The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-03-02
ALEX STEPHENS, ADDRESS

The late Vice President of the moribund
Southern Confederacy delivered an address
on the 22d before the Georgia Legislature.
We make some extracts
Our only alternative now is either to give
up all hope Of constitutional liberty, or to re-
tract our steps, and to work for its vindica-
ton and maintenace in the forums of reason
and justice, instead of the arena of arms-in
the courts and halls of legislation, instead OF
on the field of battle. / am frank and candid
in telling you, right here, that our surest
hopes, in my judgement, for these ends, are
in the restoration policy of the President of
the United States. | have little hope for lib
/ erty-lttle hope for the success of the great
American experiment of free government,
but in the success of the present efforts for
restoration of the States TO their form er prae-
teal relations in a common government under
the Constitution of the United States.
He appeals to North and South to conquer
prejudice. He counsels just legislation and
the absence of an unjust spirit toward the late
slaves.
He says:
To them we owe a debt of gratitude, as
well as acts of kindness. This should also be
done because they are poor, untutored, unin-
formed, many of them helpless liable to be
imposed upon and need it. Legislation should
ever look to the protection of the weak against
the strong. Whatever may be said Of the
equality of races, or their natural capacity to
become equal. no one can doubt that at the
time this race among us is not equal to the
Caucasian. This inequality does not lessen
the moral Obligations on the part of the su-
peror to the inferior, it rather increases
them.
What further advancement thew NAV make
or to what standard they may attain, under a
different system Of laws every wav suitable
and wisely applicable to their changed condi
ton, time alone can disclose. | speak of
them as we now know them TO be, having no
longer the protection Of a master. or legal
guardian. they now need all the protection
which the shield Of the law can give.
Ofthe Souths duty toward the freedmen,
be says:
All obstacles, if there be any, should be re-
moved, which can possibly hinder or retard
the improvement of the blacks to the extent
Of their capacity. All proper aid should be
given to their own efforts. Channels Of edu-
cation should be opened up to them. Schools
and the usual means Of moral and intellectual
training should be encouraged among them.
This is the dictate, not only of what is right
and proper and Just in itself, but it is also the
promptings of the highest considerations Of
interest.
He finds grounds for hopefulness from the
Southern stand point in the situation. He
thinks it is in Johnson policy to the support
of which he counsels the ohiyalry:
But let all patriots by whatever distinctive
name heretofore styled, rally in all elections
everywhere to the support of him, be he who
he NAV, who bears the standard with Con
stitutional Union emblazoned on its folds
President Johnson is now, IN my judgment,
the chief great Standard bearer of these prin-
ciples, and in his effort at restoration should
receive the cordial support of every we'll
wisher of his country.
With their soil and natural advantages, he
thinks the Southerners, by displaying proper
energies and virtues, can regain and surpass
their former prosperity and become great,
free and happy people. He hopes the old
harmony and union of the States shall be re-
stored, and he foresees glorious future.
Otherwise he says:
But If, instead of all this, the passions of
the day shall continue to bear sway, if preju-
dice shall rule the hour, if conflict of races
shall arise, if ambition shall turn the scale. if
the sword shall be thrown into the balance
against patriotism. if the embers of the late
war shall be kept aglowiug until with new
fuel they shall flame up agaiu, then our
present gloom is but the shadow, the penum-
bra of that deeper and darker eclipse which
is to totally obscure this hemisphere and
blight forever the anxious anticipations and
expectations Of mankind,