The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-25
OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF
 THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION OF ALABAMA

| "CAt puL Ile same IS true | with reference to his chief, the Cover 1 nor of the State of Alabama. You have by your action in this Convention said that the Governor of Alabama, at the expiration of his term, shall be unfit | to hold the office of a Justice of the Peace. or Of Notary Public in the State of Alabama. You dignify him by doing SO Here is his chief in the | county. Why should you except the Governor and not except the other exc l cutive officers in the State? It has been said on this floor that the Eng lish-speaking race is the government making race of the world. If there is one quality of that race that predorai- mates over every other quality, it is the watchfulness with which the members of that race guard the power of their Chief Executive of the State, or of the Nation. It was that wetchfulness which caused that historic meeting so frequently referred to by Fourth of July orators at the Runnymede. It was that same sentiment that ripened into the Declaration and later into the Petition of Right, it was that same principle that lead to the adoption of | the Declaration of Independence, and later in order that 1t might be fully un- derstood that the people reserved their | power, except where granted to Con- gress and to the President in the adop- tion of the Constitution of the United States.
 MT. Williams (Marengo)-The com mittee in formulating this last section saw fit to discuss the subject very 1 clearly, and very forcibly and at some length, and in formulating it we con-
 ceived that we had done that which was for the best interest of the State. | Now. my friend from Hale /(Mr. de- Graffenreid) in discussing this subject says that this idea to discuss the sub- ject is looking towards the best interest of the whole State. I beg to say to him that this was the object, and the whole object of the committee when 1t placed Section 30 where it was placed. Now the argument has been made that 1t is not to the interest of the people to create office or to have office for the purpose of putting money into the pocket of the holder of that office. His argument would appear to go along the lines by which the Governor. the Lieu tenant Governor, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries and the other State officers are kept from sue I,ceeding themselves in their own office, or running Cor some other office. O.
 seeking appointment for some particu- lar office during their term and F months thereafter. My friend forgets that while the Sheriff Is an executive officer. while he is Constitutional off cer. while he Is placed among the high est officers of the State, yet as a mat ter of fact. he is a county officer who has to deal entirely with his people at home. There is the reaching of the whole people. there Is the reaching of par ticular people in a particular county and my experience has been, and l be- lieve that it has been the experince of all members of this convention that a | An akAG nf17 17aa Aknz and holds it for the interest of the money that Is in it. Very few men use the arguments that were used in the tabling of the amendment as offered by striking out this last paragraph of the section. Very few men desire to place themselves as target to be shot al by . mob. to be belabored by their fellow countrymen or fellow county men un- less 1t be for the money that Is in it, and say now that it is for the money that is in that office that a Sheriff takes it. and not for the high honor that may come to the office of Cover nor. or Attorney General or Secretary of State. Then if it is for the money that is in the office. l submit to this Convention that the Sheriff would do his duty were he even to succeed him self. in my opinion. and certainly would not neglect that duty in order to seek some inferior office in his county, such as Assessor, or Tax Collector. Now why was the provision left in that he should not succeed himself, because from time immemorial in this State it has been a Constitutional provision, and I submit to this Convention that when all of us-1 started to say per mitted" our names to go before the people for the high position of delegate to this Convention. but I will say placed" our names before the people. we said to them that we proposed to leave the fundamental law just as near as possible where 1t is. Now, MT. President. all that the committee asks of this Convention Is to leave that fun damental law as near IS possible where you find it. make as few changes in it as possible, spare it whenever you can. and spare to the people at home this one provision that in my opinion will. if passed as desired to be amend ed by my friend from Hale will stir IT more strife and row than any other by araying against this Constitu- tion, when we attempt to pass 1t. sixty six of as good and true men as the State of Alabama has in 1t. l know the sheriffs of the State, and I know that they do their duty. The Commit tee saw fit to leave this matter where it was, not to etIike out as his own successor. not to say for four years because that is practically what the amendment means. that for four years you shall not hold office. that you shall leave the pursuits of your home and come to your county seat where you must live, there labor for your county and Incidentally for your pocket. for four years and at the end of that time be SWamped: no ether occupation can you seek, but to go back to the ner- cantile pursuits or farm, or possibly to his law office or doctors shop. Now leave this matter like it is. don't go touching these old matters. don't e:Ne us any more that when we go hack to the people and ask them to ratify this Constitution we will encounter oprrF.- tion. which can easily and properly re avoided. My friend takes up the his tory of this office and says that in iSl9 the Constitution made him ineligible to any office for three years afterw1rd.
 Mir. deGraffenrIed-No sir. l did not say that.
 Mir. Willams-To succeed himself?
 MT. deGrafenried-YeS for three years, either as deputy or as sheriff.
 Nr. Wiliams-Practlcaly as it was in 17Sj, and in 1861, following the Con- etitutiOn If 1919 made him ineligible to succeed himself or 10 be deputy of one who might succeed him. and 1t ap- peaIs to me to be a wise provision to leave that az 1t was in 1881. Touching the history of one of the counties in Southwest Alabama where the sherlT o rood man 1d good shnrifT has sIlc-