The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-04-26

rebellion, and to quote from Mr.. Lincoln,
out OF their proper practical relations :"
with the Union. he thought consistent );
and on this hypothesis, the moment the re-
sistance to the Federal Government ceased,
the Southern States stood just where thoy
did when the war began, with all their
rights as States unimpaired, and their do
mestic or other relations, only changed in
such aspects as the amended Magma Char
ter designated t~a-. S..s ss~f .-sc5
Mr.. Stephens expressed his opinions
fully and freely on the subject Of
+-4vs RIGHTS OF NEGROES, >y
and held, in emphatic language, that their
civil rights should be precisely those of.
other people, with no separate and discrim-
mating codes or regulations. pe
Many of the Legislators Of Georgia had
sought his advice on ''black code" of laws
designating different, and in many in
stances, severer punishment for negroes
committing certain crimes, than that ap-
piled to whites-such as hanging for rape,
while the pcnitcntiary was only given the
white man guilty of similar offence. He
crime or devising penalty. That Legisla-
ture finally legalized negro testimony in
cases affecting their own race. This pro-
position he philosophically submitted to
his body servant, an intelligent negro, and
'Cufy was elated to think they had been
given superior advantages over their white
friends, claiming very naturally that the
negroes were not permitted to tell the
truth except where one Of their own race
was interested With Cuffy's logic Mr.
Stephens went back to the Legislature. and
in week, new, just and practical law
was enacted, admitting the testimony of all
persons, regardless of color, leaving, of
course, the crcdibility of the testimony to
be adjudged by the court. And Mr.. Ste
phens successfully urged upon his people
the necessity OF legalizing the negroes in
the enjoyment Of civil'rights possessed by
other persons. On the all absorbing sub
ject Of
SUFFRAGE.
Mr. Stephens holds that under our sys-
tenn of Government, each State HIS Ieserv-
ed the right to declare who shall exercise
the elective franchise and he does not
recognize suffrage rs a right pertaing to
citizenship, but granted privilege, Con-
gress, therefore, has no authority to confer
1t upon any class of persons, and should
not force SO odicus measure upon the
South. Ultimately, when the negro shall
have become intelligent and frugal, and in.
corr GRATED, by his possession of real estate,
into the body polite of the various States,
he thinks all of them will, if from no other
motive, from that of interest, grant the
privilege of suffrage to the blacks. He
elaborately unfolded to me some of
HIS PECULIAR IDEAS
in regard to suffrage aud representation,
and proposes plan which he thinks would
intercept the necessity of, and absolutely
prohibit the formation of large and corrupt
political organizations. Following up the
political reasoning of the ancient savant,
Aristotle, he would divide so.iety inte nu.
merous classes, representing every PROBES
sion, trade and interest. There should
then be basis of intelligence to start from,
and each interest of the studio, law, morals,
religion, mercantile, mechanical, agricultu.
raj, all, should be represented according to
its ratio OF adherents and wealth He
would restrict the suffrage Of the lower, g
norant and debased strata of soc ETY., to
check what excesses and mischief the in.
discriminate franchise of the rabble might
induce.