The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1868-02-12
The Huntsville and Montgomery
Conservative Meetings.

| lUS huuISVlle ana montgomery
Conservative Meetings.
large and imposing Conservative meeting
was held in Huntsville, Alabama, on tho 10th
instant, to organize the people to defeat the
ratification of the negro constitution. No
mode Of defeating it, was recommended by tho
convention !; but vigorous conformity "to
such programme of action,,' as tho State Exc
cutive Committee should determine on at
Montgomery. At Montgomery a large meet.
ling OF citizens from tho whole State took place
on the I 9th, and passed the following rrsolu-
tion:
Il i. " Resotrod, That we recommend to the
people Of Alabama, who are opposed to the
esnstitution, prepared by the convention late
ly in session at Montgomery, to abstain from
voting ut all at the election to be held on tho
4th and 5th Of February next, either upon
tho question of ratirying or rejecting that
constitution, or for candidates for Offices under
l it," .sf 2. s-r;- ~ .,s.. n ..'
/ We presume, therefore, that ron voting viii
be the policy adopted throughout tho State OF
| Alabama to defeat tho negro constitution
This is wise. 1t is painful to know, that II
I this policy had been pursued, aud all the white
| population who were Authorised to vote, had
registered their names no conventions would
have assembled in three fourths of tho South
scrn States. Even, Of the registered voters,
/ who did vote, IL is proved from the published
returns, that the convention would have been
defeated, ir those who voted against a conven-
| ton, had not voted at all. So much Is this
] policy dreaded, by the Jacobins in Congress,
that we sec that bill has been introduced
| into tho Senate, to alter the existing Recon-
struction laws, so ms to make q majority OF
the actual voters, and not majority of the
registered voters, sufficient for tho ratification
OF these constitutions. ...
Tho dofeat Of these constitutions is a mat
ter of great importnncc, and will save us rom
immcnse trouble, annoyance and confusion.
| But whether these constitutions arc defeated
| or not at the polls held for their ratification,
| is in our judgment secondary matter. Toe
Organization of tho white race, which these
meetings propose, is the great primary benefit
they will obtain. The white race of the
Snuth have not sought such organization. 1t
has been forced upon them, by the orgapiza-
I /
teachings Of Northern Radicals, and few
Southern rsnogades. The success of negro
supremacy, can only last, we confidently be-
hevc, until the next elections Mt the North
shall give the people the opportunity of con-
lemning and overthrowing it.. It. is, there
fore, in its worst aspect, only temporary. But
the Organization of the ncgroes against the
white race, is an affair OF deep rooted contin-
nance. To meet it, and neutralizc its evils,
the white race must also he organised. The
peace of socicty-the enforcement Of a gov
ernment of hws-the existence of the South,
rs white mans country, requires that the
white race should be prepared to hold it and
perpetuatc it, with its civilization aud free in
stitutions, to their posterity. II this courss
had heen pursued, VIC would have escaped the
evils hanging over us. If it is now pursued
il may yet ayeS them, and IL cannot aver
it can most assurcdly rectify and defeat them
At no distant day. The protest Of ruling 5000.
600 of the white race, by 5000, 900 of negroes
is simply absurd. The white race has only q
organize Snd unite against such a fagitiou.
lPnlicy, and, in all probability, it will nell
away before these organizations. But 81
forced TO protect themselves aud their race
Tagsinst negro rule--1whnt expedient for pro,
lection is so potent, as a thorough .undsrstand.
ing and union, by associations in efficient op.
Grafton, throughout all tho localities Of tbs
South. The Union leagues, as they arc called
arc admirable precedents Excepting in then
mean secrecy to direct our organizations
There is one feature of these great Alabama
meetings, most significant of good, which
those who arc urging on Negro supremacy in
the South, VIC think, ought lot to disregard
They are everywhere headed by what wos call
ot Uaion p'eH. Southern men, who opposed
tho car some who fought against tho South
az the Tate war : and even Northcrn napa who
have come among us since fhe ,car, units ID the
rest Of tho white population, in opposing Con
grossional Reconstruetion with its noecs rule.
These men mistook ihe people Of tho North,
ander Radical control They respected the
Constitution of the United States; ard be-
lieved that tho Radicals respected il saiso.---.
They loved the Union--bnt Il was tho Union
transmitted TO them by thoir fathers---a Union
established Tin the words Of the Constitution,
"to secere the blessings of liberty to ourselves
and our posterity.". They end out nov what
an enormous error they committed, in tho con-
test which has placed tho South under the
North. They arc Foremost now among the
Southern white race, in their adherence OF
Radieal rulc; and In their eiforts to save the
South from negro domination. They arc suf-
fering, As We are under a common military
dsspotism. They SEQ civilization itself threat
sned with sxtine,ioni and the whsle South, IN