Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-12-20
Alabama Reconstruction.

The following interesting letter from
Montgomery, Ala, dated December z,
we reprint from the Cincinnati Gazette.
It gives a vivid picture of the political
situation in that State, which is just
now one of thrilling interest. The facts
stated showing the animus of the rebel
element and its opposition to the new
constitution are no less significant than
important:
Yesterday is destined to become his
toricaI. not alone so far as Alabama is
concerned, but as regards the nation.
On Thursday, as you have already
been informed, the Constitution of Ala
bama, the new charter Of the peoples
liberties, was adopted as whole, only.
seventeen members out of the one hum
dred elected protesting against it.
That night a meeting assembled at
EsteIle Hall, presided over by the ex-
rebel Gen. ClantOn. The hall was dense
IL filed. A band Of music collected the
idlers Of whom so many may be found
at present in every Southern city. A
lot of. old barrels, burned upon the cor
ners of the streets near by, helped to at
tract attention. The e1-sold1ers OF the
rebel COnfederacy (the most dangerous
class of Southerners) assembled to re-
peat the wells with which they were
wont to charge upon the Union lines.
Every individual in Montgomery whose
heart is filed with bitter hatred to the
Government, came to give 1t vent. And
so the hall was filed with a body Of
men whose passions and appearance in
dicated that they were no more fitted
to participate in the control of the Re
public than Lafitte's pirates, or the gang
of outlaws who plundered and murder
ed under the leadership of MurreU.
snfNr
of the Mobile Advertiser and Register
and Hodgson of the Montgomery Mail,
spoke first. Their speeches breathed
the very spirit of profound hostility to
the Reconstruction measures of Con-
gress: profound hostility to the political
equality of men; profound hostility to
loyal rule. The d7liH1sts of these two
men was very evident, and but feebly
disguised under a vail of not utterly un-
courteous language, and of some gen
eral phrases of regard for the COnstitu-
ton.
Then came the carnival of rebel wrath
and hate, unVarnished and undisguis-
ed. A half dozen individuals, whose
names do not care to place upon this
paper, arose and spoke in quick success
/ sion, each one for ten or fifteen minutes,
and each striving to surpass the other
in disloyalty, malignRnc vituperatiOn,
ObsceniGy and abuse, The sympathetic
crowd hOwled, yelled and rOared around
them, encouraging them to even great
| er excesses than they at first intended.
Every bad passion was blown up to fe-
yer heat Every Rllusion to the rebel
lion was gIorification thereof. Every
low and vile and dirty Democratic pre-
judice was successfully appealed to-
Sadly and sOrroWfully 1 looked around
upon that maddened multitude. In one
remote corner of the hall was gathered
/ group Of negroes, silent and unde-
.@1-,
ton to every sentence uttered, and set
ting down upon the lasting tablets of
their memories, what they heard and
what they saw. No doubt the old chains
clanked in their ears. No doubt the
crack of the whip once more resounded
in their hearing, and they saw again be-
fore their eyes the collie, the hand-cuff,
and the auction block. And no wonder
they should see and hear; for in all that
angry and degraded crowd of men,
there were not a score, perhaps, who
would not, if they dared, have burned
the school house, and restored the slave
pen. Not score but who would, if they
dared, have trampled anew upon all
human rights, violated the highest in
functions Of the law of God, and rein
augurated the reign Of outrage, murder
and lust. There were not a score who
would not gladly have overturned the
Union, if they dared, and all those no
" principles of light and liberty, which
the flag of the Union sym bolizes to-day.
/ Could the people Of the north have
| been there, could they have seen what
I saw, and heard what / heard. could
they have appreciated as they could on
/ " appreciate by being present, the spir-
/ it which animated that rebel gathering,
] they would rally anew to the standard
of loyalty which Congress has erected
/ in the South, and thousands, even Of
/ those who now call themselves Demo-
I org re- ~ oh de- rgfF
/ before they would say one word or do
| one deed tending to restore these men
/ to power. Disastrous to human free
1 dom; disastrous to the best interests of
/ our beloved country must it be, if these
unappeasabls enemies of the Union get
| control of a single State.
A third scene is now enacted. The
rebel delegates to the Convention, most
| of them eX-ofhcers of the rebel army.
| who had obtained their seats by pre-
/ tending repentance for their crimes, and
1 processing to be Republicans and Union
men, had come to the meeting to tell
| their brethren that they had voted
against the new Constitution, had
thrown of the mask of Unionism, had
effected all the mischief possible, and
| wished to return to the bosom of the
rebel party. They were received with
/ open arms. Each one was called upon
to exhibit his nakedness and shame be-
fore the meeting. Four of them re-
sponded. Alexander, of Autauga, a
heavy set, dark complexioned man,
whose sole business in the Convention
was to vote stolidly against every loyal
and enlightened measure proposed, had
but word or two to say, and that was
simply to tell the rebels he was with
themo Ewing, Of BaIne, a man of more
consequence, but little brains, uttered q
few foolish sayings and sat down. Ew-
ing WAS not originally one of the gentle
men who had determined to oppose the
Oonatitution; but the Convention abol.