New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-02-28
rnr prREL pROGRlMlLE.


Mr. Linton STEPHENS is leading Georgia
Conservative and "a such recently pub
lished long letter cOntroverting the assertion
of Gov. Bullock that the late election IN his
(Stephcns's) district was carried against the Re-
pubicans by terrorism and violence. Having
seen fit 10 print his letter in Georgia, he next
sent it to us with a demand that we copy II
"A a contradiction of certain statements III our
Washington correspondence, which we declined
10 do; whereupOn Mr.. stephens wrote us
another long and severe letter through
Georgia paper. whose readers, we trust, have
read it as patiently as we did.
Mr.. Stephens, on the 18th inst, made a
" Conservative" speech to a large and sympa-
thizing audience in Augusta, Ga-his theme
being "Ihe Preservation of Constitutional
Liberty The Chronicle and Sentinel of that
city sums up its purport, prior to the prepara-
ton of IL full report, as follows:
with great eloquonce and mastery skin, he depicted
the condition IA which the Southern states have been
placed by the revolutionary edcts OF INSCRIPTIONS
Congress- how outrage upon outrage after outrage has
been pcrpotrated upon the most nsy pretox, or upon
no prcexts whatever how the rights OF the citizen have
been invaded and the purity Of the baOtbox destroyed
how XIVth and XVIII Amendments. and oppressive, IN
upon us at the point Of the bayonct; how carpebas
avonturers and -caawags have been allowed IA plumber
and harass, with 10 check them. He then Demon
stratod that the evils put upon the South had recoed
upon the N0rthhat in attempting TO ensave the south
the Northern people had been forging feter for them
selves lie went to show that the North is beginning
TO arouse the peril and that she Is preparing to
fight the great battle OF Constitutional Liberty In 1872
Ia concluding his speech. Mr. stephens announced his
platform ana what he hoped would be the platform Of
the south in the next contest After stating that he
would reject with equal the ctus accephe situa
tion-mcn OF the south and the Radicals, ne said:
But suppose Frank Blair comes to me with the New
York Democratic platform OF 1863 which declares that
al these carpebag governments IN the south are uSlrpa
GOsaud tell you. my friends that we lost the fight IN
isCs not by standing mp to that platform but by backing
down from FOR if Seymour had planted himself upon
Il as firmly q, Blair did, we should not have been
defeated as we were-suppOse, l say, that Blair
ard hi, party 10 me and say, We still stand BY
that platform We still say that hsSc governments IN the
Sonh revolutionary US1up1ionS; rc StW say mat He
Fourteenth and FIFTEENTH amendments are nuH and roid
aud we still say that the bayOncts should be withdrawn
and the southern States restored to their rghtu posi-
ton What answer would make would say. Join
YOU sink or swim. live die, survive or perish, will
unite myself to you with bonds which power earth
can sever or destroy The only have for party Is
that may defend my rights; aud, unless 1t can do that
| shall nave nothing TO do with 1t. The party which
have spoken Of will defend my rights and this ia the
party which shall join Do MT say that am rlsh.
am not rash. But believe that men can recognize facts
when presented plainly to their view and tell you that
the Northern Statesiw quickly see-that they do see
the dangcrhat their very existence is threatened
by the usurpatiOns which have mentioned, aud they
will be quick TO accede to terms This Is my plat
FORM and should he the platform Of the entire South
The above is the platform of those whom
Mr. Stephens eulOgizes as Conservatives
and friends of Constitutional Liberty" They
mean to nullfy the XIVth and XVIII Amend
ments, disfranchise the Blacks, and remand
them into virtual serfdon. And that is just
the issue wherein we shall be happy to meet
them in 1872.