The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-25

| | frage question. We will say things down here in our Southern way, and in the great old commonwealth of Ala bama, that we do not want read and criticised day after day as we deliber- ate in this body. MT. President, hav- ing here secretary to keep journal, having here newspapers who take delight in giving the news and informa- ton from this convention to their peo- pie over the State, and having desire | to save this expense to the State of Alabama, I certainly hope that the mi- nority report will prevail.
 Mir. Graham (Talladega)-Mr. Presi- I dent, in reply to the remark of the gentleman as to what the Northern papers would say about us, l desire only to say that I do~not know of any section of this nation that is as much | in need of enlightenment from South ern standpoint as our Northern friends, | (applause), and l, therefore, at tnls time demand the previous question. | cries, question. Mr' Oates-Mr. President, would ask my friend from Talladega-
 MT. Graham CTalladega)-I with draw it in behalf of the chairman of the committee to close his remarks. MT, Espy-I am in favor of the adop- tion of the majority report. There have been about four reasons assigned why 1t should not be. adopted. The {! first. by the gentleman from walker, | who says that no other convention has l ever done a similar thing. Another IS that these eloquent gentlemen say, in- directly charge that the purpose of it is to perpetuate the eloquence of certain | members of this convention. Another is that there is a probability that the members of this convention, during us deliberations, will say something that in the future will rise up before them as a ghost and which they cannot see. | The other Is matter of expense. These are the only objections that I have yet l heard.
 In answer to the first. that no other convention has ever done likewise: Why if that is an objection at all, then the Legislature of Alabama has done l very poor thing in calling this conven- ton and putting this great State to the expense of holding this convention, 1T we are to be limited, and are to do nothing more than our ancestors did In this hall in 1875. If that be true, wny' then, we would not be author ized to deal with the sunrage question. If we are not author ized here. and it is not proper to have a stenographic report made Of the proceedings of this body. then the argument would apply with equal force that in 1875 and these prior constitutions the question of suffrage was not discussed at all. what are we here for, MT. President? Why 1t has been proclaimed by the press, from the platform, from the mountains to the seaboard, that the prime purpose or this convention was to disfranchise the negro. If it Is morally wrong, and It is not for the best interest of the State of Alabama to do that then we ought not to do it. If it is morally right. and it is to the benefit of the people of the State of Alabama, We ought to do 1t, and we ought to make record or our actions. and file it in the archives or our State, so that future generations will not only see what we did. put they may know the reasons why we did it. Talk about fear! Why, never did I dream that the great State of Alabama one that has produced a Wheeler, and Hobson, would produce a convention of men that did not have the nerve and the manhood and the bravery to stand up and proclaim to 1.-the world the reasons why they did particular thing. Now the next reason is with reference to the prepetuation of eloouence. This is a most remar- kable thing. Doubtless it has already occurred to the members of this con- vention that nobody raises that point, except the eloquent men. Nobody at all. There is the sweet singer from Chambers, the last; there is the elo- auent gentleman from Pike-1 do not know, but perhaps I would be pardoned if I would call him the lapsus-linguist of this convention-he Is the next man; the next man is the good locking aiidi | aIxo Madison and ask this convention and I ask this Chair, where is there a single man that is opposed to this report except those who lay claim to oratory.
 MT. Long (Walker. .)-May I ask question?
 MT. Espy-why my friend you are the most eloquent man in this nall; don't deny it.
 The President-Will the gentleman consent for the gentleman from Walker to ask a question?
 MT. Espy-Yes.
 MT. Long (Walker)-I want to know if we had not better adopt the plan of Congress and let speeches be pub lished and not spoken on the floor?
 MT. Espy-Perhaps we had better do 1t. Indirectly MT. President they charge that the purpose of those vho advocate the majority report to be to perpetuate their eloquence, when it is a well known fact that eloquence is not handed down from generation to generation. Why the men who live after us a quarter of century, will never know of the eloquence that comes from these eloquent gentlemen in this hall during this convention. That is not 1t. Would they pardon me if I would mildly suggest to them, it is not because they do nOt want the elouuence perpetuated, but Is 1t not be- cause they do not want to see their utterances without the eloquence, plac- ed in cold type, and read fifty years from today? Now these are the reasons-all except that matter of ex- pense. I do not care to discuss that, because the expense Is so nominal Tn this matter until I do not think there is a member of this house that could and would possibly give that serious consideration. I therefore hope MT. President, that the majority report will be adopted.
 MT. Oates-Mr. President, being in charge of the bill. l have not insisted upon action earlier, so as to allow all gentlemen who desired to expres their views upon this subject fair opportu- nifty. Some gentlemen seem to be very much afraid of a stenographic report. Now my friends from Walker, from Madison, and from Pike. all aspiring and able young men, who douptIess expect ere long to turn up in Congress, and I would be glad to see them there