The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-30
At o'clock the Convention took re- cess until 3:30 o'clock.
THEE AFTERNOON SESSION.

l lution providing for night sessions De- ginning at 8:30 o'clock.
 The Convention refused to adopt the resolution br 8 vote of S3 to 70. The Convention then took up the re- port O: the Committee on Harmony and Governor Jones sent up an amend ment to Section 6S. It allows the Le- gislature to increase or decrease the fees of Sheriffs for feeding or guard ins prisoners. When Governor Jones had explained the amendment 1t was adopted.
 Judge Colephan of Greene sent up an amendment to strike out Sc :!on no, which defines the meaning O. general laws and local laws. He said the laws had beeiA1efined by the Supreme Court On motion of MT. Boone of Mobile the Coleman amendment wis tabled. General Jones of Wilcox sent up an amendment to the Article on Local Legislation, repeating statute in- creasing the jurisdiction of justices of the peace in Wilcox county. On motion of Judge Walker of Madi- son the amendment of General Jones was tabled.
 The previous question was ordered and the article on Legislative Depart ment and Local Legislation was then adopted.
 At this point a supplemental report wis made by the Committee on liar mony, stating that the Committee. in order to harmoniZe elections, had placed a proviso in the article on Exc cutive Department that Sheriffs elected in 1904 shall serve term of six years. The Clerk then read the article on Executive Department at length.
 Debate on Sheriffs.
 Governor Jones sent up an amend ment to Section 13S to~strike out the words "and he shall be ineligible to succeed himself" and insert in lieu thereof and he may succeed himself but shall not serve more than two suc- cessive terms.' The amendment also provides that the Governor may sus- pend Sheriff pending impeachment proceedings.
 Governor Jones explained that this amendment was practically the same ss an ordinance introduced by Mr. Long of Walker and favorably reported by the Committee on Executive De- partment.
 Governor Oates spoke against the amendment. He said no Constitution of Alabama had allowed a Sheriff to succeed himself. He said 1t would en- able men to keep the office of Sheriff in their families term after term. He said no other officer had so much pow CT to exercise partiality as Sheriff He can show favors in the execution of process. He is the jailer and he can influence juries. He can show favors on every hand. He has charge of cleo tions and can re-elect himself in every instance. The forefathers had good reason to put these provisions in for mer Consultations. He referred to a meeting of the Sheriffs' Association and said that officers had organized to influ- ence the Legislature and now they were trying to influence the Constitutional Convention. He had been on the stump in the campaign and the matter of suc- cession by Sheriffs was not an Issue.
 MT. Long of Walker replied to Gov ernor Oates. He said it was no argu- ment to say that this proposition was not in the present Constitution. He ar gued that it was discrimination against a Sheriff to allow other officers to suc- ceed themselves and deny the right to Sheriff. MT. Long admitted that the measure was a compromise and said that he and his friends did not have to let every gentleman on the floor in to their little caucusses."
 Judge Coleman Was Caustic.
 Judge Coleman sharply criticised the compromise. He said the original measure proposed to impeach Sheriffs, suspend them pending proceedings and allow them but one term. The .Sheriffs had agreed to allow the suspension clause in return for the succession clause. It was a compromise offered by the Sheriffs to the people of Ala bama. He was surprised he said to see so much vascilation of delegates of 1of to hNtN Nfa al e. Tl- accused MT. Long of Walker of changing front on the measure. He said the Walker delegate was here ap- pealing to delegates to vote for a prop osition that he had denounced early in the session.
 By vote of 50 to 62 the Convention refused to table the amendment.
 MT. Hefin of Chambers, then spoke in support of the amendment. He said that sheriffs had a right to come to Montgomery and make suggestions to delegates. He said the amendment was d compromise. All legislation is to some extent reached by way of a com promise. Other Southern States allow ed sheriffs to succeed themselves and Alabama should not prohibit the peo- pie of any county from voting for any good citizen for whom. they desire to vote. s~.*.: .@--..
 The previous question was ordered and on demand the question was di- vided. The Convention first voted on the proposition for sheriffs to succeed themselves and by an aye and nay vote of 55 to GA the proposition was de- feated.
 Details of the Compromise.
 Governor Jones explained that he was the author of the ordinance providing for suspension of sheriffs. He said a of gentlemen on the floor had a greed with the sheriffs to have passed l the succession clause if the friends of the sheriffs would support the suspen- sion clause. He said he felt that since | the succession clause had been defeat pd it would amount to trapping the | sheriffs to adopt the remainder of the | He therefore asked leave | to withdraw the remainder of the | amendment,
 The leave was not granted but by an | aye and nay vote of 1O7 to 12 the Con- Vention defeated the remainder of the | Governor Jones voting | against it
 After the Harmony Committee had | made minor changes in phraseology md punctuation the Article on Execu- tive Departent was adopted.
 The Clerk then read at length the Ar .icie on Judiciary.
 The reading of the Article consumed thirty minutes.
 President Knox-Mr Hef1in of Cham DRrs. presiding-sent mp an amendment a Section 16S relating to selection of ,olicitors. The amendment provides hat County Solicitors may be elected