New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-06-13

THR SITUATION THINKS I'M ,rvrs DFS- |
TfONAL AMENDMENTS VOID -bnsurD
PoTIsM WILL SOON BE EsIAavxrl
IRON OUR SPECIAL ooSRkSfo' This Sc
CpAwFoRpsvILLE, Ca, June t. .a.,o,,a.,oo
struggling shabby, dirty southern ,,hon, side,ra,ls
or 200 inhabitants The streets u. -, ,,,,in, IN tho
W Ia ,beir choice between Walking III Ile
ana peues" 'ns ,,rays or among the rank weeds
lluu oi "'s' u ages between the wheeltraoks and
'"' WI "" ~ so.aved frame houses were painted so
lone 400 that they now sho" ho u"eoS VI PANT nc
a., ,t o,rtv town OF the County OF Iahaierro-a hane
-, ,ysreraet in the mouths of the people, INTO |
ns' mas y IN the center Of weed-overTown square
- .vr there j. little ugly brick Court House, but no
- seems 10 be transacted in it. Around the square
- four or FIVE stores, with large vacant spaces be-
,oon: each store has its complement OF half dozen
any vellowiaCed oafers, in butternut pantaloons
coarse cotton shirts, and broadbrimmcd slouched ie
hats who were hanging about the doorway and chewing
tobacco as vigorously that were the chei business
az nfe The rude little tavern has no outward lhulea-
tion Of readiness furnish entertainments except
muchwhitted bench upon the porch, and wash-nasih
aud Towel for public There is church or two, but
no public school, no newspaper, telegraph Office al
though the wires through the place. and no partcn
lar sign Of modern civilization except the van OF traV
cling photographer established among the weeds on the
square.
on the outskirts Of the village, the railway
track is Liberty Hall Uhe sdence of Alex II. Stephens,
late yice-Presdent of the Southern Confederacy so
named not with any reference 70 the mansion OF tne
hosptable Old fellow in Godsmiths comedy Out 10
Indicate the interest Of its in the of human
liberty; for here in the South in the Old days OF
Slavery men talked with enthusiasm about liberty,
meaning Of course the liberty Of the white race Liberty
Hall il q plain white farmhouse, with large slolhg
lawn in front, shaded by locust trees ana numerous
negro houses and oubudngs at the side andn the
rear all freshly painted sprightly mulatto girl took
n my card and returned at TO the porchto escort me
through a narrow hail. past little, painy-fuImshed
parOr through large room walled around iIo oor 10
ceiling with books. and into room at the back oil te
house. Here l found a little witherod, WrhhIed OIo
man. with wonderfully bright brown eyes white hair
and frame so emaciated that it seemed to he literally
skin and bones He wore hOmospun suit OF butternut
color and had old black felt bat upon his head THIS
person Mr.. Stephens He half roSeas entered ana
extended hand gaunt and heshess that it dld not
seem 10 be the hand OF a living man, ana immediately
aerwafd he sank back into his easy chair At his right
hand stood a round table, piled up with confused heap
of books letters, newspapers, manuscripts, ana
writing materials. pair Of crutches leaned against
TIE wall on other side OF his chair and he rested MS
feet on the rounds of another chair III which lay an ugly
fat brinded dog that the flies would not allow to Sleep
There were two beds the roOm bureau covered with
bottles of every size and shape, containing medicines
and liquors. and CRATE in which coal fire was burn
ing although it warm June day. single picture,
representing Faith standing by the cross, hung above
the mantel, which Tivaled the bureau IN
its array Of bottles. There were piles OF books
upon the floor aud articles OF clothing were scat
tered about the Mr. Stephens said he
was always glad to see visitors and to tax upon
pablo affairs, but that he invariably insisted that cor
respondents who called upon him should not puDllsh
what he said he had wish TO be brought be-
fore the public This prohibition afterward prevailed
on him 10 modify far as 10 consent that might men
ton whatever he should that had heretofore been
made public and he told his nephew, young man VINO
came in while we were talking, to give me copy OF an
Augusta paper which he said contained an authoritative
statement Of his views far he wished them To DC
known.
strongest terms as guilty of the most outrageous per
od i'm prosecuting the war for the avowed purpose or
restoring the Southern States to their old places III the
Union, and then, when they had uumphed refusing 10
let them take those places denying them the rights OF
sefgovernment and representation In Congress- putting
them under bayonet rule, and afterward reeontrucg
them nv uproong all the foundations Of their society,"
disouallfying all Of intelligence and property from
holding efce OF voting, and placing their Governments
in the hands Of the ignorant and vicious he spoke
Of the Republicans as Jacobns without conscience
or consistency, whose purpose was to establish
a centralized, despotic government and 10 de-
stroy the liberties Of the people All OF the Kecosuuc
ton legislation of Congress he believed to be uncohsn
tutional fraudulent, and void The KILN Amendment
he admitted TO valid because it had been ratified by
the rghtful Governments OF the Southern States-the
Governments de lure and the Governments de Jdeo
afterward established by bayonets. The AVth
Amendments he claimed were part OF the Constitu-
ton because their pretended ratification had peeh
effected by force and fraud. They were not results
of the war as the Radical leaders falsely claimed
but were conceived after the was over, as
part Of the of Capitalization which those lead
ers had concoced keep themselves IN power He ana
not hold the XVIII Amendment to be invalid because ne
oIposcd negro suffrage but because of the usrpatOhs
and outrages upon the Constitution by which II was
wrongfully adopted He did not believe the ballot would
ever be,taken from the negro If the ANth AmeDuhen'
were declared void and the control OF the sur
frage placed where rghtuy belonged under the ex-
elusive jurisdiction Of the States. In such case, II IL
should proposed deprive the negroes OF the iran
ehse the white man would divide into two parties upon
the question and the that opposed the measure with
the aid of the votes of the negroes would carry the day.
But the fact that Universal Suffrage was so firmly estab
lishel did not he said lessen the duty of all lovers OF
constitutional liberty to oppose the XVIII Amendment
This usurpation should never be permitted TO pass VIII
ont proper ,rebuke and condemnation even by those
who favor the object aimed at by it, The de jure Gov
ernnens Of Southern States, he said are still III
condition OF repression, and he declared that the history
of country shows more palpabe usurpa-
tons OF power or more glang Of wrong, violence
fraud and perdy part Of those In authority than
committed by the Republican party IN the passage
the socalled amendments and the Reconstruction
Laws.
Mr. Stephens talked for more than an hour in this
manner, rehearsgg old arguments with which
and newspapers have made people too
for the paSt few In answer TO an inquiry
a. 10 what he thought OF the New Departure of the
Northern Democracy, he read copy of loIg letter
recently sent to friend in Pennsylvania who bad asked
his option Of the platform lately adopted by the Con
yenoi in that State The letter expressed very positive
opinions, and these be enlarged uDon in conversation,
hut be especially desired me TO make mention of his
views upon this subject he wished that frey should
moi be made public, cautioned his Pennsylvania
friend NOT to let his get into print. He expressed