Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-12-12
Rscenstruotiop--wbo ar. Fer II ana who
are Against III

the adoption Of the Constitution framed
by 1t. 1t will be seen by the following
special dispatch to the Cincinnati Ga
zette, Of that date, that the rebel copper
heads did all in their power to prevent
the adoption of this Constitution by the
Convention, and failing there, they are
organizing for the purpose of prevent
ing its adoption by the people. 1t has
been thus, since the close Of the war.
The whole power of the rebel and copper
head Dem ocracy, has been used to op-
pose all efforts to reconstruct the Union.
1t is high time the country would begin
to hold these disunionists responsible
for the result of their infamous conduct
in keeping up the secession conflict so
long after the close of the war of seces-
sion and disunion:
Yesterday and to-day the body has
worked very hard, going over the con-
stitution section by section, resisting
with much firmness the efforts OfCopper-
heads to get i'm their mischievous amend
ments Mt the last moment, carefully cor
recting verbal errors and Topping off SUI
perfluous clauses, and thus making of
their organic law complete and perfect
whole.
Inch by inch the Democrats fought the
! different articles and sections. The last
forty-eight hours has been one fierce and
continued struggle, but at 5 O'Clock this
afternoon the last section was reached
and the instrument adopted ae u whole,
only seventeen members finally voting
against 1t. OF these one will certainly
sign the Constitution tomorrow, and an
other, probably, while the remaining ff-
teen signed protest, which was read by
II. G. Semple. Of Montgomery, the head
and front of the rebel Democratic faction,
and which, at his request, was spread
upon the journal Of the Convention.
The protest gives no reason for the ac-
ton of these gentlemen, and, indeed,
there was no need of reasons, they are
only doing what they intended to do the
first day the Convention assembled
They merely say that they protest against
the new Constitution, because in their
opinion n Government framed upon its
provisions will entail upon the people OF
the State greater evils than any dangers
which threaten them. and to this unin-
telligible sentence they append theil
names.
; The main body Of the Convention
! breathed more freely after this little Sc
cession; for fifteen scceders, under pre-
]
= much mischief. 70 their evil machina
. tions Is due the fact that the Convention
has set so long; for they hoped, by oh
structing its operations, to draw out ii!
session to an interminable length, ant
$ thus bring it into discredit; but they
n will fail. The Constitution will he tri
- umphantly adopted, and this miserable
!, rebel faction will sink into disgrace ant
C nOthingncss. as it has done i'm Tennessee
nhn ti,,,, fra ,aI lNxyt l,ta IN
+ vcntiOn will compare favorahly with tina
c of any State i'm the Union. 1t breathe
n the very spirit of moderation toward TIN
# dialoyalists of Alabama, and in its pro
o visions is senlightenedandli liberal through
@ ont. This morning an ordinance wa
= adopted for holding an election for all th
: State, Congressional and County oflicer
y ut the same time the vote is taken upol
Y the Constitution. This will draw Ou
t the full strength OF the Union forces; ant
y although the rebels have made arrange
y ments for putting ticket in the field
t the Unionists will sweep the State like
8 whrlwind. Set Alabama down for forty
Il thousand Republican majority.
;, ACTION OF THE REBEL DEMOCRACY.
: The rebel Democratic party held ,
i meeting tonight, at Estelle Hall, tt
n protest against the Constitution n
adopted by the Convention. The ex
rebel General Clautin presided, and join
Forsythe, the rebel editor from Mobile
and various others, made speeches.
Five of the members of the Convention
" who signed the protest to-day, appcare,
3 upon the stand, and gavesn their adhe
:, sion to the rebel party. As have al
along predicted these gentlemen declar
ed they would oppose the Constitution
d before the people.
f. j. II. Speed and G.. w. Graves spok
:, very violently, the latter declaring h
y would resist the new Constitution b
" force OF arms. Clauin said he went Int
h the rebellion with his eyes open, and ha
t. no apologies to make for it. Both spec
;. and Graves were officers In the rebt
army.
!e A fellow named Ramsey, who said h
l. was from New York, also spoke. III
. told the meeting that the rebel cause wa
=. good one, and that il they had fougf
70 under the United States flag they woul
u have succeeded.
C. At the close of the meeting resolution
[. were passed denouncing the new Const
n tuition and calling upon the Democrat
~ throughout the State to organize and, d
feat that instrument. The negroes wei
told II they vaed for the Constitutio
&c they will be held by the rebels MS publ
r. enemies. ....
" These inflammatory speeches arouse
a the widest passions In the bosoms of IL
~ rebels present. and the screams an
{. howls of the throng would have dol
I'd honor to pnndemOnium.
- The rebels arc organizing for an acti,
n campaign to defeat the Constitution.
~ The leading Democratic organ, I'll
D. Mail, In an article published this morl
IT. ing, advises wholesale prescription OF Il
d, negroes who vote at the election, and Il
n. advice will no doubt he followed.
The Union members ofthe Conventio
IL will meet Tomorrow to sign the Const
tuition, and at night there will be graz
mass ratification meeting in the Capt.
te grounds. A glorious time IL expecte
ry The Democrats will also hold anoth
ma meeting, to I've addressed by the eX-reb
,o Governor Winston.
--------s~
" THE In Crosse Democrat, which Il
- Mobile Trihune In quoting calls 9TH