The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-31

In Alabama, and that 155 men cannot point me to 155 respectable men that this ahing will affect. l challenge you, challengi the members upon this tloo; to even show me one In some of the counties. challenge these 155 men beiorc mo to show mo 155 respectable men in the State of Alabama that this clause would disfranchise.
 Then what ds you say when you voter I am prepared to show you that mort than 4:,0cg persons who should not be allowed to vote will be debar.ei by this one word. Reflect, look over your constituency, look throughout the
 State. search the recoi ds, interview yetr colleagues, and see what you have 'becn proposing to do. You propose, be- cSuse that distinguished jurist who headed this Committee had hea. d of a man in a neighborins county that 1t might disbar or disfranchise, even when 1t Is provided that that same man can have his liabilities removed, to table, on his motion. the amendments con- taining this word That was the argu- ment in full. 1t might disfranchise some man with possibly a thousand or two or five thousand or ten thousand dollars. If your sons and daughters have to be aised to look up in rever. ence and respect to men who came into the world against the morals and re- ligious sentiments of this world, and in violation of the statutes of Alabama.
 we are travelling fast to ruin. But there is provision that saves at least the dignity of the State, providing that his disabilities may be relieved by the Governor or the Chancellor. Do you know an illegitimate? I see some la- dies in the gallery, but it is their fault if they hear Bible language and legal terms. Shall man who Is ashamed of his origin, whom his neighbors know to be an illegitimate shall a man of mixed blood, shall all these illegit- imates who ought not to be allowed to vote be the peers and competitors of you; children and your childcen's chil- dren, because four or i've or eight or ten or fifty or sixty or '00 pr 2oG men in Alabama are ashamed to 70 and ask the. Governor to relieve their disabili- tiet If R mar is an illegitimate and his neighbors know he is. he will not be ashamed to so with his best neigh bora or send his best friend or best lawyer to interview the Governor, or to como into the Court House and see the Chancellor and be relieved of that small disability. 1t would be a confess sion on his part, a confession before men and before high Heaven. and would be stimulant to him to be a better citizen, instead of lodging and hiding. IL he wants to dodge and hide, Ter him pull up and move to some ether county or some other State. All the troubli in thu country comea from such characters as would be knocked out. The statistics from Washington City, Republican Washington City, with all the officers Republican and all the officers making excuses for negroes and Republicans, show that one third of the population in all of Washington District is of a different race. Two thirds of that one-third fill the records in the police courts thereof. Over two- thirds of the crime committed even in Washington. the Capital of the United states, reigned over by Republican of- fcials, where all manner of excuses are made, so the reports show. are commit ted by thisone-thjrd of the population.
 Then. another thing, q cannot help listening to suggestions). it will dis franchise. as the gentleman has just said, nearly every one whom we came here to disfranchise, and whom it is proper to disfranchise. (Applause). We have come down to the edge of the water, waded in waist deep, now up to the neck. There are some still on the banks, sticking their toes in to see if
 
 come like the brave boys of my day came to the creek or river, and throw off your shirt and brooches and jump in. We were sent here to kill snakes. When I was a boy I was a snake hun ter as well as a bird hunter (Laugh- ter}, and I have killed a good many innocent black snakes, and coach whips. and chicken snakes, and house snakes that will sleep with you and not harm you; but I always hated to bruise the head of one of these, but it was always my delight to find rat tier with his mouth open and his fangs ready, a rattler who has control of nearly all of the other snakes, espe- cially of his color and of his pedigree, rattler educated and warmed at home by the fires, by smiles, by the appro- bation of the best white citizens, Dem ocrats, and supported at the North by white Republicans who have never had any use for Alabama, or the Demo- crats in Alabama. That rattler with his mouth open, but his tail not giving you warasng, his fangs are here and he sends out young rattlefs every summer, twelve or fifteen hundred. two thous- and; yea, and more. Those young ones come out and among them gather a great quantity of damsels-some from Massachusetts. some from Rhode Isl and, some from Louisiana, some from Texas, some from Cuba and I suppose some from the Philippines, very few from those countries. however.
 The President-The time of the gen tleman has expired.
 MT. Hefiln (Chambers)-I move that his time be extended ten minutes more.
 MT. Burns-If there is a no vote from a respectable delegate, l will respect fully decline. Uaughter).
 Upon a vote being taken, there were several noes
 MT. Burns-well, I would like to see who they are to see if they are re- spectable. Gaughter).
 The motion to extend the time of the gentleman from Dallas was carried.
 MT. Burns-A good many measures have been carried in this Convention. MT President. I am sorry to say, not by a Democratic vote. A good many close issues have been carried in this by small majorities. and a cert ain element held the balance of power, and consequently when the vote was declared by our distin guished Pres ident it was not the D Democratic senti- | ment of Democratic Alabama. This is no place to make political speech, and I do not propose to enter into politics. | but I propose to start like 1 always | start. We Democrats have been sent here by Democrats, and have met here | and acted as Democrats, and Demo- | crats have almost finished the Consti- | tuition to be submitted to the people, | and Democrats must frame it and fix l 1t and submit it to the Democracy of | the state, If they want it endorsed by |