, 1866-08-15
CUSTER On CUSTER.

CUSTER On CUSTER. tss
testimony Of Delegate to the +
Copperjohnson Convention. i
e
What he Thinks Of Southern Loyalty.
Major General Custer, one of the Michigan 4
delegates to the Philadelphia Convention, e
upon Ills return from the South, where he =
had been stationed since the war, thus tes- q
titled last winter before the Reconstruction =
Committee Of Congress i
WAsu1ssrox, March 1s, 1866. +
Major General George a. Custer swozn and ex- =
b Nj. Williams: .-
cue:tion.Es,atc XhetheE gou bare been in an.y :
what pat and il vhal cspacitJ
Answer.--I hsve been In Te1as and Western
Loriktara, In command Of cavalry.
Q.-.state ftom your oWa personal knowledge
ard f1ura Euch information as you have received
@ sPe I'd aiapozion q he 5eope 'Re n 4es n
regard to Tie power and authority Of the United
i. / do not regard the disposition Of the ms
3s Sat = i d a4sndiy: T. 1:e sasis ~ So5ds,
Ia; il is fFon desire q obtafr ihe bensdis 81
ne ~ .pppo 0e The 1T 1ssas s & Is tse people
there Toward lie Government fs fas more hosiile
snd antsgoniftie than Il vas ts,ss M e IL months
denied :as erercise Of tleir former power. ThsS
ca Governnent u net permitting them 10 scoeenPy
those pisces IN Congress which thr1 voluntarily
eea1se ,bes hase seen shttns during lie pat Ire
Q.--What would be The condition Of the loyal i
tection now afforded weze Withdrawn from The |
|
sq1f Z q ss i / s9s poaea ea
visited. afaer the troops were Withdrawn.
sss % an d; :e :y assR HssRf i dss ssss s
t!oops remain. or anxious to have them with
A-Ihey are ve,5 anxious 10 hare them With
ior ,h-lo. i ~ Necessity ever eSisted, .nd hat
Esep e npan e s5 ss
9te e sI7y 81 5ss Is m @ has been
Q.-State. Is fully as you are abss, what were
people of Tens toward he general Goysianeat
{our opinion as 10 thc reason Of that change.
bs leg suhe & e sses Bsss d
r or unknown, the most Submissive feeling vas
q seas ases 1ss
tod. ttat hey Ind iosieied every light even that
mcnt a. nsgnaEimons il isc extreme, and far
, more generous than thcT had reason 10 expect.
&c ss Taa. aas % ssTs Z e. Be
t6sy esses s
: ten of proysneisl gose1nn,ents which hsd been
eetsblished ia he senth were opposed to The ioea-
q ihs r
:, And this feeling continued to grow and manifest
g s Ssy b g. and h1K o9s9 '9es L
openly ytetbae and PLAINLY aaanest Eow Is II
ssiSa boss =; 10 ss!y e.: e sss 81 &
es.e ,hat thes DO rot regard 4 Us binding, bn'
r maintain for come unknown reasou. th.t the oath
With yiew q obtaining protection qndeE il:
lenient policy which has been pursued toward tne
rcbels as been beneficial TO that country, oEotaer
An my opinion It has been very detrimental
entire eopnts5 sn NOR lFasaiatsly e. 70 e :he II
ss d. FSs Sc peops e
re committed b engaging IN rebellion, md they q
sf sy ss hs ss seaE aRs
- themselves, thai ] have no doubt, bad they 3
PGnss sy eqs 9sseoa hia the 10
:ts H.-Mhat DO the people desire there as to u
mcnft Do tley expect or desire the reception s
m their Senators and Rep, into Congress
Y marked Upon s tsa' ques,ieb. @ The en,f dislay:
m .he Stale should be Immediately restored / to !
le- should bs represented + Congress aaa q I
bic ether branches Of the Goyesnmcnt; while I
fons that the General Government should conttnl
aI I to maintain it's present control over the State
Ibis .hey only safety in which optnit
Q.-What, ii your Judgment, would have be
,o re H. of 4no1 tts
hs tie r. military H. q s 1er
8 a that thc strength 81 he loyal party would b
vi .ee the Ray
or oa IL course of time, t1sason would havc become
pas popular, and traitors would moi Be chosen as of
Ios1iig at he soath Is hss Sseo@e b71wold AM
the repEoach 70 those who have the courage to p
Il tS:sappose an opportunity was offered to e,;s 2
,ize %sr g sea eapPo,,e they would prefer to stay
The Al think ihsy would prefer to 50 out ,z,..
P5g ri e dc
ing into whose hands 1ou]d The political power OF
nd eoan MMH Would be- at once transferred into
A. hands Of the most prominent rebels. OF the tn
LIE Of this Jdo MT tntfrtGin doubt
Inc % il as ct
parts OF the South as 10 which yon hare testidt
lien Al do not regard tho people IN that portto:
let me ~ ~ ,sr;f. nrone1 70 Il
" OF feeling 10 berestose1 to their former rights
privileges under the General GoFernInent- A
sum do not hi=E tleT uayc been sufficiently tausat
and enoE1nliy Of the crime they have comr
ted hy 1ebellug against the Gorern1n'
mt think the Government onght 10 m:
,an ~ iain control OF those States that u
in rebellion uutsl 1t thoroughly satisfied to:
tnt loyal sentiment prevails in at least minority
/ By the inhabitauts-thnt ce1tain1y docs not e;
ch q | now: and when allowed representation, hone
loyal men should be admitted as Representative
rtha Flsc yeass sso the Southern people volnnta
lied abandoned tsis rights and privileges q state
Ia The Union, and with thcs rights and pt1vf!e
AooS they forfeited their share 10 the General GOV
a1nE ment. uavfny wsged bloody and deterni
door war for four years to carry out their 1es
oom | against the Government and having failed n|
had tic present time to manifest renftent spirit
an. The great crime committed against the nattoI
~ ! 10 siye a proper and enfdcient guarantee Of II
III good cpnduct, cannot but give It as ny opt.
ap- That lust regard for our NATIONAL safely IN
tho to come, onr obligations to foster md encou
ood, shroushout The Southern States proper 1e::
bu and ajet1iou for the natioEal authority a5 Te
to give Eupport to those who arc and have
ho,, | loyal, fmperntisely demand tha. the GOVERN
estP, should maintain its present control Of ne y
ooly lately in rebellion Until Satisfied t1at they
the without detimeut. be 1nt1ussed with thesf fo
oung | rights nud prtrleGes-