The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-30

rather than see that history sullied or those purposes thwsrted. they have been willing to endure every form of hardship and distress. even death It. sell. Surely, even though there should be some bad soldiers, this class will present to us the very highest average O. patriotism. and the very lowest av- craze of selfishness.
 When you have secured that class, the question is, can we further en- large the electorate? Is there any othe: class that we can bring into the exercise of the franchise? l stand here, gentlemen. to repudiate the doctrine that any Confederate soldiers son wants to come into that franchise be- cause he is his fathers son. I happen to be the son of a private Confederate soldier. l have been hurt and injured by the proposition argued and pleaded upon this floor. that they will be ad- mitted to the electorate as a matter of pity and in consideration of the deeds of their fathers. I know. gentle men of the Convention, that the Con- federate soldiers fought the battles of amid the blare of the trumpet, waving flags and roaring cannons They fought the battles cf death and de- feat. When they returned they found their homes de. spoiled, their fields grown up, and their ditches filled. They found too strong young hands that helped to fignt another fight-a fight against poverty: fight that lacked all the pomp and splendor of war. That fight was made amid funeral dirges and in the shadow of widows weeds How about those sons who fought that fight? Ask your experiences Ike yo1 do about the sol dier. I appeal to your experience ani observation.
 By some strange fatuity of the Cau- casian race. the great body of that race is crowded into the hills and the how that battle has been fought by the sons of Confederate so. d CTS, ask you to so where the ditches were filled; go where the briers grew In the corners, and the fences were routed down. See there now the vine-clad hills; see the beautiful valleys. (Arplause). See the growing cities, hear the hum of the factories, and ask yourself who 1t is that fought, not the battle of defeat and death. but the battle of victory and of life. (Applause). If, as the sons of Confederate soldiers. we have proven ourselves worthy; if we have den1on- strated that as class We may safely be trusted to periodically exercise the privilege of electors. then we ask you to let us in; If we have not proven our selves worthy of 1t although we be- long to a race which subjugated the forests. tanned or drove out the wild beasts. built cities. built schools, churches and homes. and multiplied op- portunities for education: although the blood of heroes and martyrs runs In our veins, if we have not proven our selves worthy and cannot come in on our own merit, then make us stand an- other examination. stand us over, If you please, with the foreigner who has kissed the foot of monarchs. Stand us over If you want to with that race which was subjected by the forests, and in whose veins runs the blood of cannibals and fetish worshippers.
 If you are still unconvlnced of our patriotism as a class, then examine us along with that race which learned the arts of civilization only when chained in slavery: but, gentlemen oi the Convention, we trust that we have not been weighed in the balance and found wanting.
 You have been told the story of the
 brave negro that fought by that one armed heros side (Mr. Oates); you have heard the pathetic story told by the distinguished Chairman of the Suf. frage Committee (Mr. Coleman ol Greene). of how the faithful negroes protected his home. You have heard , from our distinguished President tht
 story of the noble young Confederate
 soldier who snatched up the flag ant
 carried 1t forward into the thickest O
 the fight: but today, if I were an ora | A4w I olnthAA yEith tha nnWQ of sweet speech. would tell you O.
 the story of the little Confederate boys
 their mothers milk barely out of thei1
 blood, their bones yet in the gristle
 who followed the blow and pulled thu
 brier hook. (Applause). Gentlemen, I know them. l have seer
 their hands stlffened and cracked ant
 bleeding from exposure and toll, al
 they fought the long winters through
 In the lonely places. Gentlemen, car
 you read only those deeds of courage
 written in lamp-black and lightning
 It may be that in the years that are t(
 come, their victories will not be sung
 but you, gentlemen, are here today en
 toying the fruits of their victory; and
 year by year, we shall demonstrate tt you, that we constitute a class worthy
 to go down by the side of our fatherI
 on the electorate. (Applause).
 l Gentlemen of the Convention, If yol
 have decided that soldiers form clas
 that will furnish you high average O
 patriotism and a low average of sel
 dshness, and If you have concluded tha
 the sons of soldiers will also furnish yol | il high average of patriotism and low
 average of se,hshness. 1t may be. and
 believe that we can still enlarge tn' 1 electorate. Again Gsk what are th' experiences of mankind. Others ma!
 not possess the high qualifications tC
 which I have already referred. Int
 man who is of good character, who un
 derstands the duties Of citizenship, un der a republican form of government
 will also furnish you a high average O patriotism for the faithful discharg'
 of duty, and a low average of selfish ness. But remember that class must b'
 selected, and its merits must be passet
 upon by a Board of Registrars. Thi'
 Board of Registrars will be made up O
 men, and you will not get perfect class even for such a board. The pes
 Board of Reglst, ars that you can pro
 vide will bring in some bad men, anc
 will bring in some good men, but ac cording to our experience and obser
 vation, is there any other plan bN
 which we can hope to enlarge the clasi
 of those persons who will have th' highest average of patriotism and th' | lowest average of selfishness?
 | My good friends from Russell (Mr | Banks) asked with great deal of req pathos if we were going to deal wit
 the negro in such way as to desrad Jim. Gentlemen of the Convention those who say that the purposes of thi | Convention and the desire of the whit DeoD1n of Alabama is to dlsfranchiS