The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-19

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 No man has had greater foresight from his individual standpoint than Mir. Long. The member of a Consti- tutional Convention who leads for lorn fight on the freedom of the press at this late day in the American Re- public, was wise in opposing a record of everything that is said" The prob- abilities are that it will require a great deal of lodging to get around 1t in the future.
 Mir. Long (walker)-No, MT. Presi- dent. 1t seems that The Advertiser has brought in a new deck of cards and proposes to hold me personally re- sponsible, or publicly insult me because l saw fit upon this floor to oppose the employment of a stenographer or sten- ographers, for. stenographic report of the proceedings of this Convention. I did it because I thought it was unwise for this Convention to pay $70 per day to employ stenographers to report to the people of Alabama what we had to say. which considered then was not worth a dime. and which I still con- slider is not worth 1t. So far as being a demagogue or lodging an issue, ] have never lodged an issue in my life. My constituents have never yet called me demagogue, and have never yet failed to honor me politically when ever I saw fit to offer for office in my county.
 I have never lodged a Democratic ticket l have never lodged an issue of the Democratic party. I have never by word or act insultsd. grossly insult ed, people, in the press or otherwise, that they would have to use physical violence in order 70 -ebIke me.
 Now. so far as The Advertiser Is .-I- .-- truth. I would care no more for what they say that I would for a flee dog barking on one of the hilitops in North Alabama. but they do not state the facts when they say that my resolu- tions have been defeated in this Con- vention. The resolution of rebuks against The Advertiser has never been voted on by this Convention. A ma tority vote upon that was denied by an aye and no vote, and the Committee on Rules will report this fact. as they should do. ever if they report the reso- iution without recommendation. am perfectly willing to abide the decision of the majority of this Convention, let 1t be what it may. I am not like many of the delegates here. that have gotten so used to islanders that I can dodge my head under the desk and say 1t was not intended for me. I do say that it was an insult to majority and over two-thirds majority of this Con- vention when the official organ of this Convention. the official organ itself should designate by a vote upon a question and should hold up members to task and call them timid and afraid to go on record by an aye and no vote. l think 1t was an insult to the intelli- gence of this Convention, but I could have dodged that issue, had I been so disposed. because l was only one of 90 to which 1t reSS-Sed. and that would not have been a question of personal privilege. MT. President. if it had been hurled at the Convention as whole, but it was hurled at a two-thirds ma jority of this convention. and they were designated by the ayes and noes in that that same paper, and I consider it then. and still consider it a personal privilege; that it was a personal insult, and that the members upon this ofior WeF6 InsUTJed. anu KTOs5Iy TnsUIttu. i owe no apology to The Advertiser. nor to any one else. for my official action. I have a right to oppose the big six, or the little six. in this Convention. I have a right to vote as the dictates of my conscience direct. and it Is an in- suit. and a gross insult, for one of these little sap-headed editors, with a head on him like a two by five water melon, to get up in a back room over Q store, or over some establishment, and come out with a dollar and quarters worth of type and dimes worth of blaclxing and say "we. the people. criticise your action"
 Now. MT. President. I am perfectly willing to let the matter go. but until an aye and no vote has been taken up- on this floor on that resolution. I claim An 4rrt.k ka .ly arI ' that l shall ask the Committee on Rules to report that resolution of mine. whether .heY do so without rec ommendation. or under an adverse or favorable report. I have never yet seen fit before to be abused in the public print. and let them go back and charge me with infidelity and treason. and with malice and with assuming the garb of a demagogue, by lodging is- sues. It IS more than many members on this floor can say. because numbers of them have come to me and said; Long, you are right. 1t was an insult, but we are afraid of The Advertiser"
 am not afraid of any paper, nor class of papers. Neither am 1 afraid of anything, except my own conscience, and when my conscience tells me that l am right, I gladly gee on record, though every man in Alabama is op- posed to 1t.
 Mir. President. those are the only re- marks that I desire to make. hope 1t will not be necessary for me to again refer to this matter. I am perfectly willing to let The Advertiser editorial be read IS the bill of indictment, and without remarks by the big six or the little six, let the Convention then and there vote upon it, that we may have an honest expression of the majority of the Convention, which Is the only way that it can be obtained.
 The following leaves of absence for to-day were granted:
 Messrs. Malone, Sollie, Renfroe.
 MT. Reese-I ask unanimous consent to offer a resolution.
 Objection was made.
 The President-The Secretary will call the roll )f Delegates for the intro duction of ordinances. etc.
 MT. Bllckwell-I am requested by a prominent colored man of my town to introduce this petitioa.
 The petition was read as followsB MT. President and Members of the
 Alabama Constitutional Conven-
 tion:
 Realizing the fact that no member of the negro race is represented in your august body to speak one word for us, we must appeal to you in this manner. Beng Southern born, of ex- slaves, Southern raised, within the city where you are now in session, and having spent my energies among my people in this State for thirty years, I repres ent the product of Alabama negro manhood. I speak the sentt- ments of thousands of my race whose timiditv locks their mouths