The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1867-11-19
The Military Reconstruction Ma
chine In MOliOn.-gEOyy is Works.

The Military Rec0nstruciEon Ma
chine In MOti0n--EEOyy it Works.
That the Conventions in the Negro
ridden Southern States held for the pur-
pose of reorganizing them, should be
wretched farces and disgraceful to the
country is not surprising. Made up as
they are cHeay of semi-idiotio Negroes
aud vagabond whites, none but fanatic
Radicals could expect them to found wise
and permanent Governments.
Whether they arescapable of the little
good that fanatics fondly hoped for, may
be gathered from summary of the per-
sonnel and organization of the Alabama
Convention now in session.
We condensc the following facts from
the Montgomery correspondence of the
New York dailies.
Here are few specimens from which
the character Of the delegates may be
Judged: g9'9g
"R NJ, Reynolds, of Iowa. has been
six months in Alabama, and very natu-
rally "knows all about it, He is an
ardent loyalist.
Thomas Diggs is negro whose head is
grizzled and whose hue is brown. He rep.
resents" Barbour and makes beautiful
cross mark when singing his name.
Thomas Lee, of Perry, is negro who
finds thatit assists him very much in
signing his name to lean his head quite
on one side, and not be in hurry about
lit. He is very black.
Wash. johnson has the very blackest
skin and the very worst signature Of any
patriot of the whole eighty three. His
hue is, without jest, a jet black, and his
autograph, the sum total of his writing
abilities, might stand equally we'll for
Smith, or Van Landt, or Scheme rhorn.
A. w. Jones is ghost. That is to
| say he is the gentleman who was barbar-
ously murdered by srebel outrage"
which originated here in Montgomery
and killed him off successiyely in every
truly loyal sheet in the country. Mr.. !.
writes very unspectre like hand and
misrepresents Conecuh.
! g. Jones is yellow negro, who, on
being called up to the secretary desk to
register his name, expectorated with a
refreshing abandon that provoked gen.
eral smile and then made his mark. s.
James K. Green is a negro who takes
the name Of the master whose carriage
he once drove. The name of this states
man does not appear on the signed list,
from modesty which withheld his sole
signature, an k mark.
Oyide Oregon is light mulatto from
Mobile, whose thin lips, keen cut jaws,
and furtive eyes seem to body forth a
Malay type Of man. 1t was this Divide
who,as the phrase goes, "blsted Busted, y
withdrawing the favor of Ethiopia, on
one occasion, from that sagacious and
admirable Judge. 8.
Jordan Hatcher, of Dallas, is a griz-
zled negro of lightish hue, who, after q
not unusual fashion, takes his former
masters name. 80 ..o
James Fl. Howard, of Crenshaw, the
only Conservative in the Convention, is a
fine soldierly leoking young man, and
native Alabamian. 80 1aa 1A4
Peyton Finley is city negro who once
held the door open for members in that
very chamber where he now sits as del.
egate, and, If memory do not fail, 1 have
for my poor self paid him, on"a full day
tribute to the extent of thirty five cents
currency for chair. 'a's ass
| John Carroway is light mulatto with
"bsck hair Of magnificent proportions
At its supreme altitude this ornament
extends fully FIVE inches straight out from
the nape Of the neck, forming right
angle very comely to the eye. Mr.. Car,
away is assistant editor Of the Mobile
Natio aalist, and it is a matter Of pro.
fessicnal courtesy to thus record his dis
tinguishilg sss:ribute. Z.
Alfred Strotser 81 negro Of intense
blackness and wou,d hsve gone to sleeI
at one time in convention, put Tor I
timely wltticism which woke laugh II
the hall. sl m.
Ben Alexander, Of Hale, negro p'
the ordinary type of field hand.
j. A. Yordy, an unknoTn, closes the
| list, and of such obscurities, nonentities
adventures negroes, officials, and fanatics
is this sovereign convention composed.
The manner of electing these distin-
guished statesmen was original and sim
lple, and honors them as much as they
honor their positions. Here is one Of /
dozen accounts, all to the same effect:
| Of course in the registration preceding
these elections and in the elections them
lsslves the same free and easy, but entire
lily effectual, mode Of treatment prevailed
4 Looking on their duties in the facetioul
Hight that irradiates this whole matter
registrars did pretty much as they pleasee
one in particular stating, as rather gooc
thing, that he s.just slapped down" two
hundred more votes than were registered
Another equally funny man polled hi
freedmen twice, and third party, I
copyist, gives heartrending accoun
of the number of times he must hav,
recorded John Jones and Napoleon Bo
naparte. The beauty of this reduplicatioi
like the text which would fit any sermon
and the sermon that fitted any text, wa
that here, out of the abundance Of Bo
napartes, was name for every negro a
there was always negro forthcoming fo
every name. What's your name2' woul'
Iquery the register to the.sufragan. Bon.