The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-23

organization at once, by the election Of a permanent President of the Constitu- tional Convention of the State of Ala bama; and I would put in nomination the name of the Honorable John B. Knox of Calhoun County.
 MT. Chairman. as there seems to be no opposition, I would move further that he be elected by exclamation, if can secure a second. Mir. Sanford of Montgomery--I sec- ond the motion, MT. Chairman. Chief Justice McClellan-It Is moved and seconded that the convention pro- ceed to the election of permanent President. MT. John B. Knox being put in nomination, the further motion is ton.
 The question was put and the Hon. John B. Knox was unanimously elected President of the Constitutional Con- vention.
 Thomas W. Coleman of Greene-Mr. Chairman. move the appointment of a committee of three to notify MT. Knox of his election.
 The motion being duly seconded. was put and carried.
 The chairman appointed Hon. Thom- as W. Coleman of Greene, Hon. Will liam c. Oates of Montgomery, and Hon. Tennent Lomax of Montgomery to notify MT. Knox of his election.
 The committee escorted the newly elected President to the chair,
 Chief Justice McClellan--Gentlemen of the convention. have the honor and pleasure of presenting to you the gen. tleman whom you have elected to pre- side over your deliberations, the Hon. orable John B. Knox of Calhoun County.
 MT. Knox's Speech. Gentlemen of the Convention: l thank you for the high honor you have conferred in. electing me to pre- side over the deliberations of this Con- vention. Viewed from the standpoint of my profession, to which, up to this moment. my life's work has been de- voted. 1t is a great honor, indeed; for l know of no higher honor that can be conferred upon a lawyer than to be made President of the Constitutional Convention. which represents the sov- ereignty of his people, and numbers among it's delegates, in large part. the intellect and talent of the State-those vho have in the past. and who will in the future. exert a potent influence in shaping and directing the affairs of the State.
 Importance of the Issue.
 In my judgment, the people of Ala bama have been called upon to face no more important situation than now confronts us, unless it be when they, in 1s91 stirred hy the s..cEseategs is- sues of impending conflict between the North and the South, were forced to decide whether they would remain in or withdraw from the Union. Then. as now, the negro was the prominent factor in the issue.
 The Southern people, with this grave problem of the races to deal with, are face to face with a new epoch in Con- stitution- making, the difficulties of which are great, but which, If solved wisely, may bring rest and peace and happiness. If otherwise, 1t may leave us and our posterity continuously in- volved in race conflicts, or. what may be worse. subjected permanently to the baneful influences of the political conditions now prevailing in the State.
 So long as the negro remains in in- significant minority, and votes the Republican ticket, our friends in the North tolerate him with complacency, but there is not a Northern State, and I might go further and say, there Is not an intelligent white man in the North not gangrened by sectional pre- judice and hatred of the South who would consent for a single day to sub- init to negro rule.
 If the negroes of the South should move in such numbers to the State Of Massachusetts. or any other Northern State. as would enable them to elect the officers, levy the taxes, and con- troI the government and policy of that State. I doubt not they would be met. in spirit, as the negro laoorrrs rem the South were met at the State line of Illinois. with bayonets. jed by Re- publican Governor, and firmly but em- phaticalIy informed that no quarter would be shown them in that terri tory.
 One has studied the history of re- cent events to very little purpose who has failed to discover that race preju- dice exists at the North in as pro- nounced a form as at the south, ana that the question Of negro domination, when brought home, will arouse the same opposition in either section.
 And what Is it that we want to do? Why it is. within the limits imposed by the Federal Constitution, to estab- fish white supremacy in this State.
 This is our problem, and we should he permitted to deal with 1t, dnob- s.r;;c.ad by outside influences; with a sense of our responsibilities as citizens and our duty to posterity.
 Northern Interference.
 Some of our Northern friends have ever exhibited an unwonted interest in our affairs. It was this interference on their part that provoked the most tremendous conflict of modern times; and there are not a few philanthropy ists in that section who are still un- easy. lest we be permitted to govern ourselves and allowed to live up to the privileges Of a free and sovereign oeo- plei Some of the same, in like mis- sionary spirit, are greatly concerned about the condition of the Chinaman in China. but we do not find them ap- pealing to Congress, or interfering with the local policy of California, a Northern State,- for the protection of the Chinaman who is resident there, or making any attempt to interfere with the right of that people to govern themselves and to provide for pure administration of government and for the protection of property.
 If it is the negro that is the object of their solicitude, it would seem-not to speak of Africa itself-they would find an inviting field in Cuba and in our new acquisitions of Hawaii. Porto Rico ano the Philippines, The .disin-