Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1867-11-22

Friday NsrnIng, Novsnbsr p, 1897
ALABAMA CONSTITUTIONAL CON-
vENTlON.

The most remarkable body In many re-
spssts ever assembled on the American
sentiment, Is nov In session at Monigom-
cry, Alabama. II IL the Rrst Of the Con-
ssituticual Conventions held under the re-
construction measures Of the Fortioth Con.
srsss. Its The 6rs, loyal body assembled
10 S,aihern State since the beginning Of
,hs war. (if We except Tennessee, whose
posision 10 peculiar, in which were ma
josity Of Union men. l; Is making the
xrss experiment. that has yet been made oil
rcmolding the organic Law Of one Of the
Vssten ssaies.,he once great stronghold Of
rebellion aud slavery, 80 that such law shall
accord With the Declaration Of Independ.
epee aud with the National sentiment
which declared during the late civil con-
dict that the Union must never be dissolv.
ed. Il i the arst Convention clothed
wiiL real power, ever held 10 all this vast
Gulf region, In which thu UaioniM that
nsser ceased to pervsde Vie hearl Of q
large portion Of the people, has Mt free
10 utter itself. II Is tho FIRST authoritative
protest spripging from tho people ihem.
selves against the crimes aud errors Of the
sris'ocracy that once governed the South;
and Il IL the 6rst Convention ever assem-
bled 10 America, In which the views or
interests Of the oolorcd race were consul.
Ted In the formation Of an organic law,
All this l. the more remarkable AZ occur
ring In Q State where slavery and Dem
oerscy were once enihroned, as II seemed,
beyond . possibility of overthrow and
where, more recently. all the powers Of the
State Government, backed up, apparently.
with The entire unanimlty Of the people,
we're engaged in deadly struggle to throw
Of the national authority, 10 wrench tho
Commonwealth from its place in the
American Union, aud to make the slavery
Of the colored race, embracing majority
Of the whole people, unsuitable aud
perpetual.
The Convention assembled on Tuesday,
Nov. 9th. at the Capitol. In the Hall Of the
House Of Representatives, at noon.
The full Convention consists Of 100
members, Of whom fourteen arc colored
men; . few are gentlemen Of Northern
birth, who sst,eld in Alabama before the
war; one fourth, perhaps, are persons nom
the North who have settled there since the
elose Of the war, and the remainder ore
ustives Of the State.
In the entire Convention there Is but
single gentleman elected by Conservative
or rebel votes--Mr. Howard, of Crenshaw.
All the rest are Unionists, more or less
penetrated with the idea that the only
course Of safety for the State or for tho
Usion. 10 the present disfra nehisement of
the more msignau, of,he disloyal classes
and the more persistent and bitter enemies
OF the National Government. The settle.
msnt fthis all.important question of the
franchise, will be the most difficult aud in
isrssiinr duty devolviug upon the cOuysn.
tiou.
lion. Il. W. Peck, Of Tuscaloosa, was
unanimously elected permanent President
Of the Convention, Capt Robert Bnrbcur
VAS chosen permanent Secretary; Henry
Patrick, LIST Assistant Secretary; Moses ..
Avery Of Mobile. "a Assistant Secretary;
John ID. Terwe!l. sergeant-st-A AIMS; Henry
Hunter Craig. Of Montgomery, Doorkeeper-
ofthese, Messrs. Avery aud Craig are color
cd.
A correspondent Of tho Cracianof Eds-
eae, TO whom We are indebted for the above
facts, telegrsphs daily report ofthe dolngs
Of the Convention, from which We cxtaact:
A resolution was adopted that the mem.
bcrs of the Convention take an oath TO
support the Constitution Of the United
States, aud faithfully discharge the duties
incumbent upon them.
Further on, Mr. Reynolds called up
the resolution declaring sacred the indebt-
.dsess contracted since the close Of the war,
for meeting the necessary expenses Of the
present State government Ayes and
nays were called upon this resolution, and
IL was unanimously adopted. THE action
shows clearly that the members fthe Con.
vention are honest men, and that the hon
or and credit Of Alabama are safe 10
their hands. The entire loyal debt Of
Alsbama thus declared sacred by the Con
vention, amounts to six millions one hun.
bred and thirty nine thousand and nine
hundred and ten dollars. OF course the
rsbel debt is utterly ignored.
The following substitute for the article, !
proposed by the majority Of the Franchise
Committee. was offered by AIr. Coon, Of
Selma, and. as il is considered fair CON-
promise between those who favor universal
rebel suffrage, aud those who favor univer-
eel rebel disfrs nchisement, IL, or something
IKE II. will probably be adopted; +
SECTION 1. Every male citizen Of the
United States, and every male person, who
has legally declared his intention TO be-
come = citizen Of the United States,
twenty-one years old or upwards, who
shall have resided in the State six months
next preceding the election, and three
months In the county in which he offers
70 vote, .shslfks doomed al elector, provi-
ded thar no soldier, sailor or marine, in the
military or naval service Of the United