Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1866-01-27
Speech of Judge L. d. Evans.


the l9,h That paper says ",h'ro NnG an
intelligent audience present who listened
10 him with marked attention and dcep in
tcrcst," Gul That "throughout the address
there was not a single expression uttered
by the speaker calculaiN 10 would the
feelings of my one
We give the Republicans synopsis Of the
address.
lie commenced by alluding to his
absence from the State. lie was
opposed to the secession movement,
and was rs well satisfied five years
ago, that the unity Of the republic
would be maintained, as he was now
when the war was over, and the
national authority restored, But
he had taken no active part in tho
war. Ali his efforts, from the be-
ginning to tho close of hostilitics,
had been directed to one object, to
bring about peace, conciliation, and
unity between the two sections. He
had always regarded Texas as his
home, and whenever he had met
citizens of the State, he treated
them invariably as friends, The
unity Of the republic he was sat
isfed would be maintained, at
least for several generations to come.
He did not mean to say it would
exist precisely under the same form
rs that to which we had been accus-
toned. There had already been
great changes, and there might be
other notifications. What he meant
to say vas, that the country would
continue to exist under one govern
ment. 1t was the destiny Of the
republic, and Of the people that liv-
cd within it's confines. Political
tendencies, commencing many years
before secession, pointed to consoli-
dation and the increase of power in
the central government.
1t was not his business to discuss
the right or wrong of the past. 1t
was sufficient to say, that he desir-
cd the unity of the republic, and
that he was satisfied in the begin.
ming, that no amount of valor,
would bring success to the cause OF
secession.
The duty of a wise people, under
the circumstances in which Texas
has been placed by the fortunes Of
the war, was plain. 1t was, to con-
form at once to the requirements of
the President, and to organize as
early as possible a State govern
mont,
The speaker then gave a clear
and distinct exposition of the prin-
ciples, purposes, and policy Of the
President, and the views and objects
of the Radicals, derived directly
from conversations with President
Johnson and Thaddeus Stevens, the
acknowledged leader of the Repub-
licans. The President held, that
the Southern States had never been
out of the Union. BY revolution
airy action, the rightful authority
existing in these States had been
temporarily ovcrthrown, and the
functions of the legitimate govern
ment suspended, but that when the
national authority was restored,
there was nothing necessary, but to
revive proper governments in the
States for them to resume their po-
sitions in the Union.
The Radicals, on tho contrary
held, that the revolutionists had dis
solved their connection with the
United States government, and had
instituted a do.facto government,
sufficiently powerful to cxpel, for
the time, the natural authority /;
that every individual belonging to
those States, was bound by their ac-
ton, and his allegiance was trans
rerred to this de-iacto government (;
that consequently they must all be
treated alike, as alien enemies, with
out regard to their opinions, or the
position they had occupied during
the war. The States had forfeited
their rights in the Union, and must
be treated as conquered provinces.
In the oppinion of Mr.. Stephens,
frankly expressed, it would be un-
safe to trust the government of Tex
as; for instance, in the hands of its
present inhabitants. A provisional
Governor should be sent here, un
der the direction Of the President,
who should govern the territory,
under such regulations as Congress
might prescribe, until such time as
the country should be settled up by
q population, who had taken no
part or entertained no sympathy
for the rebellion. Mr.. Stephens was
in favor of comforting the elective
franchise and the right to hold Of
flee, to such persons as the radicals
might consider loyal whites and to
the blacks. He, Judge Evans, ask
ed him, if the tendency of such leg
islation would not be to revive civil
war, or that to prevent its recur-
renee, would it not be necessary to
garrison the Southern States with
at least five hundred thousand men,