, 1864-03-20
HIGHLY IMPORTANT FROM
ALABAMA.
THE UNION MEETING AT
HUNTSVILLE,
What Prominent. AlabaE1ians Say
of the Rebellion and Slavery. =
Speeches by :Hon. Jera Clemens,
Judge Bumphreys, &o.-The
Resolutiops-A Conven-
tion Demanded.
[From Our Own Couospondcnt.1

= ..:'
[Fron our Own Conospondcnt.1 ~.
~. NuNTsvi1LA, March II. 1864. y
Yesterday an adjourned meeting Of the clti:
xens Of Madison county. Alabama, was hold
at the. Court House.. : On Saturday Of the
previous week, . meeting. was convened for
the same purposes, but In consequence of the
insnfHciepcy of the notice, fow citizens Of the
county we're notified. It was therefore deem
cd best to adjonrn for week, give sufficient
notice. and defer any decisive. action until
that time. Yesterday, . very considerable
meeting in point Of numbers, met at the ap-
pointed hour. b order OF. Gen. Logan the
military, although numbers of them were
present as listeners, took no part In the pro-
cecdings. Thus the unWarTantablc spectacle
Of gentlemen In straps from other
States, occupying the meeting Of citizens
with long speeches INTENDED for elf-exlibi::
ton and newspaper notices, which; has OBJ
tanned in Tennessee, was avoided. The de-
liberations and action Of tho meeting were
those Of Alsbamians. Generally the men
who participated were beyond middle age-
men Of wealth and Of great rcspectability.
But two speeches were made, which send
you In tulL Of the speakers I need say little
by way of:introduction to your readers. Hon.
Jcre Clemens is we'll known to all as for
.mer Senator. Judge Humphreys 10 one, of
The ab1est members of the Southern Bar, and
was delegate to the Charleston Convention.
Aword as to- the policy proposed tits
proposed to call upon the Governor to con-
vene Convention, for the purpose Of re-
seinding the Ordinance Of Secession. This,
| of course, he will not do. Then the people
! will take such action Us may be best and
proper. OF course, until our lines are ad-
ynnced further South, no, action could bo
had, as We occupy only that part Of the state
north of the Tennessee. But when the Fed
eral army have advanced fur enough to give
the people liberty to act, there is no doubt
that Alabama will be on hand with her tenth
part OF the 7ote OF 1850, and knock for TO-
admission.
The following are the proceedings Of the
meeting: =.
SPEECH OF HON. JERE CLEMENS.
This is an adjourned meeting from that
held at this place on Saturday last, Of which
The country people did not have sufficient,
was explained at the Saturday meeting. 1
will restate it for the benefit Of those who
ere not then present. The object of the
meeting is the restoration of civil govern
mcnt-to bring us law and order-to secure
We were hurried into revolution against
our earnest protest. This people. was for
tile Union. Madison comfy gave 1900 ma
jority against secession, yet we were carried
away without support. We had no arms.
Buchanan Was In the Presidential chair. Day
has at Inst come, thank God, and We can say
TINT We take shelter under the Stars and
Stripes.
Ne propose to call upon the Governor Of
the State to convene Convention. for the
purpose Of resembling the Act Of Secession.
How far the Governor will pay respect to our
action, can not eay. To be candid, think
avoid tie charge Of prccipitancy, and follow
the constitutional method. A1ter that, we
have the right to call upon our inherent
rights-to act for ourselves We have tho
right to assemble in our capacity rs citizens
and re-establfsh civil government for our
selves.
Falsehood, fraud and crime took us ont Of
the Union. They told us that secession
was necessary to save slavery. During the
ten 5ears preceding the rebellion, the State Of
Alatama lad not lost ten slaves q year. Wehad
rebellion, and the consequence now is that
there is not one man In the St.te Of Alabama
who can say he hos the title to q single mig
ger. Not all Of us hare title to anything.
The practical result is Emancipation Eottol-
they said was King-would secure us recog-
milton and independence. The result is Com
federate money Is worth fiye cents on the
dollar. They said that civil liberty and State
rights would be secured by, secession. The
first act Of the Confederate Congress deprived
the people Of the right to select their Prcsi-
dent. II man owned twenty negroes he
was excused from military duty. II Il man
had ten starving children he was not The
man who owned the negroes could stay ut
home with his wealth; the man with starr
ing children must leave them and 60 to the
battlefield.
You and may have had some fear Of the
success Of the Cerfederacy. Thank God
there is now no prospect Of Its succeeding.
Hon, D. c. Humphreys moved that In i'd
dltion TO the committee of twelve, appointed
last Saturday to report additional resolutions
at this meeting, three others be appointed.
The Chair appointed ]. C. Steele, Charles
Strong, William Powers.
The committee reported the following res
olutions additional to those reported at the
first meeting:
THE nkse1uT1oEs
Rtaottd, Tint nc believe that the effort TO de-
tio1a,ty Las proved fhe min Of Tie 1ghts and ib-
GoTsrDcr nc OF of 1se state of abama to coa!ene H.
der TINT II may provide somc mode for thc iestosa-
ton of peace and tie Rights and liberties Of the
people:
the more t1nulincn: have become tho dangers to
tho liberties Of the people. W. therefore invite
tic citizens Of other counties in the State to unite
with us In this ca1l upon tie Governor, and kugest
tho first Monday In June the time for The hold
inc Ct that Convention. p.
sPEEcu or HON. D. G. HUMPHREYS. -
Before these resolutions shall be submit
led to vote, l desire to say few words. If
| this shall prove q starting point, OF If from
security to persons and property, shall be Sc
cured, I shall Ire paid for :ny risk may be
supposed TO run. IT. will be ample reward
| to stop the elufccs Of blood and the wild de-
ysstation In the land. i:
Some things l hare experienced. Some
things Know. Standing here ! feel that !
have n6 much interest in the preservation OF
law and order as President Lincoln or Davis
Ins. There is, in these times, 4 responsible
lily on each and every ono OF us. have stood
In the presence OF the tcoplc Of Madison
courty be1ore--in 1850, III 11dl- In February
1861 addressed you from the other corner
Of this square. Il appeal to you to say
row, if the consequences Of seces-
sion which 1 then predicted, have
not been too sadly felt. And, II was not
in error then, pray you, as you love Jour
country, listen to me uow-listea to me as
TIE first resolution provides for call
upon the Governor to assist In the restora-
ton Of civil government. f.the Governor
will not 20 assist us, it may be necessary for
fhe people to act for their own preservation.
hope the time will not come for the coun~
try to resolve into Its original elements. lin
tend to aid In the preservation OF the organ