The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-05-03


any individual, bnt they will not ena-
ble you to judge of the condition Of the
State Of Georgia SO well as from her
own representatives to be heard in your
public councils in her own behalf; my
judgrncnt, therefore, is very decided
that it would have been better, as soon
as the lamentable conflict was over,
when the people of the South abandon
ed their cause and agreed to accept the
issue, desiring as they do, to resume
their places and to look to the halls Of
Congress and the courts for the protec,
ton Of their rights in the Union--it
would have been better to have allowed
that result to follow under the policy
adopted by the administration than to
delay it or hinder it by propositions to
amend the Constitution in respect to
suffrage or any other new matter. |
think the people of all the Southern
States, would, in the halls OF Congress,
discuss these questions calmly and de.
libcrately, and if they did not show that
the views they entertained were just and
proper, such as to control the judg-
ment of the people Of the other sections
and States, they would quietly, patient
ly, and patriotlcally yield to whatever
should be cOnstitutionally determined in
common council but I think they feel
very sensitively the offer to them of
propositions to accept while they are
denied all voice in the common council
of the Union under the Constitution in
the discussion of these propositions. I
think they feel very sensitively that
they are denied the right to be heard,
and while, as l have said, they might
differ among themselves in many points
in regard to suffrage, they would not
differ upon the question Of doing any
thing further as condition precedent
to the restoration and in respect to the
alternate conditions to be so represented,
do not think they would accept the
one or the other. My individual gen.
eral views as to the proper course to be
pursued ill respect to the colored peo,
pie are expressed in a speech made be.
fore the Georgia Legislature, referred to
in my letter to Senator Stewart that
was the proper forum, as | conceive, in
which to discuss this subject; and
think great deal depends in the ad
vaucement of civilization and progres:
looking to the benefit of all classes tina
these questions should be considered anC
kept before the proper forum.
Q. Suppose the States that are rep
resented in Congress, and Congress
} should be the opinion that Georgi,
should not be permitted to take its plac,
in the government Of the country ex
cept upon its assent to one or the othe
of the two propositions, is it then you
opinion that under such Circumstance
Georgia ought to decline
3 Witness-You mean the States nov
S represented, and these only?
= Mr. Boutwell-Yes.
. Wituess-You mean by Congress-
/ Congress as it is now constituted, wit
A the other eleven States excluded ?
e Mr.. Boutwell, do.
Witness-And you mean the sam
n alternative propositions to be apple
e to all the eleven States as conditions pr
G cedent to their restoration?
l. Mr.. Boutwell, do
al a. Then think she ought to d
l. cline under the circumstances, and f
70 the reason stated, and so ought Il
st whole eleven. Should such an offer
e. made and declined, and these Stat
n should thus continue to be e
n, cluded and kept out, singular spect
y Gle would be presented; a complete !
al versa of position would be presente
" In 1861 these States thought tn
en- could not remain safely in the Uni
SO without new guarantees; and now VIII
W. they agree to resume their former pr
IS tical relations in the Union, under t
us Constitution as it is, the other Sta
ey turn upon them and say they canr
lat permit them to do so safely to their
g terest without new guarantees on tn
to part. The Southern States would Il
re- present themselves as willingly for
IN mediate union under the CONSTITUTE
while it would be the Northern Sta
we opposed to it, The former disunion
on would thereby become unionists, and
Wy former uniOnists practical disuuionist