The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-13

to near what the SSuticHidh was say
 ing. and called his attention to that
 fact The official report onaits any
 note of the fact that l did call the
 Eentleman's attention to the fact that
 I was not hearing what was being said.
 I concluded to wait, however, until
 could see the official report of the
 debates between the gentleman and
 myself, and also his remarks upon the
 question of personal privilege. l have
 this morning gone over the record in
 that respect, and beg to say that the
 debate of the gentleman from Lauder
 dale, as 1t appears in the record is not
 substantially what understood him to
 say upon the floor of the Convention
 on yesterday. desire further to say
 that if I had understood the remarks
 of the gentleman to contain only the
 substance of what the official report
 contains, there is much that was said
 by myself that should have been glad
 to omit. I thought. however, upon
 reading those remarks, that probably
 the things criticised by myself. arose
 from the suddenness and passion of
 the debate, and was not inclined to call
 any attention to the errors in the
 record, until reading the gentleman's
 remarks under personal privilege. l find
 that they were all based upon the
 proposition that there was nothing in
 the debate said by himself calling
 for the criticism. As the gentleman
 placed his statement of personal privi.
 lege upon that basis, I regret exceed.
 ingly that the stenographers should
 have left out the substance of the mat
 ters criticised by myself, and feel that
 the omission of those remarks, follow
 ed by the remarks of the gentleman
 upon personal privilege. do me great
 injustice. I think true report of the
 gentleman should have been made to
 the Convention.
 Mir. O'Nsal Qsauderdale)--f rise to
 question of personal privilege. The
 report of the stenographer contains the
 substance, word for word. what l said,
 but there were some remarks made
 yesterday by the gentleman from Mo-
 bile which I did not catch at the time. and which I am unwilling to let pass unchallenged.
 MT. Smith-May I ask the gentle man if he did not materially change in the revision much of his remarks?
 Mir. O'Neal-I did not make a single change. I desire to say this, and re. gret to ifltrude upon this Convention, or to undertake to renew the un- pleasant episode of yesterday. but find in the gentleman's remarks the following language:
 But the gentleman on the although he here declares that it is wrong in principle to take money and apply 1t to the schools, gets up in this Con- vention and makes an open bid for an alliance with gentlemen in arraying the dispeneary interest against the city of Mobile. He gets up and declares that if they will help him in his attack on my county and city that he will put almost anything in his article to pro- | ect the dispensary law. Judge. then, gentlemen of the Convention, between us as to who it is that is willing to trade away the safeguards of the peo- pie in order to accomplish his purpose
 my purpose being the protection of my people, his purpose being the pro- lection of personal pride az the author of an article that he offers to this Con- tion."
 thing it proper that I should state, MT. President. that announced to the Convention on yesterday that it had been. from the outset. the purpose of the Committee, which I had the honor to represent, to insert no provision in the article in reference to Local Lesis. lation which would ahridge the power Of the General Assembly to enact such laws in reefrence to the sale of in- toxicating liquors as they might deem proper l made that statement re- peatedly during my argument. and an nounced that I was willing to incor- porate section in my article to that effect. Now the gentleman says that l made that proposition in order to secure an alliance with the dispensary element to strike down the interests of the city of Mobile. I suppose that statement of mine in reference to my to incorporate such q pro- vision in reference to the sale of liquor was the basis of that statement. de- sire to say the charge the gentleman makes does me gross injustice, and is and I do not belieev that the gentleman wouS have made it ex- cept in temper.
 I desire to say. furthermore. NJ. President. that the gentleman under- took to refer yesterday. with contempt, to my intellectual powers, and to char aeterize me as the great chairman Of the Committee who arrugated to him. self all the wisdom of this Convention. desire to say whatever intellectual powers I may possess are from my Creator, and I am only responsible for their use. have never used them for any other purpose except to pro- mote the interests of the people of my State. l do not expect, nor do l sup pose any other delegate in this Con. ever expects to reach the high and lofty pinnacle of greatness upon which the distinguished delegate from Mobile sits, enthroned in solitary and cold granduer. We common mortale. like myself, can only gaze from afar, in fear and trembling, as one who looks upon some mighty volcano, belching forth fire and smoke.
 Now, sir, in reference to any threat oA my part to attack the vested if- terests of the city of Mobile. desire tn say that this controversy is not oS my seeking. I desire to say in justice to the other delegates from the city of Mobile. who are my personal friends, and from whom have only received and kindly treatment. that I did not come to this Convention with any feeling of hostility to the interests of the great city of Mobile, but with only an earnest desire to promote her prosperity and 10 advance the interest of every other community in our great Commonwealth. I desire to say that if a { any time, the question as to the justice of the city of Mobile retaining part of the general funds of the State, and appropriating it to her own pur- poses should be raised in this Conven- tion, l shall then undertake to decide the controversy as becomes a delegate upon this floor, according to my con- T,,fO