Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1866-04-19


e afterwards
: @ Have you any opinion as TO the
4 vote il would have received as compared
e with the whole ifit had been submitted
= 10 the free action Of the people2 WIT
3 ness-Nc: DO YOU mean after u was
: adopted by the Convenu0n2
Mr. Boutwell, Yes; afterits adoption
: by the convention, il it had been sub
, mitted forthwith or within a reasonable
time. A. Taking the new state Of
i. things into consideration, South Caro-
% lima, Florida and Mississippi I think
having seceied, my opinion is that a
majority of the people would have rati-
. fed it, and, perhaps, decided it by a
Iarge majority. II, however, South Car
I olaa and the other States had not
adopted their ordinances Of secession,
sm very we'll satisfied that majority OF
the people Of Georgia, and perhaps, 8
very decided majority, would have been
against secession, If the ordinance had
{ been submitted to Them; but as matters
stood st that Jlme, had the ordinance
been submitted % a popular vote, II
would have been sustained that IS my
Judgment and opinion about that matter
q. What was the date Of the Georgia
OrdinauCe-was it the 18th OF 18th? A.
I think the i9tb of January, 1851, though
am not certain.
q. The question of secession was in
volyed In the election Of delegates TO that
convention, was il nOt2 4. Yes, sir.
q. And was there, N the part Of the
/ COniederatss, pretty general avowai Of
opinions? A. Very general.
I Q. What was the result OF the election
I as far as the convention expressed any
! opinion upon the question Of secession
. A. think the majority was about thirty
I in the convention in favor of secession.
/ I do not recollect the exact vote.
Q. In a convention Of now many2 A.
\ In a convention based upon the number
. Of senators and members of the house in
in the General Assembly Of tha State.
4 The exact number ] don't recoilect, but
think Il was near three hundred; per-
/ maps few over OF under.
4 @. Was there any difference in the
! different parts Of the State in the strength
I of the Union sentiments at that time A.
I In some Of the mountain counties the
Union sentiment was generally preva-
lent. The cities, towns and villages
I were generally for secession throughout
/ ihe state, I think, with some exceptions.
/ The anti-seeession sentiment was more
+ general in rural districts and in the noun
/ tain portions of the state. Yet the peO-
/ pie OF some Of the upper countries were
7 fE- l-aAahr anu NFA-AAAAA 11fI.1l7aA'AAas'tls
/ There was nothing like a sectional divis-
/ ion Of the State at all. For instance, the
/ delegation from Floyd county, in which
! the city of Rome is situated. in the upper
. portion OF the state, was an aOle one and
4 strong for secession, while the county Of
/ Jefferson, in the interior Of the cotton
belt, sent one Of the most prominent del
erations for the Union. I could desig
nate other particular counties in that
way throughout the State, showing that
there was not what might be termed
/ sectional or geographical division OF the
State on the question.
@. In what particular did the people
believe their constitutional liberties We're I
endangered or assailed from the Union ,
a. I would say in their internal social I
policy and their apprehension iIOm the
general consolidating tendencies Of the 1
doctrines and principles of that political ,
party which had recently succeeded IN .
the choice OF a President and Nlce-Pres- /
!dent Of the United States. lt was the
serious sDprapensiOn that If the EepUb- .
liCan organization IS then constituted I
should succeed 10 power, II would .
lead ultimately TO a virtual SUBJ
version Of the Constitution Of the
United States and al its essen
nal guarantees Of public liberty. Think
ALLGA FaE Tie 1l1lLEAE Ll4AA11A AAlAA D 4Nas4AAA .
of the minds of our people. Those who
uDnoged seression did not apprehend that
anv such result would necessarily follow
the elections which had taken place.
They still thought all their rights might
be maintained in the Union and under
the Constitution, especially as there were
maiUrities iu both Houses OF Congress
who agreed with them on constitutional
questions.
@. In what feature OF their internal
social policy did they appreheud danger
A. Principally the sub0ruinaiCn Of the
African race, az lt existed under their
laws and Institutions.
@ in what spirit is th6 emancipation
of the slaves received by the people? 4. /
Generally il is accepted, 7 think, in per-
feet good faith, and with a disposition to
do the best that can be done in the new
order Of things IN this particular,
q. What az present are the relations
suhsistiug between white and black peo-
pie. especially in the relation Of em-
piCver and employed? A. Quite as good
as ia any part of The world rhat I have
been iu between like cases Of employer
and EMPLOYEES and condition Of things
ian his respect. On nay return last fsii
60 was very different rom what IL was
when ] left home for my present visit
here. During the fall and up % the close
of the year there was general opinion
prevailing among the colOreu people that
at Christmas there wouid be a division Of
The lands and very general indispo=iion
on their part 70 make contracts at all
for the present year. Indeed there were
very few contracts, i think, made through
out the State uuuI after Christmas or
about the first of May. Gen. Wilson,
who is at the head Of the Bureau in the
State, and whose administration has
given general satisfaction to our people,
I think was very active in disabusing
the minds Of col0red people from their
own views in this particular. lie visited
quite q mum Der Of places, and addressed
large audiences Of cuioTed people, and
when they became satisfied they We're
lab0ring under e mistake I'm anticipating
% division Of lands after Christmas and
first Of January, they made contracts
very readily generally, and since then
affairs, in the main, have moved on quite
smoothly and quietly.
q, Are the negroes generally at work?
A. Yes, they are generally at work;
there are some iale, but this class const-
tute but a small portion.
@. What upon the whole is their con-
duet under the circumstances which they
have been placed in2 A. As a whole,
much better than the most hopeful
looked for.
Q. As far as YOU know, what are the
leading objects and desires Of the negroes
at the present time in reference to them
selves A. II is 10 be protected in their
rights OF person and property to be dealt
by fairly and justly.
q. What, if anything, has been done
by the Legislature Of Georgia for the ac-
oompiishmeut Of these Objects a. The
Legislature has passed an act of which
the following is copy;
No. % An act 10 defend The time for pst sons
OF color and 20 declare the rights or such
persons
SECTION I. Be teaacfed, ETC., That all
negroes, mUiattoes, mestizCes and their
descendants, having one-eighth African
blood IN their veins, shall be known in
this State as persons Of color.
Sec. . Be L J'rtblr enacted, That
persons OF color shall have the right to
make and enforce contracts, to sue and
to be sued, TO be parties and give evil
dence, 10 inherit, 70 be parties, and to
have fuil and equal benefit OF all laws
and proceedings for the security Of per-
son and estate, and shall not be subject
70 any other or different punishment
pain or penalty for the commission of
any act or offense than such rs are pre-
scribed for white persons committing
like acts or OHenses.
The third section repeals all conflict
ing laws. The bill was approved by the
Governor, March II, 1865,
q. Does the act express the opinions of
the people, and will il be sustained. A.
/ think ii win be sustained by the Courts
as well as by public sentiment. It was
passed by the present Legislature
as an evidence Of the tone Of the
Legislature Of the State, as well a. that
Of the people upon the subject. I viii
refer you simply to a letter I wrote Sem
ator Stewart upon the same subject. The
following is a copy Of the letter:
WAsHISGT0N, ID. c. 4 prli 4, ls5s.
Dear Sir: In answer 10 your inquiries
touching the sentiments and feelings Of
the people Of Georgia toward the freed
men and the legal status Of this class Of
the population in the State, allow me to
say that the address delivered by me on
the 22d February last, before the Legisis-
uire, a copy Of which / herewith hand
,-rl, n,yuraezae fuI1v and clearly nv own