Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-04-26
v~st,.ony OF Alexander N. sterh-
Ems.


portant and interesting portion OF 1t
was that given by Alexander IL. steph-
ems of Georgia, recently vice-presldent
of the "so-called Confederacy." Mr.,
stephens was before the Committee on
the 18th and 18th inst. and testified very
deliberately and carefully. He gave 1t
"a his decided opinion that an overrul-
ing msjority of the people Of Georgia
are exceedingly anxious for the restora-
tiou OF the Government, and for the |
State to take her former position in the
Union, to have her Senators and Repre-
sentatiyes admitted into Congress, and |
10 enjoy all her fights, and to discharge
all her obligations as State under the
Constitution OF the United States as 1t
stands amended. He thinks the people
generally of his State are sufficiently sat
isfled with the experiment of war never
10 resort to that 'measure OF redress
again; whatever may be their abstract
opinions on the subject Of the right oil
secession, they have given up all IDEA
of a maintenance Of those opinions by
a resort to force; they have come to the
conclusion that it is better to appeal TO
the forums of reason and justice: to the
halls of legislation and the courts Tor
the preservation of the principles OF
constitutional liberty, than TO the arena
of arms.
The emancipation Of the slaves, he
says, is accepted in perfect good faith
and with disposition to do the best
that can be done in the new order OF
things. The negroes are generally at
work; their conduct is on the whole
much better than the most hopeful
looked for, and their leading desires are
now to be protected in their rights Of
person and property-to be dealt by
fairly and justly. The Legislature Of
Georgia has PASSED an act in relation to
the negroes as follows -
An Act to define the term persons Of
color" and to declare the rights or
such persons.
SECTION |. Be ii enacted, &c., That all
negroes, mulatoes, mestizoes and their
descendants, having one-eighth negroe or
African blood in their veins shall be
known in this State as persons OF
color"
SEC 2. Be It further enacted, &C., That
persons of color shall have the right to
make and enforce contracts, to sue, be
sued, to be parties and give evidence, to
inherit. to purchase, and to have full
and equal benefit of all laws and pro-
ceedings for the security of person and
estate and shall not be subject to any
other or different punishment, pain, OF
penalty for the commission Of any &C
or offence than such as are prescribed
for white persons committing like acts
or offences.
The Sd section simply repeats all con
f,icting laws. The bill was approved by
the Governor March II, 1866.
Nothing has been done yet by the pub
lie authorities for the education OF tn
blacks, but schools are being estab
lished in many parts of the State unde
the auspices of the Freedmen's Bureau
The general opinion Of the State is yer
much averse to extending the suffrage t
the negroes.
The most important part OF Mr.. Stept
ems testimony, however relates to Geo.
gias acceptance Of certain condition
precedent to her full restoration to pc
litical power in the Union. He gave
rs his opinion that the people Of Georgi
would neither consent to extend tt
suffrage to the blacks, on the one han
nor to exclude them from the basis Of re
resentation on the other, as a condit1c
of that States admission to represent
ton in Congress. He said on tn
point:
can only give my opinion; do n
think she would accept either as a co
dition precedent presented by Congress
for they do not believe that Congress h
the rightful power under the Constit
ton to prescribe such q condition
Georgia is a State in the Union, her pc
nile feel that she is entitled to represer
alton without conditions imposed
Congress, and if she is not a State
the Union, then she could not be adm
ted as an equal with the others If b
admission were trammeled with con,
tions that do not apply to all the RI
alike: general, universal suffrage amo
the colored people as they are M
would, by our people, be regarded
about as great a political evil as COT
befall them.
In answer to the question, "if
proposition were to extend the right
suffrage to those who could read a
those who had served in the I'm
armies, would that modification aft
the action of the State" he said;
think the people of the State wo
be unwilling to do more than they
for restoration; restricted or limi
suffrage would not be so ohjectiona
as general or universal, but it is a m
ter that belongs to the State to regula
the tquestion Of suffrage, whether .
versal or restricted, is one of State !
icy exclusively, as they believe; il
vidually, should not be opposed I
proper system Of restricted or limi