New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-04-17
Committee on the nth instant sworn and

o Wha, means have you had Lees surrender 10
asesTan he was at home in Georgia al the e Of
the surrender Of Gen Ice and remained there until the h
~ Nav and during time conferred with the people
immediate neghbOrhoodwh the Governor Of the State ard
with one other leading prominent IN The state
from the nth Of May until my return TO Geofga wheh was
or the Goth Of October had means Of knowing anything Of
The public sentiment there except through the public press aud
such letters as ieoeyed from the lime OF my return unt
len the my present visit here had very extensive
Intercourse with the people visiting Augusta and visiting
Mledgeyiue during the session OF tAe Legislature,
first their assembling, again In January their
reassembng and AGAIN in the latter part Of February
while there conyersed very freely and iuy VITA al the
prominent leading meu most Of them IN the Legislature
and met great many Of the prominent Influential men OF the
from correspondence with the the State whom have
not met believe that embraces full answer 70 the question
ascertainng the sentiments OF the people OF
that State upon the subject stated in the question.
a. As the result Of your observations what opinion OF
the purposes OF the people with reference 10 the
Of the Government and what their desires and purposes
concerning the maintenance Of the Government A My
opinion ana decided opinion that an ONeIuls haOy VI
ton Of The Goyelmnu ana o the state 70 taSe ner former
position the Union o. have her Senators ana Representa-
tvss admitted into Congress ana to enjoy all her rights and
discharge al her D. a safe under the COnstu
ton Of the United States it stands amended.
Q What their present views concerning the justice Of
the Rebellion DO c present believe that 10 rea-
sonabe o. proper uu ng otherwise A. Ny opinion
the sentiment of ho people Of Georgia upon that subject Is
that the exercise Of O. Secession resOed % by
them from desire % render then liberties more secure and
belief their part that this absolutely necessary for that
0-,ct upon the question Of the policy
the measure there was however but very Mite division
among upon the question OF the night OF IT. Is
their OflLlun anu III merely as an olhlNl
Of the Constitution OF the United states and of
Government OF ne United States under tie Constitution
O. Has there change OF opinion 70 the right Of
Secession right In the people or N the States a.
there has very decided change OF opinion TO the
policy OF those who favored ~ tulhk tue p'ope keHetai
are satisfied sufficiently with the experiment to resort
that OF redress again by force whatever may be
taeir own abstract IDEAS upon tat suec theY nave given
all idea of maintenance Of these opinions by resort 90
fOce they have t. the conclusion that IS better to
peal The Of and justice 90 the halls of leg
sation the for the preservation OF the principles Of
tied conviction that there not any idea cherished all in
toe public miad OF resortng again TO Seces
20 the the right of Secession-ha whole
policy Of The maintenance Of their rights M my opinion Is at
this time totally abandoned.
substantially TIC sawet A. cannot answer a. 10 that some
may have changed hor opinion IN this respect would be
pie 20 change convictions upon abstract truths prIncl
Pies have not heard this view Of the subject debated or
discussed recently aud wish % be understood as from ny
opinion only tat branch OF tie subject which OF Tact
cal character and importance.
To what do attribute the change OF opinion I'd 20 The
prOpcty Of attempting maintain their views by force
A. We'll Sir my opinion about That my understood opinion
mainly from the operation among themselves and
the the conflict from their authorities on their
individual rights aud property and from the general
breaking down of constitutional barriers which usually attend
all prutractel Wals.
your State what extent supported by the people
A. After the proclamation Of President Lincoln calling ont
rs 900 militia under the Circumstances issued and
bOckalnhe Southern ports and the suspension Of Che wit
Of haB,as corpus Southern termed received
that thew were very much divided the question Of the
policy OF Secession 6l -erwsrd they supported The
there were some exceptions exceeding half dozen
think the impression then prevailing that public liberty
zeal for constitutional fh they still differed much
o. Intimate object - b, attained ana the means 10 be usel
but these differences Yielded 90 Ae emergency OF tae appr
hended common danger.
ea I'm date than the proclamation for the - volunteers
A. Yes Sir ] o. people ytrl much divided
a. reti,n q, me ordnance of Secession hut that after
after
uport OF the causc exceptions the
So, bin ma, NOV, man olr dozen atnou rr acquaiut.
cause they differed also as % the end % be attained by
sustaining srme looked % an adjustment settlement Of
tine controversy upon basis that would their con
uiiona rglis Others looked to Southern separate nation
av as their ONLY object different
the ultimate objects did interfere with the general active
Was there popular vote upon the ordinance seces
sion A Only ara IL tie election Of delegates to the
The-c was no subsequent action, A No Sir the ord
nance Secession not submitted to popular vote after
O. Have ycu any opinion the vote it would have
csyel compared with The whole IL bad been submitted 20
The action of the people
Witness-Jo you after 1t adopted by the Conyea-
Nr Bon,we-Yos after it was adopted by the Convention
hal been submitted forthwith or wlin reasonable time
a. Taking the then state ~ things into consideration South
Caroins Florida ani Mississippi think hagns seeded my
opinion that majority o te people would nave Failhed ~
ad perhaps y tssGs OF sac s had ba saoed nsr s
Of people Of Georgia and perhaps very decided
beer neaAt SlClhs4o Ltl ttlAAAft uttH
submitted 70 them But as matters stood az me time u me
ordinance had been submitted 10 popular vote OF the Stale
would have been sustained That u 10y judgment aAi
Q Wat was the Gate ofthe Georgia ordnancei A. The
I'm OF sih think the I'th oi January l7o nous" a not
O. Tie question q Secession was involved in the election OF
delegate ~ that Convention was n not a. Yes Sf
q And there on the part Of candidates pretty gen
erai nvowal OF opinions, A. Very general 49,,
o. What result Of the election a far a. the Conven
fcn expressed opinion uion me question o. secession
think the minority was about thirty in The Convention an
Go. asu do - anp|Ia q
d In a Convention. OF bow many 4. IN O Convention
based upon the number Of Senators and Members Of Tie House
IN tho General Assembly Of the state the exact number do
suot recoec bui hnk near three hundred perhaps
Was there any difference in different parts the
in The strength Of the Union sentiment AZ that mei a. Ia
some Of the counties the Union sentiment was
riv revaeut. the cities towns and villages we're generally
Tor Secession aghoui State think with exceP
ons anSecesson sentiment more general III The
ura distrcts mountain portions OF the state vet
lie people OF some Of upper counties active and
decided Secessi0nsts there ra nothing IKE sectional d.
vision of the State al all for the delegates from
Floyd County which the City Of Rome situated in the
upper pOrton OF the state able and strong Tor Sc
eeson While County OF Jefferson down m the interior OF
the cotton belt Of the most prominent delegations for
the Union could designate Other particular counties III tha
WAY throughout showing that there not what
might be termed sectional or geographical division OF the
State the question
In what partiou ar did the people believe their consitu
ona endangered or Bssaed from the nion
a Mainly would say their internal social policy aud
their appiehension from the general consolidating tendencies
Of the doctrines and principles Of that p9lcal parry Wch
President Of United States Il was the serious aprehen
o0 hat il the Republican organization rs then constituted
hond succeed 20 power would lead ultimately to virtual
ubveson the Constitution Of the United Sate ana al ne
essential guarantees Of public liberty think that was the
sincere honest conviction Of the minds Of people those
io e soeess did app!ehend tlat any such result
wound necessarily follow the elections which had taken place
thew m toa that all their rights might be maintained IN
be Union the Constitution, especially as there were
naiecs Houses Of Congress who agreed with them
on COlsIl.Itogal questions. ,,,.,
q TO what allure Of their internal social policy di they
apbreLcnd daagcl A. Principally the su6ordinaton OF the
African race IS existed under their laws and Institutions
o. In what spirit lie emancipation OF the slaves received
hy the people Generally is accepted thinE 10 perfect
GOOD Fifth viii disposition 10 do the beet that can De
done ~ a. order Of things in this particular.