Year: 1866

QuestlOu-WOuQ tney extend suffrage to those who
could read and to those who had served the Union as
they Reresd TO OF aG mted
suffrage would not be Objectionable but It is matter
State policy they Believe The only vieW in their
6p%mon % mo that could justify the which carried


y the federal government against them the idea
the lndivisibiy of the Union that those who held the


e ner o e eon T nGer the
constitution This having been accomplished, and those
having abandoned their cause and the admnistra
ton triumphant in maintaining its idea, upon which
was proclaimed and waged and which alone it could
be justified at ALL the people Georgia supposed their
State Immediately entitled to all her rights under the
That was his opinion and he thought they
would @ Id be unWng to do more precedent to being


Inc people expected Immediately on the abandonment of
the to be brought back into their
T hey ~ M as
men, loyal to law ORDER and the constitution They did
constitutional liberty the great of the people
always loyal to the constitution of the United States
cause @ s'0'- ''-' p''p'' "D'


When they found they were not successful in their OBJ
jec in perfect good faith looking to the future develop
mens of their country in its material resources well
and expectation was to allow the past
as it was in its results to pass by and to cooperate with


ons who earnestly desire the preservation of constitu


ona liberty and the perpetuity of the government in its
are but they patiently believing that ren the
OF the hour have passed away the delay resto
ration will cease.


Mr. Stephens, in to questions, then went to
the question of suffrage tor the States respectively
and exclusively and that it best for the peace and
when the from the South might
be heard and all could judge much better of the tone and
Thought the people of the South keen that they are
denied the right to be heard He then further alluded to
the Georgia Legislature as his present opinion.


Question by Mr. Boutwell, Suppose the States that
represented in Congress and Congress itself should
the opinion that Georgia should not be permitted take
its place the government of the country except upon
its OF of he to
extend suffrage o. to exclude the negro from the basis of
that under such circumstances the State ought to de-
cline?


those only? Questioner.-Yes.


Wtness.Yoq mean by Congress-, Congress as it is
constituted with the other eleven State excluded Ques
tioner.-I do.


Witness-And you moan the same alternative PROPOSE
ton to be applied to all the eleven States conditions
precedent to their restoration? Questioner.-I do.


Answer.-Then think she oug ght to decline under the
circumstances and for the stated ought
the whole eleven Should such offer be made and de-
ed and kept OUT singular spectacle would be presented


complete reversal OF positions would be presented In
Union without new guarantees, and now, when they
agree to their former practical relations in the I'm
them and they cannot permit them to do safe


to their interest without new guarantees on their part
willing for immediate union under the Constitution while
disunonsts would thereby become unonsts and the
former unonsts the practical disunionists


Mr.. Stephens said he believed the States had abolished
tonal a1nendme followed as a consequence of the war
though he did not think there any constitutional pow
er of the government enacted as condition
precedent to restoration under the Constitution the
the States '' p'"''' 'H'''' u Tic o'0" 'S


The validity of the laws sad passed by Congress in
the absence of the and representatives the
eleven States depended upon their which
% be TO h hs oft the d e ne
have had the continuous right to representation to be
ercsed they make known their readiness to
sumo their rights under the constitution as States


He said further that he doubted whether the
tatves from the eleven States evyng taxes upon all the
people of the United States, would be constitutional It
can representative government but constitutionaty
would be question for the judiciary, by whose decision
he would abide, whatever it would be.


In conclusion Mr.. Stephens stated that the influencing
and opinions leading him to to Identity him
president of the Confederate States thorough belief
IN tine & ne a
allegiance due to his State and he therefore chose
course though it might lead to his sacrifice and to
her ruin.


GOVERNOR sHARKEY's TESTIMONY.


sharkey of Mississippi testified that when he
Mississippi Provisional Governor very large
fecy reconced to the condition Of things and very
ous to be restored to their former position in the Union
the current sentiment beyond all doubt at that
time Even the secession party admitted that they had
made miserable failure. Many of them felt very sore
it, to think that they had involved their country in
terrible calamties and they anxious to to get
into the 9 as Pc H% Of M the ed
know exceptional cases. and the latter confined to
men perfectly satisfied and as general rule they
were the most loyal They gave up honoraby, and
disposed to accept things as they found them.


during the war-who dissatisfied But large
iority people says Gov s. loyal to the
term in its proper sense as any people OF the United
of the United States and support themand think they
are so yet. should make this remark, however the
hev sunnosed was NECESSARY They met with great cheer
fuiness ali the demands Of the President What changes
may occurred since left cannot TELL but do not
think any material changes have taken place. STILL you
know when do all that is required of them and all
that they think right does not in degree
contribute to their loyalty and have been very much
confidence in the government Their condition was
good when in charge of the government there.


large majority of people were opposed to seces-
sion and believe that if the question had been submit
ted to people they would have adopted it, But
the politicians got in hand and forced out of the
UnOn and general tling those who opposed to
going first favor of coming back and to
them be added the number who became satisfied OF
the folly of their Governor Sharkey then gave
ton of Mississippi The amended constitution was not
submitted to the people did not think it necessary


was we'll satisfied with the temper and disposition of
the people The members OF the convention were fairly
and fully elected.


The freedmen have gone to work with great deal of
zeal and the people hopeful and expect return OF
discontented that they had buried seces
sion of sight The freedmen learn from all parts
of the State, doing remarkably We'll nave neard
from Of the State in which there is not
one idle freedman However, there is dsgusmg
the fact that the Freedmcns Bureau and the c0lored
troops there have OEe mischief than thing else
There are men in the reau there who are DISPOSED
speculate white and black. They encourage the black
men and discourage the white and wherever there
crimes and depredations committed verify believe
when there all the troops could have been with
drawn, could have had order throughout the State


as ever They have contracted disease and habits which