The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-07-03
NJ. ?. s..
Interview with Old Thad.

report of the conference:
visited Lancaster and in tile forenoon Of Friday
Esd inst, obtained all audience. Let first give
You portrait of the and his household. Radi-
Gals have good deal say about the close relation
ship some Of the former slaves bear to their masters
and their masters friends. They tell Southern peos
pie that numbers among their servile class too yell
low to be white, and too white to be black They
must stop this Il is horribly unkind to their great
leader and master III the city Of Lancaster Pennsyl
vania, in the godly North nigh unto the pure city OF
Philadelphia, Thaddeus Stevens has lived for years
in open adultery with mulatto woman, whom he Sc
duced from her husband, a ful.rblooded negro This
mulatto manages bis households both in Lancaster
and at Washington receives or rejects his visitors at
will speaks of Mr.. Stevens and herself as We . and
i'll all things eomports herself if she enjoyed the
rights Of a lawful wife, have no word Of unkind-
ness or abuse for her. She is neat tidy honsekeeper
and appears to be polite welltraned negroes gem
orally are. As TO Mr.. Stevens connection with her,
it is his own business and entirely matter of taste
| only mention the fact that the ultra godly super
sanctifed saints Of the African ascendency may get
the beam out of their eye before they gouge so
mercessy at the mote in ours.
Nj. Stevens in his fine library quite fcsb,y
physically, but Intellectually more vigorous prompt
and lucid than is usual in seventy four years DID,
He is tall and has the bones of large man but is now
very thin in tesh The face and head are both good
the eyes uncertain; the mouth, with its thin, closed
lips and the strong jaw tells the secret Of the bitter
his heart and keeps the alive. Upon first enters
ing the room by door, which gave full view Of
the man, there was something so like smile on his
face, that thought his heart and his speeches. his
conscience and his words, not in harmony. This
soon fitted and from that time to the close of the
interview, the whole Contamination the grand
-arched forehead to the hard chnWas the very ideal
Of cold, ptiess intellect. ! told him who was the
views entertained and requested that he would say
nothing to me which he desired kept secret As he
hid
was forced to question rapidly and eonne myself to
leading topics The most Of the conversation was
heard by gentleman who called with me, aud who
can vouch for ts correctness which is almost verbal
told him had come to hear from him, whom
regarded the great head and master Of the party
Just what his party demanded and where their de-
mands would stop-upon what terms and at what
probable time his party would recognise the Southern
States as equal members Of the Government I'd
ask his Interpretation of the present of
construction. Then, prefcing the question with the
remark thatit was indicate to put to gem
teman, asked:
s'Do you pursue yonr harsh policy as party meas
ure for the purpose Of intimidation
He answered at once, 81 do nothing merely for
party purposes regard my proposed action as
equitable, and resting upon princi pies Of law
But Mr.. Stevens, by what provision Of tic Con-
stitution are you warranted in perVerng war made
to resolve doubtful question: and tile right itself to
make which was doubtful into excuse for going
beyond Its purposes III treating the defeated SO harsh
ly as you propose z y
sThe Constitution does not enter into the question
has nothing to do with it at all. You made an is
sue Of war. The North--whether wisely or unwiselH
til no use now to inqure-accepted the issue and
conquered you. BY a thousand acts, which some OF
my party seem to forget, the Government recog-
nsed you beligerent nation and your defeat left
you rights under the Constitution any claim to
be treated BY its provisions. While you were bellig-
erents, regarded you also great criminals who had
forfeited all rights of person as well property
propose to deal with you entirely by the laws of war,
and though not caring to have those laws executed to
the full extent Of hanging the poor devils Iregard 1t
as matter of the simplest equity to punish you by
fines at least sufficient to indemnify loyal men for tho
damage sustained at your hands,
VIII you persist in your conscation measure, As.
Stevens, will you be satisfied with no less ? z
No, sir! Anything less would be uni Just to those
wronged by your crime"
Will you be able to bring your party to your sep
port?"
81 do not know-we had hard work to secure tbs
passage of the military bil-but shall take efe OF
myself and devote all of my strength and ability to
pushing on this measure Justice
"Well, Mr.. Stevens, there good men in the
South, honest men, who took oath of loyalty to the
United States Government in good faith, upon the
surance that they would be treated citizens The
unsettled condition of politics bears hardly upon
them. Lands are valueess and industry is discour-
aged. If you-and say you, because you are your
party-intend to perfect the proposed confscation,
do it quickly. Do not torment the South by delay
and deception. Bring Wilson home, and don't let hin,
tell any more lies to honest people, Let the issue be
distinct and well understood You are consistent and
have been frank, at least"
Mr.. S. now complained of being overwor1sd.
begged him to answer one or two more questions
s'Would you be pleased to see organised in Ala
bama government similar to that of Tennessee un-
der such men as Brownlow, few OF which am sorry
to say we have among u.s. Mt Satfold for instance "
He replied hesitatingly It IL not matter Of men
ALL it would depend upon circumstances and prn-
eiples. We would inquire whether you had a State,
and"
here interrupted, feeling that he was lodging, and
asked the following question:
Suppose, sir, Alabama should organise a govern
mens enfranchisirg the negro, providing for his edu
cation and giving ample guarantees for his protection
before the and in society," and under that gov
ernment should send good men, who could take the
"Test Oath, to Congress, would you admit her to re-
presentation?" s"
Without moments pause, he answered with strong
emphasis, mo, sir" and thus closed the interview.
SENATOR WILSON ON CoNFlscATIoN.-We have
heard a good deal during some time past about the
sword of Damocles hanging over the heads Of South
erners, and certain high officials, intimidatins
them do certain things and to abstain from doing
certain others. The last hear of this sword of
Damocles is through special telegram from Charles
SoAN1
guished Senator Wilson, who is stumping the South
Mr. Wilson, in his second speech at Charleston, on
Friday night last told the white people that if they
coerced the negroes not to vote fer the Republican,
party, or attempted to punish them by turning them
out Of employment and their holdings for voting for
that party, that would lead to confscation and he
Senator Wilson, would then vote for confscatng the
property Of men so offending. Now, think there
has been quite enough Of this suspended sword, rod
conscatiop, especially when used as in this case
for partisan political purposes. Such talk is puerile
childish and altogether out of place 1t is even worse
than thatit evnces disposition to exercise tycanny
over people who are bowed TO the earth IN political
matters and to make the condition Of their restora-
ton the support of particular party. Besides such
threats entirely unnecessary, the reconstruction
acts Of Congress have laid down explicitly the rule Of
action for the Southern people, and the conditions
which they may be restored n. Y Herald.
THE CAMELs-'s The camel train which has been III
town for the past three days." says tile Virginia N.
IT, Enterprise of May Is, !" left yesterday FOR the
ranch of their owner somewhere III Lyon eoaaly3 on
the Fort Churchill road. There were but sx fnit
grown ones here, but there are eleven more On the
RANCH They came to the city loaded with coal. Sa%t
week The whole seventeen will be loaded for the ltyeg
Bend mines. Among those that were here was
young one but three weeks old It was very pretty