Litchfield enquirer., 1867-12-26
THE ALABAMA CONVENTION


 writes to the Boston Adrertise, the follow. ing account of the Alabama Convention It IS evidently written in q spirit of candor and is in remarkable contrast with the dis torted and scurrillous correspondence oj the Democratic press: Il confess, 1 had not formed very fa vorable opinion of this convention, indg- Ing from the numerous reports afoat in all parts of the country. Judge then of my agreeable surprise when on being brought ris q ris with it's members in session, be- held a respectable, and dignifed body of men, mainly whites, whose orderly deport- ment and respectful demeanor at once ar rested my attention and banished all dis position for ridicule and contempt. l soon secured myself a seat, and remained watch 1 Ing the proceedings for some time The debates were very interesting, and display ed much vigor Of thought and terseness of expression By wise rule adopted early ln the session, each speaker was limited to ten minutes, which secured condensation In argument, while it added variety to the entertainment for All outsider like myself The discussions were chiefly carried on by the whites, whose quicker intelligence and readier discernment gave them a decided advantage. Occasionally. however, a col ored member essayed to express himself, which he did in his own original style; do not mean common plantation talk. but ln tolerably good grammatical language, remarkable chiefly for the absence of any regular method III its composition. The illustrations psed in the course of argu- ment were often homely and occasioned merriment, but seemed quite apropos to the point i'll issue. I might remark in fho%c oG& o10 gates have had no means of education, Ebut ried experience. All the members seemed impressed with the importance of the work in which they were engaged, and anxious to see it we'll done. There were men there whose gray hairs and self. collected mien betokened ripe experience and careful judgment. Others there were in the prime of life whose serious aspect, and yet more restless manner, told of greater intellectu al vigor and more eager interest. A few young men of the assembly kept them selves modestly in the background, and seldom spoke.
 "Take it all in all as have heard it frequently remarked since my arrival, Q more sober and orderly legislative body were never before assembled at the state capitol. Drinking is very rare among its members, and those who remember the dfgraceful scenes formerly so much in vogue, cannot but draw Q favorable com parison of the present state of affairs with then. As to the composition of the con- ventio1 in other respects, l find very erro- neous ideas prevail abroad. Instead of q confused mass of northern adventures and negroes, of which many suppose it to be made up, learn, upon careful inquiry, that fully three-fourths of the whites, to say nothing of the others, are old residents of good standing in their several commu- mites. Many of them are lawyers of known talent, and few have worn the ju- dicial ermine. That they did not com mand larger support from the whites is due in great measure to the tenor of pub lie opinion, which kept numbers away from the polls. The combined efforts of the old secession element and the renegade Re publicans who have scattered themselves everywhere in the south for the purpose ot stirring up strife, have succeede for the time being in depriving the people of theil senses on the question of reconstruction , But that truth in the end will prevail have no doubt All that remains is fol Congress to act firmly and with modera ton, and we shall soon see the states creep ing back one by one into their former loya | status.