The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1868-02-25
iFor the Spirit
Reconstruction In Alab q m a =.
Birthsand Funeral of a Radical
Baltling.

the door of Congress in the face of one.
fourth Of the members of that body. To
make assurance doubly sure they elected
members elected by every form Of law,
and qualified by every requirementof of the
Constitution, solely because those mem
bers might impede their headlong course
toward despotism. ..s
They battered down the Constitution in
order to despoil the Executive of all the
powers and prerogatives (which he might
use to check their fury. They crippled
and intimidated the judiciary until that
body scarcely dared to interpose the
mildest remonstrance. In short, one of
the three equal and coordinate branches
of the Government first kicked out such
a number of its own body as to leave a
Radical majority omnipotent, then usurp-
ed or destroyed the powers of the other
branches, until no authority on earth re-
mained to put straw in its pathway.
This rump Congress was then ready to
commence the series of outrageous enact.
ments which eliminated in the establish.
ment of such Conventions as that which
gave birth to this Alabama Constitution;
and commence they did, ruthlessly level
ing and razing everything in the form of
rights and liberties and laws and Copsti-
tutions which offered distractions. One
reconstruction act after another was pass
ed, each worse than its predecessor, and
all SO admirably contrived that every one
reflected infamy upon every other one.
Under these enactments and by the ju-
dicious and persevering use of Federal.
bayonets in preventing the ballot-boxes
from containing the votes of too many
white men, members of Constitutional
Convention were selected. The Conven-
ton was worthy of its origin. 1t was
made up of negro BARRIERS and porters,
suffers and Freedmen's Bureau agents
and others from the same classes of phi
losophers and statesmen. But if the
Convention was ga chip Of the old block"
the Constitution was "the very image of
its father Itwas the triumphant result
of in-and- in breeding between corruption
and yillainy.
A single specimen will be sufficient to
establish Its character, and doubtless
make its grand-sire, the rump Congress,
proud of it.
The section prescribing the form of an
oath which shall be taken by every man
before he is permitted to vote or hold Of
fee contains this among many other elau-
ses:
"And I do furthermore solemnly swear
that l soi1 ao,o and forever favor negro
equality"
This Constitution, of which this clause
was one Of the principal recommendations,
was submitted to such voters as were not
already disfranohised. The Law of the
rump which created the Convention pro-
vided that the Constitution should be de-
clared approved if it received the votes
of majority of the registered voters
An election was held. Four days were
thought sufficient time to enable the
same herds Of negroes to go from poll to
poll in such numbers as to give it the re-
qulred majority; but in consequence of
the lack of Government transportation
the military 'owner of that department.
granted another day, making five in all.
They were busy days. The usual number
Of mules and forty acre lots were prom
ised the negroes, and the usual threats of
acutting Of their crackers at the Freed
mems Bureau pantry, were used to induce
them to vote s'early and often" The
poor wretches carried their mysterious
bits Of paper to the ballot boxes in blank
ignorance of what voting meant, what
they were voting for or against, or what
such an incomprehensible performance
could result in.
Out of over seventy thousand votes
cast for the Constitution less than two
thousand were cast by white men, and
most of these were candidates.
But woe to Radical prospects for the
electoral vote of Alabamal Woe to cor
ruptionI Woeto fraud Woe to shame
less yillainyl The negro-begotten bant-
ling. failed to receive the approval Of o
majority of the yotersl Radicalism fair
lily swooned at the intelligence. There
Hay the result of three years schemiDg
and perjuring for nine electoral votes
there it lay dead as reeking carrion.
But villainy is fruitful Of resources: il
soon suggested relief. The military
owner of the State Immediately proposed
to reopen the polls, and have enough votes
cast for the corpse to. vitalize it: but the
rump proposes scheme much more wor
thy Of its character: 'ssss
A resolution has been proposed in The
House and another in the Senate dsclar