The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-23
ANOTHER SENSATIONAL DEBATE
BETWEEN MORGAN AND JOHNSTON
Senator Accused Governor Of Misrepresentation and Would Hold
Him Responsible if Act Was Repeated.


to his Inauguration. The teachers were
paid now when their money was due. Il
have inaugurated a system of examination
of public accounts that has proved a great
blessing to the state.
mo honest official has a right to get
mad or dread the visits of the public ex-
aminer critcise the law. But when a
rascal was caught he was forced to come
] up and settle, no matter what his politics
or popularity. Not dollar does the state
owe today.
mo taxes have been increased, save a
small tax for schools and poor confeder-
ate soldiers" and he was glad that he had
an opportunity to approve each of the bills
making the increase
Instead of disfranchising the hand, he
Was dn favor of franchising the brain.
Criticised by Newspapers
1.-THE newspapers make charges and crit
aclse my action; every goldbug newspaper
in the state is against me. Why is there
desire to break me down and destroy the
confidence the people repose in me? 1 do
not say that l have not made mistakes
WHAT honest man is there Who in the dis
cnarge of his duties, has not made honest
mistakes? Ii there is a man in this audi
ence that has not made mistakes let him
stand up. Ii there is such a man in the
fand want his photograph that 1 may
take 1t around and exhBoit 1t, and tell the
people that there Is the biggest liar in
Limestone county
I'VE all make mistakes. 1 have served
you faithfully and made you as good gov
ernor as know how and now am a can
dldate for the United States senate and
here to speak to the people and present my
claims. am not here to say anything
against any man that his record does not
snow. l differ from my distinguished friend
on some great questions. Had the senator
not come into the state and put his great
influence into it and his strong arm around
the constitutional convention measure, I
should have had nothing to say.
1 uld not Sign the constitutional conven-
tion bill. Why? Because 1T was passed by
a majority of the democratic legislature,
my party, and unlike Grover Cleveland, 1
did not by my veto want to say that my
wisdom was greater than my party. When
the convention was called, and nominated
the state delegates to the convention, the
executive committee met and put sha ckles
upon the hand of every honest democrat in
the state, and said now If you don't sup
port this constitution after dts adoption
you are a bolter.
"When they shackled the hands of my
people l objected Why did 1 object? Be-
cause the people have right to say them
selves whether they will favor a constitu-
tion that is offered them, and as this con-
yention was to be composed of corpora ton
lawyers and Palmer and Buckner 1nre-
the democratic party in 1885, did not think
they were the right sort of men to shackle
the honest hands of the democrats of Ala
bama.
Names the Boilers
Name some of them. Governor said
Senator Morgan.
The governor named Harrison and Clark
When asked to name others he refused
He said that he was not there to name all
the bolting candidates ST did not want to
see democrats put by force in the attitude
of a boter, for my God! We have had
enough boilers
al do believe that the constitution should
be amended" continued the speaker, "ibut
if we intend to disfranchse the negro let
the poor white man know that he is not to
be given dose of the same medicine.
But, my friends, the constitution Is
dangerous question to meddle with I can
prove to you that the men who were
shouting loudest for the constitution ques-
ton, one with which to disfranchise the
negro, were not honest. 1 only have to
point you to the fact that they refused, af-
ter being urged by a message from me re-
commencing the adoption of some amend
ment to the constitution, to do
"What was the amendment?" asked the
senator.
The governor refused to state what it
was. saying that he had left it to the legis-
lature, and that he might ask his friend,
Representa- tive Pettus.
At this, Pettus, who was present, arose
and said that as he had personated him, he
would tell the audience what it was. The
only amendment that he (Pettus) ever saw
was the one presented by Mr.. Miller,
friend of the governor, and 1t went so far
as to disfranchise many white men, and the
legislatur refused to even entertain II.
The governor was considerably put out by
the eloquent young representative, who Is
an avowed Morgan man, and with bit of
;ra,, -ai conclusion
speech that he ''liked for his speech to be
interrupted by another gentleman taking
the floor to speak"
Pettus replied that he was determined to
explain that the governor should not put
him in a wrong attitude with his people,
Elkmont being the home of the represen-
tative.
The governor, continuing, said that the
bill he approved allowed every man to see
inst what he was voting for, and what
sbev could accept or not, but the advocates
of the convention were loud in their boasts
that they would steal in the new constitu-
tion. and he had determined that they
should not.
\ Sensaf iona urn
"On another great question I differ with
the senator" said the governor.
''How do you know you do?" asked Sena-
tor Morgan.
"Because you have left me-" replied the
governor.
ssI kept with you as long as you would
let me-" replied the senator.
"Gad you were right that long, senator,
replied the governor.
At this point the governor took up the
i alleged Washington interview and began
to read from it,
The senator said: you know, governor,
that YOU are misrepresenting me-
'I am. am n" replied the governor.
..Yes, for 1 told you yesterday that this
interview was not true; but you continue
to misrepresent me, and Ghere Morgan got.
on his feet and pointed his finger at the
governor) I say to you now that IT you do
ii again, governor no governor will
hold you to account. 1t must not be done
again.
There was considerable excitement, and
Dr. Williams, a strong supporter of john
ston, said: "Sit down; let us do no f1ght-
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