The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-12-12
Kolb's Latest Folly.
A Message to the Legislature
and the People of
Alabama.

Alabama.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala, Dec. r. +.
KoIb. who calls himself Governor de
jure of Alabama. has issued q message
ITO the General Assembly and people
Of Alabama.
He starts out in a grandiloqueot
strain. referring to 1.-The revolutionary
condition Of your State government" "
stigmatizes the Democrats as "usurp-
ers,'' and declares tha. the Coustitu-
tional guarantee of fair election has
been overthrown.
He says; II have taken the oath Of
Governor and intend to prosecute in
your name. my right to that high
Office, solely upon the claim that by
your ballots cast in the Legitimate aud
orderly way prescribed by the forms of
Law. I was appointed to it on August
6. 1894. | would waive much to
avoid such a conflict Of contesting
parties fc- power 10 Alabama. I have
hesitated long to expose the people of
Alabama to international discord, but
my countrymen, the concession Of right
to the evil spirit Of wrong is Dct the
road to peace which is real peace"
Kolb then refers to constitutional
rights. iuviolabili.y OF the ballot box.
etc. He contends that no election is
complete until all the provisions Of the
Constitution have been obeyed and ar
CUES that a number of ballots cast on
the first Monday 10 August, biennially,
counted by the joint session Of the Leg
isla.ure, the ensuing November, does
not, 10 those proceeding only. consti-
tu.e a valid election. The Constitution
Of Alabama. expressly secures to every
citizen, 90 matter how humble, the
right to 20 before the Legislature aud
demaud judicial prououncement by
that body. after the form of law upon
the result reached at the ballot box.
The Legislature has no more authority.
save revolutionary authority. to abol-
ish the constitutional right Of the citi-
zen to have bis ballot passed upon by the
Legislature than that body has right
to forbid the ballot itself at the polls
which the Constitution ordains shall be
the privilege of the citizen and the
secnritv of freedom.
Because the Legislature of 1928
did expressly revoke the sections of the
civil code, however imperfect. which
seemed to allow contest of the elee-
tion of the Governor and other State
officers, refusing on demand, to restore
them or to substitute others Of rea-
souable aud practical nature, you are
perfectly justified in declaring there
can be no election Of Governor or other
State officers under the Constitution OF
Alabama binding on you, which is
tainted with fraud at the ballot box.
He says that be is detained by pbysi
cal force from performing the functions
of Governor, but he still advocates only
peaceable proceedings and declares that
he is Governor de jure. He asks that
contest of election statute be promptly
enacted by the Legislature and agrees
to submit his case to such a statute.
He says the people are capable OF
enduring much, but there is an end to
endurance. He closes as follows:
II advise my supporters and all
lovers Of liberty to organize clubs to
assist the general object of my appeal
for their rights. Let these clabs meet
as often as once in two weeks at least,
by regular appointment, let there be
readers. who will come before each
meeting with such literature bearing
upoo the general question at issue as
may be available. Let every instruc-
tive article be we'll read aloud, that it may
incite inquiry aud discussion.
LET the fires of a noble patriotism
be kept alive in all our hearts aud the
clouds and darkness will lift and drift
away. We have no common funds to
pay expenses Of orators, but am conf
dent that the plan of club and the
public exhortations Of neigbbors With
each other will serve great end and
produce the best results. advise my
friends and supporters to pay DO tax
money to any collector of State taxes
for a while.
II advise those tax collectors who
value the cause I represent, and which
will assuredly prevail in the end, to
delay all payments Of >tate taxes into
the State treasury until an impartial
hearing be had Of our complaint under
fair and honest contest Law.
..If Col. Oates and his faction hear
not the trath if they court equity and
are ready to abide by justice. they will
hesitate at nothing to remove the color
of dishonor from bis title to the office
be has seized by arms.
IF the General Assembly will bring