'i Till ELK ADVOOATK. A IiCCAL' AK3 GtNHSAI TiX.WPFATFR, la l'ubllstud Ihtry Thursday. UY JOHN P. MOORE, rer Year In advance $1 CO J8iayAll subscriptions lo be paid in ad vance. Orders for Job Work respectfully solicited. BQuOfflce on Mnin Street, in the second itory of Houk & Uillis Store. AddrCBS JOHN G. HALL, EDITOR & TROPRIETOn . ATTENTION COMPANY! TO THE Philadelphia Cheap Store! DRY GOODS AND GROCERIES FOR THE MILLION. Mrs. E. O. Clements Hags leave to announce to the citizens of Ilidgway and vicinity, that she has opened DRY GOODS AND GROCERY STORE in the room formerly occupied by Win. Pat ton Esq., as a Rail Road store, OPPOSITE THE OLD FOUNTAIN HOUSE, where she has now on hand and for sale, a large and well selected stock of DRY GOODS AND GROCERIES, which she will sell AS CHEAP FOR CASH, as any other store in Ridgway or Elk county ALSO Has attached to her store a MILLINERY AND DRESS MAKING ESTABLISHMENT. CUTTING AND FITTING OF LATEST STYLES, DONE AT RE A SONABLE PRICES She invites, one and ell to give her a call AND SEE FOR THE MS EL YES. MRS. E. 0. CLEMENTS. Main Street, Ridgwny, Mar-10'CO-tf. AGENTS WANTED TO TAKE ORDERS toi the best selling book now publish ed, Thrilling Storicf of the Great Bebeffion. Comprising heroio adventures and hair breadth eso apes of Soldiers, Scouts, Spies and Refugees ; daring exploits of Smug glers, Guerillas, Desperadoes and others ; Tales of Loyal and Disloyal women : Sto ries of the Negro, &c, with incidents of Fun and Merriment in Camp and Field. By Lieutenant Colonel S. Greene, lute of the United States Army. Handsomely il lustrated with engravings on steel and in oil colors. Send for circulars and see-jthe liberal crms offered. CHAS. S. GREENE & CO., Publishers No. Hi S. Third St., Philadelphia. IXKECUTORS NOTICE. WHEREAS, J Letters Testamentary upon tli Estate of Daniel Hewitt, late of Jay township, Elk couuty dee'd, have been grauted to the undereigued. All persons indebted to .the said estate, are requested to make immedi ate payment, and those having claims against the same, will present them duly authenticated for settlement. WM. I!. HEWITT, 30SIAII W. MEAD, -Apr-12'CG-Ct-pd. Executors- JOHN O. HALL, Editor. roir.iE 6 .vi ft 10. RECONSTRUCTION. TESTIMONY OF HON. ALEX. H. STEPHENS BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OF FIFTEEN. The Trulh Plainly Told. Alex. II. Stephens sworn and exam, incd by Mr. Uoutwcll. Question. State your residence. An. swer. Crawfordsvillc, Georgia. Q. What means liuve you liad since Lee's surrender to ascertain tho senti ments of tho people of Georgia with re. card to the Union? A. I was at home in Georgia at the time of the sur render of General Lee aud remained there until the 11th of May, and during that time conferred very freely with the people in my immediate neighborhood, with tho Governor of the State, and with one or two other leading or promi nent men in tho State. From tho 1 1th of May uutil my return to Georgia, which was tho 25th of October, I had uo means of knowing anything of the public sentiment than except through the public press and such letters as I received. From the time of my returu until I left the State on my picseut vis. it here I had very extensive intercourse with tho people ; visiting Augusta, visi. ting Millcdgcville during tho cession of the Legislature, first ou their assem bling, and again in January upon their re-assembling, aud again iu tho latter part of February, all the ptominent leadint: men or most of them iu the Le gislature, and met a great many of the prominent influential men of the State not couuected with the Legislature, and by letters from and correspoudence with nucn in the State, with whom 1 have not met I believe. This embraces a lull answer to the question as to my means of ascertaining the sentiment of the people of that State upon tho subject stated in the question. Q. As the result of your observation, what is your opinion of the purposes of the people with reference to tho recon struction of the government, and what aro their desires and purposes concern, ing the maintenance of the government? A. My opinion and decided opinion is that an overwhelming majority of the people of Georgia are exceedingly anx ious for the reconstruction of the gov ernment, and for tho State to take her former position in the Union, to have her Senators and Representatives ad mitted into Congress, and to enjoy all her rights and discharge all her obliga tions as a State under the Constitution of the United States as it stands amen, ded. Q. What aro their present views con. corning the justice of tho rebellion ? do they at present believe that it was a reasonable and proper undertaking or otherwise ? A. My opinion of the sen. timentofthe people of Georgia upon that subject is that tho excrciso of the right of secession was resorted to by them from a desire to render their lib. crties and institutions more secure, and a belief on their part that this was abso lutely necessary for that object. They were divided upon the question of the policy of tho measure ; there was, how. ever, but very little division among them upon the question of tho right of it. It is now their belief, in my opinion, and I give it merely as an opinion, that the surest if not tho only hope for their lib erties is tho restoration of the Constitu tion of tho United States and of the government of the United States andcr the Constitution. Q. Has there been any change of opinion as to the right of secession as a right in the people or in the States ? A. I think there has been a very deci ded change of opinion as to the policy by those who favored it; I think the people generally are satisfied sufficiently with the experiment never to resort to that measure of redress again by foiee; whatever may bo their own abstract ideas upoo that subject, they have giv. en up all idea of a maintenance of these opinions by a resort to force ; they have come to the conclusion that it is better to appeal to the forums of reason and justice, to tho halls of legislation and the courts, for tho preservation of the principles of constitutional liberty than to the arena of arms ; it is my settled conviction that there is not any idea at all cherished iu the public mind of Georgia of ever resorting again to se. cession or to the exercise of tho right of secession by force ; that wholo policy, of the maiuteuance of their rights, in my opiuion, is at this time totally aband oned. Q. Hut the opinion as the right, as I understand, remains substantially the same I A. I eannot answer as to that; some may have changed their opiuion in this respect ; it would bo an uu usual thing as well as a difficult matter for a whole people to change their convio tions upon abstract truths or principles ; I have not heard this vein of the sub ject debated or discussed recently, and I wish to be understood as giving my opinion only on that branch of the sub ject which is of practical character and iuiportauco Q. To what do you attribute the change of opiuion as to the propriety of attempting to maintain their views by force ? A. IFcll, Bir, my opinion about that my individual opinion, derived from observation is that this change of opinion aoso mainly from the opera tion of tho war among themselves, aud the results of the conflict from their own authorities in their individual rights of person and property, the general break ing down of constitutional barriers which usually attend all protracted wars. Q. In 1801, when tho ordinance of secession was adopted in your State, to what extent was it supported by the people? After the proclamation of President Lincoln Chlling out 75,000 militia under the circumstances it, was issued, and blockading the Southern ports and the suspension of tho writ of habeas corpus, the Southern cause, us it was teimcd, received the almost unani mous support of the people of Georgia. Before, they were much divided on the question of secession, but afterwards they supported the cause, withiu the range of my knowledge, with very few exceptions. There wore some few ex. ceptions, not exceeding half a dozen, I think the impression then prevaling was that public liberty was endangered, and they supported the cause because of their zeal for constitutional rights. They still differed vciy much as to the ultimate object to be obtained, and the means to be used, but these differences yielded to the emergency of tho appre. hended common danger. Q. Has not the ordinance of seccs sion adopted in Georgia earlier in oate than the proclamation for seventy five thousand volunteers ? A. Yes, sir ; I stated that the people were very much divided on the question of the ordinance of secession, but after tho proclamation the people became almost unanimous in the cause. There were some few ex ceptions in the State ; I think not more than a half dozen among my acquaint, ances. I said, while they were thus al most unanimous in support of the cause, they differed also as to tho end to be attained by sustaining it ; some looked to an adjustment or settlement of the controversy upon nny basis that would secure their constitutional rights; oth ers looked to a separate Southern na tionality as their only object and hope. These different views as to the ultimate object did not interfere with the gener al active support of the cause. Q. Was there a popular voto upon the ordinance of secession? A. Only so far as the election of delegates to the convention. Q. There was no subsequent action ? A. No, sir ; the ordinance of secession was not submitted to a popular vote af terwards. Q. Have you any opinion as to the vote it would have received, as compar ed with tho whole, if it had been sub. mitted to tho free action of the people ? Witness Do you mean after it was adopted by the convention ! Mr. Uoutwell Yes, aler it was adopted by the convention, if it had been submitted forthwith or witlnu a reasonable time. A. Taking the then state of things into consideration, South Carolina, Flor ida and Mississippi, I think, having seceded, my opinion is that a majority of the people would have ratified it perhaps a decided or largo majority ; if however, South Carolina and the other States, had not adopted their ordinance of secession, I am very well satisfied that a majority of the people of Georgia, and perhaps a very decided majority, would have been against secession if her ordiuance had been submitted to thcin ; but as matters stood at the time, if the ordinance had been submitted to a popular vote of the State, it would have been sustained ; that is my judg ment and opinion about the matter. Q. What was the date of the Geor gia ordinance ? A. The 18th or 19th ; I think tho 19th of January, 1861, though 1 am not certain. Q. The question of secession was in. volved in the election of delegates to that convention, was it not t A. Yes, sir. Q. And was there on the part of can didates a pretty general avowal of opin ions ? A. Very general. Q. IF hat was the result of the eleo. lion as far as the convention expressed any opinion upon the question of seces sion ? A, I think the majority was about thirty in tho conveutiou in favor of secession ; I do not recollect the ex act vote. Q. In ft convention of how many ? A. I a convention - based upon the number of senators and members of the house in the General Assembly of the State; the exact number I do not re collect, but I think it was near three hundred perhaps a few over or un der. Q. lias there any difference in the different parts of the State in the strength of the Union sentiment at that time? A. In sumo of. tho. mountain counties tho Union sentiment was gen. erally prevalent ; tho cities, towns nnd villages wero generally for secession throughout the' State, I think, with some exceptions ; the anti-secession scn timcn was more general in tho rural dist-ricts and in the mountain portions of tho State, yet the people of some of tho upper counties were very active and decided secessionists. There was noth. ing like a sectional disunion of the State, at all ; for instance, the delcga. tion from Floyd county, in which the city of Rome is situated, in tho upper portion of tho Stale, was an able one, and strong for secession, while the coun ty of Jeffeison, down in tin: interior ol the cotton belt, sent one of the most prominent delegations lor the Union; I could designate other particular coun ties in that way throughot the State, showing that there was not what might be termed n sectional or geographical division of tho State on I he ouestion. Q. In what particular did the peo ple believe 'heir constitutional liberties were assailed or endangered from the Union ? A. Mainly, I would say, in their internal social polity, and their apprehension from the general conoli. dating tendencies of the doctrines and principles of the political party which had recently succeeded in the choice of a President and Vice-President of the United States. It was the serious ap. prehension that if the Republican or- auization, as then constituted, should succeed to power, it, would lead ulti mately to a virtual subversion of the Constitution of the United ytates, and all its essential guarantees of public liberty. 1 think that was the sincere and hoDest conviction in the minds of our people. Those who opposed scces. sion did not apprehend that any such results would necessarily follow the elections which had taken place; they still thought that all their rights might bo maintained iu the Union and under the Constitution, especially as there were majorities in both II-. uses of Con. gross who agreed with tlit.ui on costilu. tional questions. Q. To what lealure of their internal social policy did they apprehend dan ger A. Piincipally the subordination of the African race as it existed under their laws and institutions. (i. Iu what spirit is the cmnncipa tiou of the slaves received by the pen. pie ! A. Generally is hciiiuc-ci . in. anil accepted I. iliink in pi-rlret good faith, and with n disposition to do the best that can be Ion-! in the new order of things in this particular. Q. IFhat at present me the relations subsistinir between tho white- and !ila:-k people, especially in the relation of em ployer ami employed : A. Quite as good, I think,, -is in any part of the world that ever I ha- c been in, between like classes of employed and employer ; the condition of things in this respect, on my return last lull, was very dillerent from wnat it was when I left home for my present visit to this city ; during the fall, and up to the close of the year, there was a general opinion prevailing among tho colored people that a Christmas there would bo a division of the lands, and a very gen oral instruction on their part not to make any contracts at all for tho pre sent year Indeed there were very few contracts, I think, made throughout the State, until after Christmas or about the 1st of January. General Tillsou, who is at the heau. of the bureau in the State, and whose administration has given very general satisfaction to our people, I think, was very activa in dis abusing tho niiuds of the colored people! from their error in this particular, lie visited quite a number of places in the State and addressed largo audiences of colored people, aud then they became satisfied that they wer laboring uuder a mistake in anticipating a division of lands. After Christmas and the 1st of January, they made contracts very read ily generally, and since that tinio affairs have in the main moved ou quite smoothly aud quietly. Q. Are the negroes generally at work ? A. Yes sir, they are generally at work, there are some idlers, but this class constitute but a small propor tion. Q. IChat, upon tho wholo, has been their couduct ; proper under the cir cumstances under which they li.n n been placed or otherwise ? A. Asa whole, much better than the most hopeful looked tor. Q. As far as you saw, what are the leading objects and desires of the ne gro population at the present time in refereuco to themselves 1 A. It is to be protected in their rights of persons, of property ; to be dealt by fairly aud justly. Q. IF hat, if anything, has beun done by tho Legislature of your State for the accomplishment of these objects ? A. Tho Legislature has passed an act of which tho following is a eopy '. An act to defiuo the term, " persons o( color," and to declare iho rights of such person. J. F. MOOltE, Publisher. Ti:il.JISl 50 JVr IVnrfii .frfrmiff. Section 1. AV if martnl, (V., That all negroes, mulattoes, mestizoes, nnd their descendants, having one-eighth negro or African blood in their veins shall bo known in this Stato as " per sons of color." Sec. 2. 11 it fnrllin- emtrteJ, That persons of color shall have the right to make and enforce contracts, to sue, be sued, to the parties and givo evidence, to inherit, to purchase, and to have full and equal benefit of all laws and pro. cecdings, for the security of person and estate, and shall not be subjected to any other or different punishment, pain, or penalty for the commission of any act or offense, than such as arc prescribed for white persons committing like acts or offenses. Flic third section of this act siundy repeals all conflicting laws ; it was ap pro veil by the Governor on tho 1 1 th of .March last. (. loes this act express the opinions of the people, and will it be sustained ? ,. 1 think it will be sustained by the courts as well as by public sentiment ; it was passed by the present Legislature as an evidence of the tone, of tho Legis lature ol t ic f-t ate, as well as that id the people of the St ite, upon this subject ; I would refer you simply to a letter 1 wrote to Senator Stewart upon tho same subject ; T submit to you a copy of that letter ; it is as follows : IFasuinnoton, April 4, 1805. Dear Sir: In answer to your inmii. ries touching the sentiments and feel. ings,of the people of Georgia toward the freed mini and the legal status of this class of population in the Stale, etc , al low me briefly to say, that the, address delivered by mo on the -2nd of reby last, before tho Legislature, a copy of which 1 herewith hand you, expresses very clearly and fully my opinions and feelings upon tho subjects of your inqui. ry. The address was written and print ed as you now sec it before its delivery. It was delivered rerbufim as you now read it, that there might bo no mistake about it. It was, as it now stands, unan imou.-ly indorse-! by the Senate in a joint resolution, which was concurred in by tho House without dissent, and was ordered to be spread upon the journals of both Houses. This I refer you to as a better and more reliable index of the feelings and views of the people of the Stale on this subject. I have my own individual opinion I might entertain or express. The legislation of tho State, it is to be presumed, is as correct an ex ponent of the general feeling and views of the State upon any political question as any that can be obtained from any quarter. Tn addition to this the Legis lature subsequently evinced these prin ciples by their works in passing an act which I als-) inclose to you. This act speaks for itself. It is short, concise and pointed, ns well as comprehensive It secures to the colored race tho right to contract and to enforce contracts ; the right to sue and be sued ; tho right to testify in the courts subject to the same rules that govern tho testimony of whites; and it subjects them to the 'same punishments for all offences as the whites iu tucse respects, embracing all essential civil rights. All classes in Georgia now stand equal before the law There is no discrimination in these par tioulars on account of race or color. " l'leaso excuse this hasty note, I nave no tune to go more into details. " Yours, most respectfully, "ALEX. II. STEPHENS " Hon. W. M. Stewart, U. S. Senate Q. IFhat, if anything, is being doue in Georgia with regard to the educa tion of the negroes, cither children or adults ? A. Nothing by tho publio au thorities, as yet. Schools are beiug es. tablishel iu many portions of tho State under tho auspices, I think of the Frcedmati's Bureau, and quite a num ber by the colored people themselves, encouraged by tho whites. Q. Il'hat disposition do the negroes manifest iu regard to education ? A. There seems to ho a very great desire ou the part of tho children and their parents to have them educated. Q. What is tho present legal condi tion of those who have lived together as husband and wile do the law3 rec oguizo and sustain tho relations pnd tho legitimacy of their offspring? A. Oar Stata laws do they reeognizo all thoso living as man and wifo as legally man and wife; a goo many of them took out licenses an 1 were married iu the us ual way; there is uo difference in our laws in that respect ; licenses are issued for white and black al:ko, only they are prohibited from intermarrying with each other ; tha races are not permitted to intermarry. Q. , ere the amendments to the Con stitution of the Stato of Georgia recent ly adopted submitted to the people? A. No, sir. they were not submitted ; I have no hesitation, however, in ex. pressing tho opinion that nine-tenths of the peopla would have votod for them if' tho Constitution had been submitted ; that is but an opiuion ; I hoard uo dis. sent at all in tho State; I wts thero at thai time ; I rot home before the con Kates of Advertising. Adm'rs and Exocuto-'s Notices, each P times Auditor's Notices, each $ 2 rH 2 r, Transient, ndvcrlising, per square of 10 linns or less, 3 times or less...... For each subsequent insertion. Professional cards, I year Special notices, per line Obituary nnd Murinjro Notices, each Yearly Advertising, one squnro Yearly Advertising, two squares Yt-ai'y Advcr'ing three squares Yearly Advertising, 1 column Yearly Advertising, J column Yearly Advertising, 1 column Advertisements displayed more than ordinarily will bo charged for nt the rate (per column) of 2 ()) r. l'l 1 lilt in v lo Ul 20 0' 2" 1 1-1 :r, ) 03 Ot 00 O) vention adjourned; the State Constitu tion as made by tho convention would have been ratified almost without oppo. sition; it would have been ratified nrm eon, if it had been submitted ; this at leat is my opinion. Q. Il'hat was the voting popultion of your Slate in 18G0? A. Something: upwards of a hundred thousand. Q. IFhat is probably the present vot ing population ? A. The voting popu lation of the Stato under the present constitution is perhaps eighty thousand j that is a mere estimate. Q. Has there been any enumeration of the losses of Georgia in the field iu tho miliUry service ? A. No accurate estimate that I am aware of. Q. IFhat is it supposed to have been ? A. I am not able to answer the ques tion with anything like accurrcy. Q IMiat is the public sentiment ot Georgia with regard to the extension of the right of voting to the negroes '! A, The general opinion in the State is vciy much averse to it. Q If a proposition were made to amend the Constitution so as to have representation in Congress based upon voters substantially, would Georgia rati, fy such a proposed amendment if it were made a condition precedent to the restoration of tho State to political pow. er in the government '! A. I do not think they would ; tho people of Geor gia, in my judgment, as far as I can rc. fleet or represent their opinions, tccl that they arc entitled under the Consti. tution of tho United Mates to represen tation without any further condition or precedent, and they would not object to entertain, discuss and exchange views in tho common councils of the country, with the other States ; upon such a pro. position or any proposition to amend the Constitution or change it in any of its features, and they' would abide by any such change if made as the Consti tution- provides ; but they leel tliat tliey are constitutionally entitled to bo heard by their Senators and members in the Houses ot Congress upon this or auy other proposed amendmeut ; I do not, therefore, think that tlicy would r.ttity that amendmeut, suggested as a condi. tion precedent to her being admitted to representation in .Congress; such at least is :ny opinion. Q. ft is then your opinion that at present the people of Georgia would neither 1-c willing to extend suffrage to (he negroes nor consent to the exclusion of the negroes from the basis of repre sentation? A. The people of Georgia, in my judgment, aro perfectly willing to leave suffrage and the basis of rcpre. scntation where the Constitution leaves it. They look upon the question of suf frage as one It-longing exclusively to the States ; one over which and under tho Constitution of the United State Congress has no jurisdiction, power or control, except vin proposing amend, mcuts to the States, and uot in exacting their submission to them ; I do not think, therefore, that the peoplo of that State, while they are disposed, as I be lieve earnestly, to deal fairly, justly anl generously with the frecdmen, would be willing to consent to a change in the Constitution that would give Congress jurisdiction over tho question of suf. frage ; aud especially would they bo very much averse to Congress executiug, any such jurisdiction without their rep resentatives in the Senate and House being heard in the publio councils upon this question, aud that so vitally con cerns their internal policy, as well as tho internal policy of all the Slates. Continued in next issue. j&SyCARL Sciiurz, in a letter from Ilushington to the New York Tribune, refers in tho following terms to tho Secretary of Har : ,; Statitons doom is recorded. Ho had wiitten his resignation and was about to forward it when ho understood the President had expressed a particular wish for it. It was thought best to put upon Mr. Johnson the burden of re. moving tho Secretary of War. Secre tary Harlan's days are uumbered. His place 1ms been promised, they say, to A. W. P.audttll. of the Postoffiee le partment, and it is thought ho will g in ten days. Speed, Harlan and Stan tun aro among thoso who will surely go. Stanrou has become very eweet and pleasant. Ho coos aud chirps as amia ble as a dove, and men who go to see him, with reeolle jtions of ISo- and 13U3, are surprised to find the bear the mildest aud most tractable- of animal-'. You may go as near him as yo'i please, and he will neither snavl or bite." The position of a gentleman of whom his friends discourse in this style, is just about as bad as his enemies could de sire it o be. Piitfa Age. 3SA boy's idea ot having u tooth drawn iu iy be summed up as follows; The doctor hiuluid fu-t ou to im-, pulled his best, i.ud just before k killeJ me, tho tooth eatr.c uut." Cijr-.V Wosiein piper nig--c H ai improvement in Diblea tho p. cp nation of u leaf or two iu the " fain y ic o.'d. " l-.r 'itv.'ic-.'.-.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers