Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-07-17
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Letter from Alabama.

MONTGOMERY, July IA. 1868.
Ep1roRs LEDGER: The assembling OF
the Legislature was the great item of in
terest yesterday. The negroes from far
and near came to town, expecting some.
thing Of importance to take place, in
which they were to be the main actors.
They crowded the streets IN the hot sun
until good perfume was stirred up,
when they all-men and women-wended
their way to the capitol. The galleries
and windows were jammed full of dusky
voters. At II IN. Judge Smith was sworn
in by Chief Justice Walker, as Pro-
yisional Governor, and A. j. Apologize
1.-THE nan who stole Jacob Thompson's
land deeds at Oxford, Mississippi, during
the war;, was sworn in as Lieutenant
Governor The Lieutenant Governor
Immediately called the Senate to order,
and made short talk He said: Gen
tlemen. am not much used TO this
serter work, and hope you will bar with
me if / make any mistakes" These are
his words. he is a very illiterate man,
and can scarcely write his own name, his
spelling being worse than his chirogra;
ply. The Senate WAS then sworn in.
There are twenty-seven members-but
one of whom is a negro, B. F. Royal.
of Bullock county. The organization OF
the House was matter of more diff.
Guilty, owing to the fact that the room
was crowded to overlooking with
negroes, who had come to see how
il was done. After some trouble tenn
porary chairman was elected, who an
nounced that the first business was to
elect permanent Speaker. Some one
moved that an election be gone into.
The chairman put the question, =" All in
favor Of going into the election Of Speak
er, let it be known by saying aye" =
" Aye" was Immediately yelled by every
darby in The House, from the gallery to
the floor. On the contrary question
being put, a great many voted No.
The Chairman said be was unable to de-
eide the question, and requested all in
favor Of the proposition to rise. The
same ridiculous scene followed, nearly
all the negroes rising to their feet, evil
IDENTIFY thinking that they had as much
right to vote as "any other man." After
a good deal Of trouble, B. B. McCraw, OF
Mobile, was elected Speaker. Upon the
members being called upon to rise and
take the oath Of office, about five hundred
negroes on the floor and in the gallery
rose and held up their right hands, and
were duly sworn in, making about the
largest body of legislators ever assem-
bled in this or any other State.
The House is composed Of ninety
seven members. twenty-six Of whom are
negroes. There are but four or Eve who
we're ever heard Of before, and taken
altogether, are about as hard looking
body Of men as could be gotten together
in the State.
But very little more than organization
was done at the morning session.
At the evening session the Fourteenth
\ amendment was unanimously adopted
with bat very little opposition. The oh
ject Of this hurry was to get the member
Of Congress OF. They have been yer.
urgent in pushing their claims. II the.
can get their seats before that body cd
jouros (which, il Is understood will b
about the 20th inst }. they can draw pa.
for the full session and mileage, whic
will be sboui Eve thousand dollars. Thi
little private move on the part Of tn
Congressmen elect shows how CON
pleiely the party 10 power are E" gOiu
for" the greenbackA The State wi
have a bankrnp, treasury 10 less tina
thirty dsyr, a. the verify members, Wit
fsv excepiioas. are Eat broke.
We will no doubt have a very lvsl
Presidential campaign. as both partis
are fnlly Organizing Tor the Sight Tier