The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-12-05

The Original Farce OF "Thc Ice
construction Convention" in AL
abama-HOw the COlOred Maj
and Voter Performed.
Special Correspondence New York World
MONTGOMERY, ALA, Nov. 6, 1867.
1t is impossible to treat this thing Of
reconstruction, as seen here, ut the
South, with seriousness. Men speak
of it on the street with lurking grin,
and even us write, there rises that
black and meditatiye delegate, who will
withdraw himself into his coat collar
after the likeness Of tortoise in his
shell. Given lull in proceedings, out
comes this jurist's head. Let debate
arise and forthwith it sinks into its
slernum. Mr.. Summers "Manhood,"
or Thad. Stevens late appeal to the
Constitution are not greater jokes in
their way than this same Alabama con
vention. 1t smells Of the circus league
off, and if net drama!izeI, will be an
irrcparablc loss to the repertoire of
Farce. Picture to yourself lcgisla
tive parterre, culled from the barber
shop to the bureau. Speck!e this bed
ofroscs with disappointed aspiration
and soured hate. Garnish it's edges
with the iniieriority Of race and the an
imosity of section, and the great IN
constitutional and misrepresentation
Alabama Convention of 1867 IS before
you, No wonder men say the picture
of Washington looks unwonted|y stern
from its place upon the wall,
Of,t!h:a eighty odd delegates present
in this asscmblage some account has
already been given you in prior litter,
and subtracting the fifty -four aggrega-
ted Northern men and negroes, there
remains some twenty five, or one. fourth
of the whole convention, who are ci-
thcr OF known or probable Southern
birth. As to thc obscurity Of these
men, one fact alone will suffice. The
Secretary Of State, the Clerk of the
House, and the Chairman Of the State
Central Conservative Committee, men
who, from the necessity Of the several
positions, have the politics o! the state
at their fingers ends, are not abb, be-
tween them, to locate more than nine
out of the number The rest are ut
terly unknown as 80 many EsquimauX.
All that can be seen is that they are
Southern men, though whether they are
really Alabamians or imported from
Brownlow's domains for the occasion
does not appear. One man in ten,
therefore, is the ratio of citizenship in
this surprising State Convention. AS
to the delegates Of Northern birth,
there is hardly pretensc of residence.
A "slate" was made up here, it seems.
AMI sent out to the negroes, who duti
fully voted as they were told. "electing'
in this manner men who knew as little
of their constituencies as their const-
tucnts knew about them.
OF course III the registration procce-
ding these elections, and i'll the elec
tons selves, the same FIRE, and
easy, but entirely cilectual, mode OF
treatment prevailed. Looking on theil
duties in the facetious light that irradi
arcs this whole matter. registrars did
pretty much as they pleased, one il
particular stating. rs a rather good
thing, that he "just slapped down
two hundred more votes than were REQ.
istered. Another equally funny man
pollcd his freedmen twice, and q third
party, a copyist. gives heart rending
account OF the number of times he
must have recorded John Jones and
Napoleon Bonapartc. Tie beauty of
this republication, like the text that
would fit any sermon and the sermon
that lifted any text. WAS that here, out
Of the abundance Of Bonapartes, was
S name for every negro as there was
always negro forthcoming for every
name. What's your name y would
query the registrar to the sufTragan,
"Bony Williams, sah.' Down on the
list would 60 the official eye. No such
name there. "What was your masters
name!' Xxi! old mas'rs name Jones
Jack Jones, sah.' Then your name
is Jones isn't it?' Jack Jones! Ot
course it is. Here you are "You
solemnly swear &c, and so the little
game went on. As sub hilary to its
successful operation it is stated that
Alabama was gerrymandcred after the
fashion ofall the other Southern States,
but the step was hardly necessary.
Boaaparte and the Joneses could have
been safel, checked against for treble
the draft made The white man has
mo chance in Alabama is common
and true saying. Under the existing
regime he has no rights the black man
is bound to respect, and as conse
quence of this state OF affairs some lea.
ding citizens have moved oil, and 9th
ers are putting tneir houses in order
transferring all available means North
and ready to move at the first sign OF
trouble between the races. How cx
tensively this is being done there are
several bakers in New York can amply
testify. S. d.
Brickmakers may au interesting hin
in q recent number of Harpers w Weekly,
which advises them to have a stamp il
every brick mold, giving the name, dat
and locality Of manufacture, not onl,
as useful advertisement for them an,