnat we may ue
vote 20 the festQ ton o. our fortunes ana tle oc
non OF oui children This Is the feeling OF the industrious
Ia reply o. question relative 10 negro Suffrage he
gi.no, sid u eleFe there are some VINO favor H. Dut
ihat there very few among those who were Union
during Die whole Rebellion or indeed among those VINO
were in arms fighting against the Rebellion.
Lieut. COL c. A. HENN late CheQ laltermaster seventh
Army og stationed az Little Aocs testhes taat great
many % thc VINO were prominent III the EeDeon nave
expressed themselves having made great mistake and are
COW snx 10 resume citizenship and good faith Mai0Gen
Pagan VITO commanded the Rebel DepTimehto arkansas
sen Eeor who the Governor al The time OF the passage
Sinanle Of Secession; Gen Flanagan who succeeded
Dim; Mt erlant. redcrae Senator from Arkansas ana
oilers proainen in the Rebellion giving hearty
support othe Government there disposition W the OAoh
hefe disposition confer office upon those VINO have
come into ter churches as converts Dtl aIe uoeu 70 Ie
them occupy back for 70 come TIE vote cast
IN the OCTOBER small ION TIE fact that the mon
3I1r Col johnson and other members bad been here for
o M The rron,t the condition Of the negroes Ar
kansas generally very comforabe there Is very niue su
u- awoig them class they are All anxious 70 e9In YIN
1 coioied regiments si4le llal u J,+ v. nv
lre learning 10 read aud write Tie schools az L.'uc
81 j regr.es last veer were So a month bus l:,tle
i,oa the State last year this year there will be
a1v and soldiers fthe Federal Army have settled IN
AIsaasis aud raising cotton
q What s the disposition OF tie people Of Arkansas 10 70
gord o. allowing negroes TO vote a do not tank prop
of that kind II submitted 10 t1e people E9la oe
agreed fo now think ultimately IL vii be advocated by the
Union purity the and Representatives elected RON
Arkalss are ai'va Judge Baxter one Of The Sena
Conf,lly be elected Judge Of the supreme Court
The z,on ~ the Union Government MI SNOW the
other SENATOR OF the first WHO came TO tie Federal
Army entering Little Rock and was understood to have
been Jaon man during the Rebeiloni the en.r. was
mad. a. one tine % lynch him an AboiitiOnisi,
be h, and consistent Union man since the
Feier arms entered the State aud considered q belong %
the rsdcl elements FreedmeDs Bureau has done good
Arkauss unacceptable 20 the people but a'or Is
o ser r,i1ei ard all are so obviously adapting
selves order Of things that can b. suspended
MIG q g. An8rews was in command OF the pos. OF
f..sE
Iowa element In Arkansas better tleu IN any STATE witness
had been o IN March y COO bona f9 votes
gye1 Free Constitution the proc. ssion thai es
Gog Murphy 20 the capitol az Lie EoeA was over
three mites IN length the whites and blacks turning oli gen
orally there Wa however reaction in that state after tle
lied River campaign ana many 10 voted ior
the Ere. Consultation were conscrpied OF |eHi 'ouI
Csp, MATHEWS Oh dnty IN southern Mississippi sioee
July l Provost Marshal or sole Coninssonet o. lls
free linens Bureau tesfe that the condition OF the freed
ues % tar state was Eerv oaa lhleel. lu nil
mad or their labor ct the end Of tue year they
were driven on "ituOat payment or u''lao y. ~.
slider dangerous IN any Federal officer to pas unescoiie
hyogs ar4a c9nsy. prtieuery between Ne~O'ea9a ana
Vipk,lur. between NeV-Orletns and jackson lhaA
Z Dose. made trip down the Mississippi and acros me
Treasury lie found the people generally bitter y lef oppl
lon thc Government BreFcJ Br Gen Jonn Iarbeai
seo toirr Misss.ipid and trsveied through
Eene. n tAl9ks TIE paueIs ana INC e.uceleu es,'s
hue rem t'll Loeese., ~ '" IT,, deal 81
heir * tad talk foud be ascrbed 10 their disoya
Jut raj disposition 20 indulge IL that freedom Of
Shic allowed N this country. The reports ~ toe North;
,rn states OF oltTages AID tfetment OF Tue co0ld
oeoie ere quite EXCEPTIONAL casef u not absolutely a'e he
you'll travel alone una1med throl, The SCUM 80
TleI5a. WILLIAM L. sn,lKEY testified that when he
commenced bis duties Provisional GOV ernor o. Mississippi
70 fouu people fifty perfectly fecOneed 70 the
condition hings the Secession party admitted they
Mo ~ Mon they came % freely aad checgfny and met a
demands Of the President some pie1doe had arisen
agaa.' e State Of foolish Of lae 'esi'
ATTY nr. linen o
IN continuation 81 the law, as the! "d4
swsv -iou.iy existed; the freedmen doing mis-
takaby fe bu there Disgusting the fact that Tie Freed
rne Buseau and the cooed troops have done more harm
tere arr mon in charge the Feedmen Bureau IN MssIs
very believe that ii at tie time there all the troops and
tie Ifeelmons Bureau had been Withdrawn.
/ conf tave lad perfect state Of order IL Two
vesks: there arc now IN the State very little
over half As many lreeduen formerly slaves
there Ding he mortality that has prevailed among
very instance dr0sed 70 accumulate property my OK
pecaoa concerning Them that they are destined to e1Iinc
tos beyond doab mast Judge OF the future by me nai
and could tell yOa great many circumstances 20 that erect
la question 20 the status Of senators and mem
bers ecl o. Congress- the witness said they were az
Whig except one. Who Union Democrats the party as
gsnera iag clear Of the ocinm OF Seeessoni The
yivc a The Judges ofthe High Court Of Errors were all
Secess really bsd material Of resp,caOty 70
Tun '.p Aemi the AuoTneyGenefe Is III tAe siA' cA
Brew Maiot.Gsn. A. l. CHE1LHS-was in Alabama
little ore three months % 20 January LAT cas- o. re
ge1t snl worthy auXOu that Northern men snoud
come Stale, but IeVpe opp! -et4'
mere Is generally throughout tte stat a retiring o.
the cOisfc people and localities taey at .c Tea
brutay robbed the Highway and frequently A4rd' me
price than ia other southern State iAt
ibe.bodied range from = % -2 per month";
ma) Of the people Of Central and southern Amama nave
bat ss love for the Union and are 10 more ola Low tan
hey years kidnapping negroes ~ central ana
Southern Alabama and sending then 10 Cuba nas oeen car
red FIR months post there Is strong ieeug OF nos
nifty Freedmers Bureau throughout The central pari Of
Alabama they regard II species Of espionage ana oppose
Il very strongly.
Breye Mgi0rGen WAGER SwAYSE Commissioner Of me
Ffeedmea Bureau for Alabama since August last tcshrs
ha since he wat there there has been gradual ion Of
1sord progress legislation toward equal laws for al