Huntsville gazette., 1882-08-19

politics of their State. IF any such doubts
exist. my answer IS; What has been done
once naay be done again. Ii was the work
of the colorec leaders in Alabama that car
! ried that State for the Republicans in 49,
| ". WHITE MEN COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT !,
The Bourbons that year inaugnrated
their campaign in their usual wav, that is
by threats of death to all negroes who
might dare oppose them. The order was
given by one of their most potential lead
ers, taken up and promulgated By their
press and speakers, to kill any negro who
attempted to canvass for the Republicans
during the then approaching campaign.
On account of persecution a great deal of
unrest existed anang the colored laborers
of he State, many of whom, by the advice
of their leaders had left, and ii great many
more were speaking of le,vlng for Mlssiss
ippi and other States This was the condi-
ton of affairs in the Winter and Spring of
1872 The planters aud business men of
the State became alarmed, not at all rel
isling the idea of losing this great pro-
duling power upon which their wealth
and future prosperity So largely Open
dcd, The tar seeing, sagaeious coiared
leaders, taking advantage OF these fe lrs
OF the whites, early i'll the Spring, an
terror to the opening of the campaign
by either party, called IA State C5nven-
ton ostenSibly for the pacification of
the colored iaborers. This Call was
heartily approved of by the whites and
through their press and other means
they were enthusiastic in its support
The convention met, nearly every coun
ty il the State being represented by It's
most Intelligent leading coored men.
An org lnizotion was effected known as
ihe Alabama Labor Union" Its of
ticers consisted of an Executive Com
mittee, State Agent, with full powers
70 act throughout the State in all ma t.
ters appertaining 20 the interests of the
! [ ni}n. District Agents were also ap-
| pointed Tor each congressional DistriC t
with powers in their respective Dis
tricts similar TO those conferred upon
the State Agent, subject however, to
Gtle State Agent, wlo was Supervisor
of the the Whole i.ibor Ulion mach in
cry OF the State. having power to re-
move any District or County Agents
who might fail to discharge the duties
devolyiug upon their respective posi-
tons. The District Agents had like
powers over the County Agents in their
several Districts. Thus it will be seen.
a thorough organization of labor was
ma(kn By colore.l men In Alabama in Is
y, lo9g 3e!ole ne election cf that year.
| Tiie UHon embraced nearly every col
ore voter i'll ". State, and ~ State
AgeH-. The wri er hereof visited nearly
| every county periettins the organiz,- /
ton. Ill many VI these counties we
were s~is+el ia our Iabors BY leading
Democrats, several Of then leliverin.
addresses t. tie labOrccs promising
them better treatment and enc ouraging Q
tle EN- to work faithfully and be conten-
ted where they We're. OF course the
| public add ic>scS o. tile State j .ent
were all on la Dor and nun-po, itic,l
| th-ir dhartcter, but when he LETT il coun
| ty the laoorcrs were thorou 5hlv organ
| iz"d, not only IN the interest Of labor
but III addition thereto, into compact
K publican org nizaiion.
When the camp ign opened the Dem
ocrats weie confronted w an or taniZa-
ton oi over 75 900, black men ready to
Oppose them, ..ni at the election viii h
| followed, this po.vertu bpdy w l. hurl- =
ed el-masSa against tn. BoIrbons, re-
| sujting in heir oyrrtnro, an tIl- trl
umpi,ant Gle ti,l OF Il Re, ,pu Dicli Gov
ermor, TWO mem ,ers OF Congress from
the Stlte at large. il legislature when
| returned a Republican 10 the United
| States Sen 'te, nd m"mhrrs of Congress
from the 2nd, 3rd IN | 4th Dist, lets,
making Il total Republican delegation
| from the st te Of six, incln ling ihe Sen
ator.
Bv tle uniting zeal anil sclt-sicrifi-
cing dc, otion Of the cOoreh leaders
in Alabama in g;tnizing Gh>r people
in lS72-the State WIS save to the Re
publican party III It yerr. and i'm add
tion 70 its local fruits of victory, sUl
electoral vote ~ thr State was east fo-
! Grant AMI Wi son for President and
| Vice. President OF e Unitei 5 aths
without oilht the State o. Alibam4
wa lost to the coili ipni-is in the ee
ito OF tile h inst. b. rI,;ls ~ ut tn
apathy ana general decentralization of
the rolored voters in the Black B III -
superinduce.i By their being il I'M N
organized cnnd tinl. TIE failure OF
| the new lea'inra to organize this pow
erft element Of success, i, 'col .irm t. Il.
| ton as stong as Holy Writ" Of their
uniitness to manlge the i'll, eres Is OF the
! he, npfX- in Stata