New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-14
MISGOVERNED ALABAMA.
THE FRUITS OF PAUPER SUFFRAGE IN
THE SOUTH.

on AN UNWILLING PEOPLE-C0NGRESS DREAMS
IT'S PIIGHrEp woRp-CoRRUPTION WHICH FOL-
LOWED THE wAR-LEGIsLAToRs BOUGHT AND
SOLD LIKE CATTLE-CHMLENGNG NoiI'
PENrrENTiARY oFFENsE-ALABAMAs ONLY hofE.
uRoM rHR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRiBuNh'i
MONTGOMERY Ala. Nov. 2-I said in my last let
ter that the wholesale plumber of the Southern peo
pie as well as the extravaganza, incompetence ana
dishonesty which have marked the administration
of public affairs here, since Reconstruction. was the
legitimate result of suffrage which represented
nothing but ignorance and poverty. In Alabama
the disease aggravated by special Legislation OF
Congress, legislation which know was predlcated
on total misunderstanding of the true condition OF
affairs here, but which, admit. in those times when
to establish Republican administration III South
ern State was considered more important than to
set up an honest one might have been adopted had
full knowledge of all the facts existed.
Senator Conkling, in his speech at the Republican
Convention in New-York said that if the people of
the South had been plundered by the carpet-bag
governments they had only themselves to thank for
it, for they had stood aOof and haughtily refused to
take any part in the first elections; and, suppose
that it is generally believed in the North that most
of the evils of bad government which the Southern
States have suffered resulted from refusal ON their
part to have anything to do at first with politics.
This is not true in regard to Alabama, Mr.. COnk'
ling might learn from Congressman White OF this
State, ex-Gov. Parsons, and other influential Repub-
icans, who were at that time equally prominent in
Democratic councils, The Constitution of 1858 was
imperfect in many particulars and was not sup
ported by some of the best white Republicans in the
State. The law of Congress under which the vote
upon il was taken, declared that TO be adopted not
only must it receive ajonty of all the votes cast
but that the aggregate vote must be majority OF the
number registered In other words. the C0nstitu-
ton might be detected in either OF two ways; By
failing TO receive majority of the votes cast or by
the failure of quorum of the voters to go TO the
polls.
CONGRESS BREAKS ITS FAITH.
The leaders of the Democratic party after fun
consultation decided that the easiest way to secure
the rejection of the Constitution to refrain from
voting and thus by adding the Republican absen-
tees to their strength make their victory COM
plete. convention held and this course agreed
upon. some of the men who are now most prominent
in the Republican party of the State assisting in
the arrangement of the matter This conclusion
was not the result of spirit of haughtlness; the
people simply resOrted 10 what was made by Con-
gress legitimate means of accomplishing their end.
The election continued five days, but the number
of votes cast was several thousand short of
quorum and Gen. Meade reported that the Constitu-
ton was defeated; but Congress, after having pro-
vided that 1t could not be adopted unless a given
number Of votes was cast. declared that Consttu-
ton the organic law of the State At the same cleo
ton at which the Constitution voted upon, State
and county officers TO be chosen, the cleo
ton of whom was to be valid only in case the Con-
stitution was agreed ~. The ID mocrats were so
sure of defeating the Constitution that they made
no nominations and when Congress by special act
forced the Constitution which mad been defeated
upon them il also declared all the Republican can
didates elected. although ill some Of the white
counties they had not received one-fourth OF the
registered vote.
The government thus set NJ rover had a parallel
outside of the Southern States and very few here
In some of the counties the Republicans had tried
TO make good nominations by putting reputable
white men on their tickets but the feeling was SO
strong against going 10 the polls ar all, that such
men, almost without exception, were forced 10 de-
cline the nominations and their places were filled.
for the most part, by who were not only totally
unfit for the offices but were actually unworthy Of
apy confidence They were, with a few noteworthy
exceptions either ilterate blacks white thieves
and murderers. Had the people supposed for mo-
mcnt that it was the intention of Congress TO force
the Constitution of 1868 upon them, whether they
would or not they would have gone into the eau
yass. nominated officers and made an effort to get
the control. But they knew that they could defeat
the Constitution in one of the ways provided by
Congress, while In the other 10 was douD1uI, ana
supposed that to make any contest for the control of
Offices which would never be filed was useless
waste of effort
UNBLUsHING CORRUPTION OF THE FIRST LEGISIA-
TURE.
This government which was not the choice Of the
people acting under a constitution which the peo-
pie had rejected found this State financially III good
condition The debt was light; the interest upon 1t
had been promptly paid, even during the war; there
was no occasion for heavy taxes; land was worth
twice as much it is nOw and there was apparently
no reason why the State should not prosper. But
the vultures came down upon the State as they
always will when the power is held by irresponsible
OF dishonest men. Money was gwen away to rail
roads by the million. lent to them on security that
was far from good The scenes that were enacted
here in Montgomery during the sessions OF that first
Legislature are said to have defed description. The
railroad managers established themselves at
the Exchange Hotel and members Of the
Legislature were bought and sold almost
as openly cattle are bought aud
sold in market. An honest member of that Leg1sla-
ture was hard to find and the two or three who did
preserve their integrity will never be forgotten as
as long as they live in Alabama. Congressman
Bromberg of the Mobile District was then III the
State Senate, and was one Of the very few men who
came out of it with clean hands. Bot need not go
into particulars; so much has been written about
the rule of the thieves in North and South Caro-
lima, in Louisiana and in other Southern States,
that need ouly say that Alabama was as badly off
e. any of them.
Upon the Legislature Of 1888 dcvolved many very
important duties. The laws of the State required
amendment TO meet the changed conditions Of the
peonIe The character of the acts that were passed