The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-04-26
TESTIMONY OF HON. ALEX.
H. STEPHENS,
Before the Committee ON Re-
construction.
WAsniSoroS, April II. 1866.
sr. n Si,pheHs .Siro,a and Erumiusd

Mr.. ~ St'l'heHs SroH md h.rumi"ed,
~ NH boutwell,.
q State your residence ? A. Farm
ingdalc, Georgia.
q What means have you had since
Lees surrender to ASCERTAIN the soull.
mcuts Of the people Of Georgia with r..
gard TO the Union A. was5t home,
10 Georgia, at the time Of tho surrender
Of General Lee. aud remained there an.
Ill the 18th of May, aud during that
time conyefscd very freely with the pco.
pie in my immediate ncighborhood. with
the Governor # the State. and with pne
or two other leading Or prominent men
of the State. From the llih Of May
until my return To Georgia, which was
on the 9Th of October had no means
Of knowing anything Of the public sen
timcut there. except through the public
press, aud such lctcrs m ! received --
From the timc Of my return until left
the State ou my visit here | had very
extensive intercourse with the people
visiting Augusta, visiting Nilledgcyille
during the session nf the Legislature,
first on their assembling again in Jnnu.
airy, upon their rcasscmbins and gain
in the latter part Of February. While
there | copyerscd very freely aud fully
with all the prominent leading men, OF
most Of them In the Legislature, aud
met a great many Of the prominent, in.
Huental men Of the State, not connected
with the Legislature, and by letters
| from and correspondence with men IN
the State. whom have not met
q As the rcsultof your observations
what is your opinion Of the purposes OF
the people with reference 10 the recon.
siruction of the Government, aud what
are their desires and purposes concern
ing the maintenance Of the Govern.
menty A. My opinion, and decided
opinion is, that an overwhelming najo
| ity of the people Of Georgia, are exceed
ingly anxious for the restora ION Of the
| Government, aud for the State to take
her former position in the Union, Il
have her Senators and Representative
admitted into Congress, aud 10 enjoy
all her rights as State under the Con
stitution Of the United States as it stands
amended.
Q. What are their present views con
corning the justice Of the rebellion
Do they at present believe that it was I
reasonable and proper undertaking OF
otherwise ? A My opinion of the sen
timcut of the people Of Georgia on tha
subject is, that the exercise Of the righj
of secession was resorted to by then
from desire to render their liberties
and institutions more secure, and be
lief on their part that this was absolute
ly necessary for thatobject They wer'
divided upon the question of the policy
of the measure; there was, however
very little difference amongst them upor
the question of the right of it. 1t il
now their belief, in my opinion-and
give it merely as an opinion-that thu
surest, if not the only, hope for thei
liberties is the restoration of the Consti
tuition of the United States, and of thu
Government of the United States unde
the Constitution.
Q. Has there been any change o
opinion as to the right of secession as
right in the people or in the States r
A. / think there has been very deci
ded change of opinion as to the polio.
by those who favored it. | think tb
people generally are satisfied sufficient,
with the experiment never to resort 7