The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-04-17
Testimony cTI0u, 4. IL stephens Ga-
fore sno EGcSns1ruciion { G5IssEii1ise.
WAS HINGToN April IL

Hon A H Stephens vas before the
Reconstruction Committee on the 18th
inst He was Summarily examined BY
Mr Boutwell, as follows
Question--State your residence Au-
s1er--Crawfordsyille Ca
Questien--What means have You had
since Lees surrender to ascertain the
sentiments of the people of Georgia with
regard tn the Union Answer was at
home in Georgia at the time of the sur
render of General Lee. and remained
there till the 18th Of May, and during
that time conferred with the people IN
nv immediate neighborhood with the
Governor Of the State. ana with one or
two other leading OF prominent men IN
the State. from the 18th Of May until
nv return to Georgia which was on the
10th Of October had no means
of knowing any thing oE the public SEN
timent there except through the public
press aud such letters as received from
the time Of my return until left the
State on ny present visit here had
very extensive intercourse with The pGo-
pie, visiting Augusta aud visiting Mil
ledgeyille iuI,ng tie session OF the leg
islature first. at the assembling again in
January and on their raaSsembling, and
again, in the latter part Of July. While
there | conversed very freely and fully
with all the prominent leading men, or
most OF them IN the legislature. and
with great many Of the prominent and
influential men Of the State. not CON
nected with the legislature, and by let
ter from correspondence with those men
in the State whom have'not met be
lieve that embraces'a full answer to the
question as to my means Of ascertaining
the sentiment of the people OF the State
uron the subject stated in question
Ouestiou-As the result of you; OBJ
seryation. what is your opinion Of the
purposes of the people with reference to
tbe reconstruction Of the Government,
and what are their desires and main
tenance OF the Government ?, Answer
Nv opinion and decided opinion is that
an Overwhelming majority Of the people
of Georgia are 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
Representative admitted into Congress
to enjoy all her rights, and to discharge
all her obligations as State under the
constitution of the United States as It
stands amended
Ouestien--Wtat are their present
views converting the Justice Of the
rebellion Do they at present
believe Il to be reasonable and
proper undertaking or otherwise An
sver-My opinion Of the sentiment Of
the people of Georgia upon that subject
Is that the exercise Of the right Of seces
SION was resorted to by them from a de.
sire to render their liberties more secure
and beliefon their part that this vas
absolutely necessary Tor that object
Thev were divided upon the question Of
the policy Of the measure There vas
however but very little division among
them upon the question of the right Of
II II Is now their belief in my opinion
and give it merely as al opinion, that
the snrest. if not only, hope for their
liberties is the restoration Of the Consti
tutiou of the United States and of the
Government of the United States under
the Constitution
Ouesfion-Has there been any change
of opiuion as to the right OF secession, a:
a right in the people or in the State
Answer-I think there has been a very
decided change of opinion as to-the pol
icy of those who formed it, think the
people generally are satisfied sufficient!
With the experiment never 10 resort tc
thar measure of redress again By force
whatever NAV be their own abstractid
nsss upon that subject. They have give
I'D all idea of . maintenance OF thes'