Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-18
HON. ALEX. HI. STEPHENS BEFORE
THE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE.
Arun Report OF his Testimony.

Y. State your residence? A. Charlottesville
Georgia.
Q. What means have you had since Lees sur
render 10 ascertain the sentiments of the peOpl
Of Georgia regarding the Union? A. l was a
home IN Georgla al the time of the surrender o
Gen. Lee, and remained there till the 18th of May
and during that time conferred with the people
in my immediate neighbOrhoed. and with the
Governor Of the State, and with one or two Other
leading and prominent men in the State. From
the llth of May until my return &c Georgia, which
was on the 18th Of October had no means Of
knowing anything of the public sentiment there
except through the public press and from such
From the time Of my return until | left on.my
present visit here, had very intimate intercourse
with the people, visiting Augusta, and visiting
Milledgeville during the session Of the Legisla-
ture, first their Assem- bling, and again in Janu-
airy, before their reassembllng, and again in the
latter part Of February. While there ] conyersed
very freely and fully with all the prominent and
leading men, or most of them, IN the Legislature,
and met great many Of the prominent and lead
ing men of the State not connected with the Leg
islature, and by letters and from correspondence
with the men whom i have met. / believe that
embraces full answer TO the question as to my
manner Of ascertaining the sentiments ofthe peo-
pie Of the State upon the subject stated in the
question.
o. As the result Of your observation. what is
your opinion Of the purposes of the people with
reference 10 the recOnstructiOn of the Govern
ment, and what are their desires and purposes
concerning the maintenance of the Government?
A. My opinion, and decided opinion is, that an
overwhelming majority Of the people of Georgia
exceedingly anxious for the restoration of the
Government and for the State to take her former
position in the Union, to have her Senators and
Representatives admitted into Congress, and en-
joy all her rights and TO discharge all her oblga
uons as State under the Constitution Of the Uni
ted States as il stands amended.
Mr.. Ainsworth-What are their present views
concerning the justice of the rebelliOn2 Do they
at present believe II was reasonable or proper
undertaking, or otherwise?
Mr. StpDhpns-MV onlniOn of the sentiment of
the people Of Georgia upon that subject is that
the exercise Of the right of secession resOrted
to by them from desire to render their liberties
more secure, and belief on their part that this
was absolutely necessary for that object They
were divided upon the question of the policy of
the measures. There was, however, but very lit
tie division among them upon the question of the
right Of it. 1t is now their belief, in my opinion,
land L give it merely as an opinion.) that the
surest, if not the only hope of their liberties, is
the restoration of the Constitution of the United
States and of the Government of the United States
under he Constitution.
Q. Has there been any change of opinion as to
the right of secession, as right, in the people
A. think there has been a very decided
change of opinion as TO the policy of those who
favored il. | think the people generally are sat
ished sufficiently with the experiment never to
resort to that measure of redress by force, what
ever may be their own abstract ideas on the sub
ject; they have given up all ideas of n mainte-
nance of the opinion by a resort to force; they
have come TO the conclusion that it is better to
appeal TO the forms of reason and justice, to the
halls Of legislation and the courts, for the pres
orvation of the principles Of constitutional au-
thority, than to the arena of arms. 1t is my set
tied conviction there is not any idea cherished at
all in the public mind of Georgia of ever resOrting
again TO secession or to the exercise of the right
ofsecession. That whole policy of the mainte
of their right in my opinion, is at this time
totally abandoned.
Q. But the opinion as to right as l understand
means substantially the same?
A I rs 10 tboF. hos,
changed their opinion on the subject. 1t would
be an unusual thing as well as difficult matter
for whole people to change their convictions
upon abstract truths or principles. / have not
heard this view of the subject debated or dis
cussed recently, and l wish to be understood as
giving my opinion only on that branch of the sub
jet which is Of practical character and i'm
pOrtance.
O. What do you attribute thechange of opinion
as to the propriety Of attempting TO maintain
these views by force.
A. Well, sir, my opinion about that, my undi-
vided opinion derived frem observation, is that
change of opinion arose mainly from the opera
tiOns of war among themselves and the results of
the conflict among their own authorities in their
rights Of person and property, and
from IA general breaking down OEthe cOnstitu-
tional barriers which usually attend all protraced
wars.
q. In 1861, when the ordinance of secession was
adopted in Georgia, to what extent was it sup
ported by the people.
A. After the proclamation of President Lincoln
calling out iOUUU militia, unQer the circumstances
in view of which itswas Issued. and the blockade
Of Southern ports, and the suspension of the writ
Of hdbeds corpus, the Southern cause, as it was
termed, received almost the unanimous support
Of the people Of Georgia. Before that they were
very much divided on the question of the policy
Of secession; but afterwards they supported the
cause. The impression which then prevailed was
that public liberty was endangered. They sup
ported the cause because of the zeal for COnstitu
iOnal rights. They still differed very much as to
the ultimate object to be obtained and the means
10 be used but these differences yielded to the
of apprehended common danger.
q. Was not the ordinance of secession adopted
in Georgia earlier in date than that of the pro-
,lamatiOn for rs, 900 volunteers.
A. Yes sir. | stated that the people were very
much divided on the question of the ordinance of
secession, but that after the proclamation they
became almost unanimous in support of the cause.
There were some few exceptions in the State; |
think not more than half dozen among my ac-
luaintances. As | said while they were thus al
most unanimous IN support of the cause; they diff
ered also as to the end to be attained by sustain
ing 10. Some looked to the adjustment or settle
nent of the cOntrOver upon any basis that would
secure to them their constitutional rights. Others
OOked to Southern separation really as their
only object and hope. These different views as to
the ultimate objects did not interfere with the
general active support of the cause
U. Was there popular vote upon the ordinance
Of SECESSION A. Only so far as in the election of
delegates to the Convention.
q. There was no subsequent action? A. No. sir;
he ordinance of secession was not submitted to
he popular vote afterward
z. Have you any opinion rs TO the vote II would
nave received as compared with the whole, if
t had been submitted to the free action of the
people?
Wimcss-DO you mean after it was adopted by
he Convention?
Mr.. Boutwell,. Yes, after its adoption by the
if it had been submitted forthwith,
n within reasonable time?
A. Taking the then state of things into cOnsid-
grafton, South Carolina, Florida and Mississippi,
think, having seeded my opinion is that a ma
Orty of the people would have ratified it, and
perhaps by n decided or large majority: Ii. how
3vcr, South Carolina and the other States had not
adopted the ordinances Of secession, | am very
we'll satisfied that majority of the people of
ieorgia, and perhaps very decided majority,
would have been against secession if the Ordi-
nance had been submitted TO them; but as matters
food at the time, had the ordinance been sub
nitted TO popular vote, 1t would have been sus-
aimed: that smy judgment about the matter.
z. What was the date of the Georgia ordinance?
4. The 18th or 18th, think the 18TH Of anuaTy
SCI, though | am not cetrain.
q. The question of secession was involved in
he election of DELEGATE to that Convention, was
{ not2 A. Yes, sir.
q. And was there. on the part of the candi-
lates, pretty general ayowal of opinions? A.
cry general.
q. What was the result of the election. so sar as
he Convention expressed any opinion upon the
question Of secession A. The majority was
bout thirty in the Convention in favor of seces-
ion. | do not remember the exact vote.
q. In Convention Of how many? A. In a
Convention based upon the number of Senators
lnd members of the House in the General Assem-.
by of the State. The exact number | do not re-
Olect, but think it was 3O0-perhaps few over
q. Was there any difference in different parts
Il the State on the strength of the Union senti-
nent at that time2 A. In some of the noun
ain counties the Union sentiment was generally
prevalent. The cities, towns and villages were
generally for secession throughout the State. |
hink, with some exceptions, secession was less
General in the rural districts and in the mountains
# the State; yet, the people of some Of the upper
COUNTIES were active and decided seceSSionstS
There was nothing like sectional division of the
state at all. For instance, the delegates from
Floyd county in which the city of Rome is in the
lppcr portion of the State. was an able one and
trGng for secession; while thecounty of Jefferson,
Town In the interior Of the cotton belt sent one Of
most prominent delegations for the Union. /
'uuld designate other particular counties in that
way throughout the State, showing that there was
iot what might be termed sectional geographi-
,al division of the State on the question.
O. State whether. from your observation, the
events Of the war have produced any change of
he public mind of the State in relation to the
Constitution of the United States? A. That ques-
ion | answered in part yesterday. While / cant
,ay. from personal knowledge, TO what extent the
opinions of the southern States upon the abstract
question Of the reserved rights of States may
have changed. my decided opinion is that very
thorough change has taken place upon the prac-
zeal policy OF resorting TO any such rights.
q. What events or experience of war have con-
ributed TO this changer A, First, the people are
atisGed that resort to the exercise of this right
while it is denied by the Federal Government
will lead 10 war. which many thought before the
ate attempted secession would not be the ease.
They are also now very well satisfied that civil
wars are dangerous TO liberty; and, moreover.
heir experience in the late war think, has sat
sfed them that it greatly ENDANGERED their own.
allude especially 20 the suspension Of the writ
IF h05cds corpus ami the military cOnscripticn,
he proclamation Of martial law IN various places,
general impreSsments. and the leyying Of forced
well as the very demoralizing
Effects Of war generally.