The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-03-06

SPEECH OF HON. A: II. STEPHENS

| Before the Georgia Legislature on the 22nd.
| This eminent man was invited by the Legisla-
ture of Georgia to address them On the state OF
! the country He did SO in a long and able
speecb. from which We make the following ex-
tracts as the most marked passages. After
counselling forbearance, he said:
| "Vhatever may be said of the loyalty or dis
LOYALTY of any in the late most lamentable con-
! fict of arms, think [ may venture safely to
saw that there was on the part of the great mass
of the people of Georgia, aud of the entire South,
no disloyaty to the principles of the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, to that system of rep
resentative government of delegated and limited
| mowers. that establishment in new phase on
this continent of all the essentials of England
| Magma Charta, for the protection and security
of life, liberty and property, with the additional
recognition of the principle, as fundamental
truth that all political power resides in the peo-
ple. With us it was simply question as to
where our allegiance was due in the maintenance
of these principles; which authority was para
mount on the last resort, State or Federal. AS
| for myself, can affirm that no sentiment of dis
! LOYALTY to these great principles of selfgovern-
ment, recognized and embodied in the Consti-
tuition of the United States, ever beat or throb-
| bed in breast or heart OF mine. To their main
teDanee my whole soul was ever enlisted, and to
this end my whole life has heretofore been de-
voted. and will continue to be the rest of my
/ days, God willing. In devotion to these princi-
plies yield to no man living. This much l can
say for myself. May I not say the same for
you and for the great mass of the people of Geor-
ga, and for the great mass of the people OF the
entire South !? Whatever differences existed
among US arise from differences to the best
and securest means of securing the great end
L,ahr IL - T. I
view and this purpose that secession vas tried
That has failed. Instead of lettering our con-
dition, instead of establishing our liberty upon
a surer foundation, we have in the war that en-
sued, come we'll nigh losing the whole of the
rich Inheritance with which we set out This
is one of the sad realizations Of the present"
have little hope for liberty, little hope for
the success of the great American experiment
of self-goverdment, but in the success of the
present efforts for the restoration Of the States
to their former practical relations in a common
Government under the Constitution of the Uni
ted States. X
But to proceed. Another one of our present
duties is this should accept the issues of the
acdr and abide by them IN good tdith This,
am fully persuaded, it is your purpose to do, as
we'll as that of your constituents The people
of Georgia have in convention revoked her ordi
nance Of 1861, which was intended to sever her
| from the compact Of Union of 1887 The Con-
stituion of the United States has been re-or-
dained as the organic law of our land. What
ever differences Of opinion heretofore existed as
to where our allegiance due during the late
state of things, none for any practical purpose
can exist now Whether Georgia, by the
tion Of her convention in 1861, was ever right
| fully out of the Union or not there can be no
question that she IS now in, so far depends
| upon her will, and deem the whole United
States therefore is now without question our
| country, to be cherished and defended such
by all our hearts and by all our arms The Con-
stitution of the United States, and the treaties
and laws made in pursuance thereof, now
acknowledged to be the paramount law in this
whole country. Whoever, therefore, is true to
these principles is now recognized as loyal, as
far as that term has an legitimate use or
force under our institutions. This is the only
kind of loyalty, and the only test of loyalty that
the Constitution itself requires. 10 any other
view, everything pertaining to restoration, so
| far as regards the great body of the people, in
| at least eleven States of the Union, is but max.
| ing promise to the ear to be broken to the
hope All therefore who accept the issue of
the war in good faith, and come up to the test
required by the Constitution, are now loyal, how
ever they may have heretofore been. x
| The relation heretofore, under our old system,
between the African and European races, no
longer exists Slavery, as it was called, or the
| status of the black race-their subordination to
the whites, upon which all our institutions rest
eds abolished for ever, not only in Georgia,
but throughout the limits Of the United States
| This change should be received and accepted as
an irrevocable fact 1t is bootless question
now to discuss whether the new system is bet
ter for both than the old one was or not.
That may be proper later for the philosophic
and philanthropc historian of some future lime
to inquire into, after the new system shall have
been fully and fairly tried. *
| could enjoin DO greater duty upon my coun-
trymen now, North and South than the exer-
else of that degree Of forbearance which would
enable them to conquer their prejudices. One
of the highest exhibitions of the general subject
the world ever witnessed was that Of Daniel
Webster, when n an open barouche, IN the
streets of Boston, he proclaimed in substance to
a vast sssemblagc of his constituents-unwilling
hearers-that they had conquered an uncouge-
NAL cline, they had conquered the winds and
elements of the ocean, they had conquered most
Of the elements of nature, but they must yet
learn to conquer their pre- udices. | know of
no more fitting incident or scene in the life of
that wonderful man, clnrus ct uir .torftssinaus,
for perpetuating the true greatness of his char
acter canvass or in marble, than represen-
tation ofhm as he then and there stood and spoke
Let it not be said of us in this day, not vet
passed, Of our country's trial and agony, that
there was party for Caesar, and party Cor
Pompey, and a party for Brutus, but no party
for Rome, but all patriots by whatever distinc.
tion heretofore styled. Rally 10 all elections,