The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-09
Alabama Reoonstruoting.

From The ". Y. Tribune.
The entire American people have looked
with natural interest to the Reconstruction
Convention for Alabama which has just closed
its session at Montgomery. In the same room
where six years ago, the Confederate Rebel
lion in behalf of human bondage was organ
lied into pretended national government,
were assembled one hundred representatives
of that portion Of the people Of Alabama who
love liberty and the Uniony engaged in the
'Sfirst effort to construct State government on
the basis Of the political equality of all men.
Among them were sixteen legislators who were
formerly slaves. The coincidence of place, be-
tween the Inauguration of the Confederacy,
whose cornerstone was slavery, and OF the
reconstruction policy, whose cornerstone is
equality, is one of the most significant in
history. The Convention was regarded
by the conservative party of Alabama with
an effort at contempt, which utterly failed,
for want of anything in the proceedings
of the Convention to which the contempt even
Of its enemies could attach. After it had
adopted suffrage policy so liberal towards the
Rebels as to disarm all criticism, the only
hope of the Conservatives was to force the
question of color on the Convention in some
embarras sing form. An ordinance requiring
common carriers throughout the state to
make no distinction or separation in the con
Veyance of black and white passengers was re-
ferred to the Judiciary Committee. An ordi-
nance providing separate schools for white and
eolored children was voted down by 81 to Y,
and instead thereof a section was adopted de-
claring that the Board of Education should
provide one or more schools in each
school district, at which all the chill
dren of the said district should attend
free of charge. This leaves to the Board of
Education in each district to decide whether
Il a.. I.
or different schools. A Bureau of Industrial
Resources for collecting and publishing stats
tics calculated to promote the business of the
State and encourage immigration has been
proposed, and we believe adopted. The Con-
vention, after q long and close struggle, finally
voted to make all judicial offices in the State
elective. An ordinance to prohibit marriages
between white and black was defeated. The
statement that General Pope had written let
ters urging the Convention to close its proceed
ings as soon as possible, if true, probably indi-
Gates only the anxiety Of that officer for an
early submission of its work to the people, so
that the State may apply for admission TO Con
gress during the present session. We have re-
ceiyed the thirty-two first sections of the pro
posed Constitution, which is now complete
They are framed with care and ability, and
contain nothing of which any friend of Union
and liberty will disapproVe. On December
the Convention, by vote of 81 yeas to IL
nays ADOPTED the Constitution, ana Dy VOLe
OF 66 yeas to l3 nays, provided for its submis-
sion to the people. The vote for and against
the Constitution, and for the State and county
omcers and Representatives in Congress, will
be held on the 4th of February, 1868, undeI
the orders OF the Commanding General of the
district, all returns to be made to the Presi-
dent OF the Convention, who will issue GER
tifcates of election To the candidates
elected. The latter will enter ON the
duties of their Offices as soon as tbe Stste
shall be admitted into the Union. Az the
proposed election all adult male citizens with,
out distinction of color, will vote, except those
who, having previously taken an official oatb
TO support the Constitution of the United
States, violated their oath by joining in the
Rebellion. Even these may vote if they hav,
aided in the reconstruction proposed by Con
gress, and accept the political equality of al
men before the law. Seventeen members O
the Convention voted and protested agains
the Constitution. II a majority of the regis
tered electors of Alabama shall vote and If
majority of those who vote shall vote for tn
Constitution thus adopted, there can be n
doubt of the loyalty of the State government
and Members OF Congress who will be eleote,
under It. There seems to be every prospect
therefore,, that the State of Alabama will b