The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-12-19
INTERVIEW OF SOUTHERN LOYALIsTS WITH
HON. THADDEIS STEVENS.

Yesterday afternoon, at two o'clock, q
delegation of Southern loyalists, composed
OF white and colored citizens from Virginia,
| North Carolina, and South Carolina. called
upon Hon. Thaddeus Stevens, at his resi-
dence on Capitol Hill, for the purpose of
! paying their respects to him, and of obtaining
the benefit of his views in regard to recon-
structiOn. The names of the members are
as follows: Colonel g. E. Moss, and Mr..
Wardwell, (white y Rev. Fields Cook and
George Fayeman, (coloredD and George
Tucker, of Virginia; Gilbert Pillsbury, and
E. w. M. Mackey, of South Carolina; B.
| w. Reynolds, Joseph W. Holden and VIM.
F. Henderson, OF North Carolina; and Jas.
H. Harris and A. H. Galloway, (colorcdD of
the same State.
The delegation was introduced respective
ly and separately to Mr.. Stevens, who re-
ceived them in his chamber in an informal
manner, and a conversation ensued with
free interchange of views that appeared to
be highly satisfactory to all parties.
Mr.. Stevens, in reply to the regret of one
OF the delegates that impeachment had
failed, said it was only an evidence of the
tickleness Of public opinion. If the COM
mittee had confined themselves to acts of
usurpation merely, and presented their re-
port year ago, he thought there were not
ten Republican members who would not
have voted for it. 1t was the opinion of
some that Chief Magistrate could only be
impeached for indictable offences; but he
considered that there was scarcely an in
dictable offence for which he could be i'm
pcached. If a high official is guilty of
wrong, or has violated his trust, he should
be removed for the safety of the country
A delegate from Virginia said that the effect
of the refusal of the House to favor impeach-
ment would operate very seriously on the
work of reconstruction in the South.
Mr.. Stevens said it could not fail to be
otherwise. He then inquired as to the con-
dition of affairs in North Carolina.
Mr.. Harris, a colored delegate and a
native-born citizen who has traversed nearly
the whole State and addressed large num-
Der of meetings, replied that he thought they
would get along very well, and that the
white loyalists, the bone and sinew of the
tailoring classes of the State, were not as
much frightened about the question of negro
suffrage as the northern men were.
Mr. Stevens inquired whether Governor
Holden was radical enough.
Mr. Harris said he was the life-blood of
the Republican party in that State.
A delegate from Virginia said that State
was in a very critical condition, and unless
Congress speedily adopted some measures
for their relief, the sufferings OF the colored
people and the white Unionists would be
terrible. ....
MIR. Stevens said he was in favor of repeal
ing that part of the law of reconstruction
which requires majority of the registered
votes.
The delegate replied that he thought that
would be well, and inquired whether law
could not be passed by which the conven-
tions could make q provisional government
take possession of the State governments
and then if they defeated their
constitutions they could still be living under
loyal govern ments.
Mr.. Stevens said he had q bill drawn up,
in which he had two or three provisions