Birmingham state herald., 1896-06-07
 ITS ID STATE AND FAMILY First and Greatest Duty of the
 Alabamian. SENATOR MORGAN WRITES Virile Words From the Pen of Ripe Wisdom. Every One of Them Should Make
 a Vote for Democracy
Washington, June 1, 1896.

Washington, June 1, 1896. l Capt. H. c. Reynolds
 1 My Dear Sir: Our long continued
 friendship and our association in times
 of perilous trials in the past called for an earlier answer than have been able l to give to your very kind and interesting | letter.
 I feel that can address you with per | feet trankness on any subject, whether we SSree or differ In our opinions. dis- | like to indulge in prophetic statements about future political Situations but 1t
 now seems that the national democracy will again adhere to the old creed of bi-
 metallism that has so often been estab- lished in platforms and votes and on all occasions when this constitutional right of the people has been brought into ques- tion. I cannot withhold the expression of my sincere qualification at this result, or my conviction that the people will en- force this great right In the election of a president and congress next November. I speak of this as a matter that is vir- tual1y settled so far as the attitude of the democracy can settle 1t In a single elec- tion; but I am far more certain that no adverse vote of any party, though 1t should win the presidency in November, can stop or long delay the demand of the people for the restoration of this great constitutional right. This contention will not cease until those rights are restored to the people. It will be carried on in congress, however, and should not affect the questions of local government, with which the states respectively are con- cerned. As to those most important mat ters it is our duty to be always thought full, alert and careful
 It is the state government that deals with our domestic affairs in the nearest and most vital of our personal relations. and in giving us the security of life, lib- erty and property. With good state IL alx1 lets. .xaA | almost any injustice that congress could | inflict upon them. Without it congress l can confer no benefits upon the people | that can possibly compensate them for a bad government of the state.
 Because Of the presence Of race ques- | ton in Alabama, which we did not create | and cannot remove, every state election | has become a trial for the life of our civil- | ization. Our people do not forget the l history of the past thirty years, and they l cannot vainly hug the deusion that with l the same political forces in control of the l state government the villainies and hor- TOTS that beset our people from 1863 to l 1874 will not be repeated.
 The men who are now endeaVoring 10 seize the state government through the same instrumentality of the consolidated negro vote are no better or more patrf- otic than those who passed the infamous | election law of 1868. They claim to be | and are the partners, or rather the resid- uary legatees of that party, which, in | that period of darkness and terror, was | led by Paul Stroback and Jere Haral- | son, and what they did to gain power | these men will repeat in order to retain | it, and they will have the same support 1 in Washington We are assured by the new combination of these old and dis- credited clements that the negroes, un- der their command, have become sudden ly aroused into political activity and are registering as voters and placing their registration tickets for safe keeping in | the hands of a known politician. IT that | is so the market for their purchase IS | closed to all investors to whom that GUS | todan may refuse admittance to the ball. l lot board of trade. He will be even more powerful than MT. Skaggs was when, as chairman of the Kolb executive | committee, he ordered the negroes 10 | abstain from registering as voters and | boasted that 5000 of them in one or two counties had obeyed his orders. NO sucn | invasion of the freedom of elections was | ever before attempted, and its success IS | the most dangerous system in our condi- l tion a a. state. - If MT. Skaggs could cause 5000 negroes to dsfranchise themselves,
 as he says he did, with the | Mr. Goodwin and Dr. Moseley, | and if they can now set them to voting | again upon registratitI certihcates | placed in the possession of custodian, | who can hand them out to his favorites or dispose of them at his will what | oligarchy was ever more powerful or l what dangers can be greater than such | a combination in Alabama?
 | If only that single incident existed III | our history to show that this race ques- | tion can and will be used to overthrow l the power of the people, who stand for | good government and for the honor or | the state and the rights of the white | family who rule the state, 1t would De | enough to warn us of dangers that will | arise and explode, with the force and suddenness of dynamite, In our state gov ernment But our history for nearly seven years, from 1868 to 1875, Is warning enough to any people who have the com mon instinct of self-preservation. In the midst of angry dissensions on | questions of national policy, and in the | face of detractions from the same men, | who now impute the intention to the whole body of election officers, many or | whom are not yet appointed, to commit | fraud and perjury, the Alabama democ- | racy have stood by the honor of their state and have won great victories TOT | their kindred in blood since 1874 without | a break in the record. Aside from all | other considerations and despite all other antagonisms and divisions of opinion on | other subjects our first and greatest | duty is to our state and our families in | securing the continuance of the excellene | state government Alabama has enjoyed | in every administration from Houston Our present state ticket is equal to any | we have ever had in ability, fidelity and | courage. It invites the support and warm regard of every true Alabamian. | aside from all questions of national poli- | cies.
 | sincerely congratulate the state that we are to have the same intrepid, saga | cious and patriotic work for our state | ticket at your hands that you gave to
 | the service of the same great people dur | ing your connection with the Confeder- | ate army. With sincere regard, your
 | friend, JOHN T. MORGAN.
 News comes that the democrats are