The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-04-26
RECONSTRUCTION.
TESTIMONY OF HON. ALEX. H. STEPHENS
BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN.
The Truth Plainly Told


Alex. II. Stephens sworn and exam.
ined by Mr.. Boutwell,.
Question. State your residence. An.
swcr. Charlottesville, Georgia.
Q. What means have you had since
Lees surrender to ascertain the senti-
ments of the people of Georgia with re.
gard to the Union? A. [ was at
home in Georgia at the time of the sur
render of General Lee aud remained
there until the llth of May, and during
that time conferred very freely with the
people in my immediate neighborhood,
with the Governor of the State, and
with one or two other leading or promi-
nent men in the State. From the | 11th
of May until my return to Georgia,
which was the 25th of October, I had
no means of knowing anything Of the
public sentiment than except through
the public press and such letters as I
received. From the time of my return
until l left the State on my present Wis
it here l had very extensive intercourse
with the people visiting Augusta, visi-
ting Milledgeville during the session of
the Legislature, first on their assem-
bling, and again in January upon their
re-assembling, and again in the latter
part of February, all the prominent
leading men or most Of them in the Le-
gislature, and met great many of the
prominent influential men OF the State
not connected with the Legislature, and
by letters from and correspondence with
men in the State, with whom have not
met I believe. This embraces a full
answer to the question as to my means
of ascertaining the sentiment Of the
people of that State upon the subject
stated in the question.
O. As the result of your observation,
what is your opinion the purposes of
the people with reference to the recon-
struction of the government, and what
are their desires and purposes concern.
ing the maintenance of the government?
A. Ny opinion-and decided opinion
is that an overwhelming majority of the
people Of Georgia are exceedingly anx-
ious for the reconstruction of the gov
ernment, and for the State to take her
former position in the Union, to have
her Senators and Representatives ad-
mitted into Congress, and to enjoy all
her rights and discharge all her obliga-
tions as a State under the Constitution
of the United States as it stands amen.
ded.
@. What are their present views con.
cerning the justice of the rebellion ? do
they at present believe that it was a
reasonable and proper undertaking or
otherwise A. My opinion of the sen.
timent of the people of Georgia upon
that subject is that the exercise Of the
right of secession was resorted to by
them from a desire to render their lib.
critics and institutions more secure, and
a belief on their part that this was abso-
lutely necessary for that object. They
were divided upon the question of the
policy of the measure there was, how.
ever, but very little division among them
upon the question of the right of it. II
is now their belief, in my opinion, and ]
give it merely as an opinion, that the
surest if not the only hope for their lib
, critics is the restoration Of the Constitu
ton of the United States and of the
government Of the United States under
the Constitution.
O. Has there been any change o.
opinion as to the right of secession as E
right in the people or in the States
! A. think there has been very deci
ded change ofopinion as to the policy
by those who favored it; l think the
people generally are satisfied sufficiently
with the experiment never to resort tC
that measure of redress again by force
whatever may be their own abstract
ideas upon that subject, they have Civ
en- up all idea of maintenance of these
opinions by 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, for the preservation of the
principles of constitutional liberty than
to the arena of arms it is my settled
conviction that there is not any iGea at
all cherished in the public mind OF
Georgia of ever resorting again to Sc
cession or to the exercise Of the right OF
secession by force; that whole policy
of the maintenance of their rights, in
my opinion, is at this time totally aband-
oned.
| Q. But the opinion as the right, as /
understand, remains substantially the
same A. l cannot answer as to that
some may have changed their opinion
in this respect it would be an unusual
thing as we'll as difficult matter for a
whole people to change their convic,
, tions upon abstract truths or principles
l have not heard this vein of the sub
; iect debated or discussed recently, and
: / wish to be understood as giving my
opinion only on that branch of the sub
ject which is of practical character ant
f. importance