The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-11-26
Interesting Correspondence between
a Member Of the Alabama SEN
ate and the Editor Of the
Philadelphia Press.
"suppose the Amendment TO be
Adopted by Alabama, VIII ANY,
thing Else be Required by
Congress from that
Slater"
THE QUESTION PUT AND
ANSWERED,
TuscALoosA. Ala, Oct. 27, 1866.
Colonel John W. Foraeg'
DEAR SrR-Being a Senator in the


DIAN SrR-Being Senator in the
Alabama Legislature, ana q course
viii have to act on the amepdImesnts
10 Che Constitution ot the United
States as proposed by Congress- at
fbe last session, notwithstanding the
fact ihat / differ with you aud those
with whom yOu act, On almost every
MONT involved In the controversy
md partienlArly on the point WHICH
seems to be the basis oi your action
and policy, viz, the general DISPOSE
ton Of the Southern people toward
the United States Government, never
theless / suppose | may take the lib
erty of respectfully addressing few
inquiries to you on the subject OF that
amendment, and especially as to what
effect its adoption will have upon the
status of the present excluded States
with regard to the Government.
Suppose the amendment TO be
adopted by our State, what else, if
anything, will be required by the Fed
eral Government in order that the
people Of the State should be restored
to all their rights under the Constitu-
tion2 To you this inquiry may seem
useless, and You may reply that the
amendment itself explains all
things connected with it, but such
is not the view entertained on
the subject in this country; and
many are led to fear that after that
should be done we would be no nearer
restoration than we are al present;
and they predicate their fears upon
what has already taken place, In the
first place, it was suggested from
Washington that we should abolish
slavery by an ordinance of the con
vention. That was done promptly.
Then came the demand that the rebel
debt should BIO repudiated. That was
complied with. Next the Legislature
was required to adopt the amendment
abolishing slavery in the United
States aud giving the freedmen the
civil rights of citizens in the courts,
in all cases in which they were inter
ssfntd done In 's good iaRiRgs we're DONE
thepeople or the Legislature were-in.
-ehuse It was me best course TO adopt
under the circumstances then exist
ing, in order to an early resumption
OF the civil functions Of the Govern
ment; but after all these things had
been done we found ourselves Just as
far from the desired object as when
we commenced, and the fear is now
extensively entertained that the same
result will follow the adoption Of the
amendment now proposed, and it is
on this point that many ROW desire
reliable information.
May / ask it of you if you can fur
nish it? And if you can, will you be
kind enough to do SO in a letter adj
dressed TO me at Montgomery, Ala
bama, as | shall be there before I
could get letter at this point2 And
IT you should answer this, please state
whether or not | may make il public
and allow me to assure you that ad-
dress you alone for the purpose OF
getting information to be used before
the Legislature, should il become
necessary. """ hhH
Ii may. not be out of place for me
20 state here that / was not among
those who thought that any exist
ing evil could be reDae3ieI by Sc
cession, but that | was one',who
opposed such sentiments until the
very moment of the conflict: but / am
not now acting in regard to anything
that has been done, but with a view
to what is best for all the people for |
the future. yH 5a.e- 1T
r Will you have the kindness 10 at-
tend TO this as before requested? nv
doing which you will much oblice
yours, &C., II. A. POWELL.