The age-herald., 1901-10-06
GEN. SHELLEY REPLIES
 TO JAMES WEATHERLY
He Tells Why Ballot Box StufRng Was Originated Ministers of the Gospel He Says, Approved the Method of
 Getting Rid of the Carpet Baggers

To the Editor of the Age-Herald.
 I think I was the first man in the State to give public expression to objections to the suffrage scheme as reported by the committee on suffrage of the late con vention. Certainly I was the first Dem ocrat who made public his objections. I did not know how any other Democrat in the State looked at that scheme, nor did stop to consider whether it would be popular or unpopular. I felt that its provisions insidiously provided power for corruptiy.g the ballot box and denied rights and privileges of citizens of all colors in a way that was menacing to the safety and welfare of Alabama in the hands of men who I believe might be influenced to abuse 1t. I, therefore, gave to a representative of the Age Herald some suggestions of the defects in it, which were published the next morning. All that I have heard from friends and enemies to ratification, alike, and the study have given 1t since, has only strengthened and confirmed my fears and objections. And I am frank lO ody IiidI II tHtIS "cAC hO ObhOh AuldA errors in the constitution than those con tained in the suffrage scheme I would oppose it with the same patriotic earnest ness and sincerity that now actuates me. As I have said, at that time I did not know that any other white man in the State was opposed to the ratification of the new constitution. determined, how tho Wq ppaQtIU modified so as to at least guarantee fair ness in elections, I would be constrained to oppose 1t. I did Hst know then, nor did I learn until I began to organize the opposition, what Governor Johnston's views were. I did not consider 1t neces- sary to align myself with him or any other citizen in the State in order to give force and strength to the movement I believed that when the fatal errors were pointed out to the people they would be practically unanimous in their opposition to such a dangerous scheme. am, there fore, not General Johnston's lieutenant nor any ones follower. Those who joined with me in opposition to the rati- fication of the new constitution did me the honor to select me as their leader; and there can be no malignant and de- spicable influences brought to bear, such as are being resorted to, to change my CdlIlly COnSlutItQ puSt lO IBnI rat ification to the bitter end. I have been told that my objections, as expressed, re- flected upon those who would be selected for the purpose of executing that re- markable scheme. l don't know who will be selected, nor Is 1t of much mo- ment. I believe they will be partisan and know that they will be controlled by those interested in partisan success. I am strengthened in that conviction by the fact that every effort to give fair and equal representation in the execution of election machinery has been denied to those who oppose ratification, and the strongest and most fragrant measures of bribery have been resorte ed to to secure the cooperation of the sheriffs now in office. If you will read carefully the plan of registration you will find that it is provided that certain publications shall be made of the times and places for meeting the citizens to give them an op- portunity to register. There is no pen alty for a failure to comply with the provisions of the law. But to show that 1t was intended to give the registrars the opportunity to evade registering such persons as might be objectionable to them they added a clause providing that in the event they should fail to make such publication and give such notice of their appointments. the registrations they had made should not be invalidated. There could be no other purpose in this than to enable registrars to suppress publication of appointments so that voters who might be objectionable to the registrars should not be able to meet them at those places and the registrars could go to the places and finding no one there pass on to some other point. I call the attention of the people to the fact that there is no pen alty for a failure to publish the time and place of registering. There are pen alties provided for false registering, or registering twice the same man, or reg istering without application, etc., which