The age-herald., 1901-07-24

tions as to the suffrage. The petition was not read, but ordered published.
 Mir. Smith of Mobile moved reconsid- eraton of section 59 of the article on legislative department. This prevented the Legislature from remitting any debt due the State from individuals or coun- ties, cities or corporations.
 An amendment was offered by Mir. Jones of Wilcox.
 MT. Merrill of Barbour said this section was an encroachment upon the legisla- tive power which had no place in the con- stitution. He moved that the section and amendments be tabled.
 Governor Oates said the object of the section was to put limit on the plenary power of the State because this power had been abused. He spoke In favor of retaining the section.
 The motion to table the section and amendments was defeated. The Jones amendment was then defeated and the original section adopted.
 MT Ferguson of Jefferson offered as an amendment to the article a new section, which provided that the Legislature may dispense with the necessity of indict- ment in cases of grand larceny. but that the justices of the peace shall only have preliminary Jurisdiction in such cases.
 MT. Ferguson said there was no politics in this section. There were 1900 such cases tried in the State every year, and the ob- ject of the amendment was to save ex- pense to the State and provide for speedy trials It left the whole matter to the discretion and sound judgment of the Legislature. Under the law as 1t now existed a man frequently had to lie in jail five or six months before he could get trial. although he might want to plead guilty. The distinction between grand and petty larceny was often shadowy Unless this section was adopted by the convention the Legislature would never have the power to dispense with indict- ments in such cases.
 Governor Oates said he favored the sec- ton, but it had no place in the article on legislative department and he moved to table 1t, which was done.
 MT. Whiteside of Calhoun moved to amend the article by adding a new sec ton which provided that the legislature shall have no power to take away any right of action or defense to any suit af- ter it had been commenced. This motion was tabled.
 Suffrage Article.
 At Il 80 the convention took up the con- sideratlon of the article on suffrage and elections. Governor Oates suggested that a preliminary general discussion be had before taking 1t up section by section. Judge Coleman, chairman of the commit tee, said he had supposed the article would be considered as were other arti- cles-that is the chairman would make a preliminary statement and the sections then taken up in order.
 Mir. Smith, chairman of the rules com mittee, asked If substitutes for the entire article would not be considered after the article had been adopted without motions to reconsider. President Knox stated that this was correct rule to this effect was then prepared by the rules commit tee during a five minute recess taken for that purpose.
 Judge Coleman then said that in order for Alabama's position to be understood abroad be would briefly state what was the purpose of the convention. This suff- rage question, he said, was really a party matter. He did not think the circum- stances under which the convention met were understood throughout the State The last three conventions of the Demo- cratic party had declared that no white man should be disfranchised except for crime. This was not a nasty conclusion, and the last platform was carefully con sidered, and the words white man were Intentionally inserted. He did not see how any member of the party could fall to discharge these pledges of the Demo- cratic party. A delegate should exam inc carefully before disregarding them. If we can adopt a plan which will not violate these pledges and not violate the of the United States it is our duty to do so.
 In the Southern States alone Is the ne- gro a menace to our civilization and political rights and 1t is our duty to maintain the white race in control. (Ap- plause.)
 There are few of the old shareholders alive and few present in this convention. l am not ashamed to. own that am one One of my ancestors who was one that risked his life in defense of the constitu- tion of the United States. was born on plantation and raised up with the negro and know his good and his weak points He spoke of slave carrying letter dur ing the war to his wife and later on sav- ing his life when he was wounded. This was the negro as a slave. In 1865 when emancipation was affected I was a solici- tor of one circuit and had opportunity to see him then. In those days never heard of case of criminal assault. When the carpetbaggers arrived and made inflama- tory speeches to them, this peaceful negro race developed into savages. have seen 1500 armed negroes enter a village to ter rorize the whites. I have known them to arise in a court house and shoot a judge who decided something against them I have known of their being in plots to rise with the ax and commit murder. I have known of a sixteen-year-o negro voting fifteen times at an election. There was a peaceful race changed into a race making pandamonium out of quiet. These are facts which should not be allowed to es- cape the history of this country.
 It is the white race without regard to their literacy or illiteracy that has pre- served our civilization. The negro as a race is not capable of self government c