The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-24

cratic party in Convsntton aegegnb591
 but hy reason, of hlu perBouA1 poe4I9 to carry them out. And think IT. President and delegates of the Cou~ vention, that . delegate should ex9M~ inc, impartially. without btns or D~x- erence of opinion, desiring to arrfs~ 9< the truth, and the truth only. es e
 whether or not he can con- ply with these pledges and e< the same time not violate
 oath. do not think thst he sneoso consider it in any other light but stm9ay the light is arriving at the truth, eM4 the truth only. If. therefore, the ce1- mittse cn Suffrage and Electtous nn9 presented to this Convention aysteM upon the subject of franchise wA1cn will enable it to comply with the pledges and at the same time not v1o- late our oaths, 1t seems to me k ts our boupden duty to do so. Mr. Pres- ident and delegates of the Ccnvent1ons this government was founded by Whito people. Its institutions have been prs served and enforced by the white race of this country, and 1t Is within tho past few years that the negro becam4 qualified voter. and citizen of the United States. In most of the Stateg of this Union the proportion of such voters Is so small that their infiueuce iN not felt in the general election 1t is only in the Southern States that ho has become an important factor. aud under the present laws is . mennce t0 our civilization. our happinene and prosperity. would not violate any provision of the Constitution. but it io my opinion that we should % to tho control of this State and its political interests. that race of people which - long has preserved It's institutions and brought us through 90 much trouble. to our pref ent prosperous condition (Applause.) hope the Convention will bear with me as proceed to show that this conclusion is not reached by any prejudice against the negro. There are but few. comparatively. of the old ve-holders who are alive at this tirnA and who arc present in these deiiber~ ations. Mir. President. I am not ashamed to say that was amonG those few. Not only myself, but my ancestors before me were slave-own- CTS in this State. The third genera ton back was one who in hts feeble way undertook and put at stake his life in order to give validity to the Dec larafion of Independence, and which resulted in the framing of the Consti- tuition of ;he United States. Protected in his rights. as others were. no man, read in the history of his country. will undertake to say that without such provision the Constitution Of the United States would ever have been adopted. We felt sure. and so did they, that they had right to regard these persons al property, and that it was secured by the organic law of the country. So far as the moral question arises. am one of those old fogy men who be- iieve in the inspiration of the Scrip lures. and we are told that Abraham was a friend of God, and Moses was an inspired law-giver, and until sbme higher authority than the Creator ana omniscient God Himself shal arise and declare a different code of morals, am one prepared to stand justifed by the record of that book. Nov. Nr. President and delegates of this Con- yention. bear with me few moments. Born on q plantation, raised up with the negro, I have had an opportunity to know his weak points and his good traits. Mine may have been the history of others, but remember well during the Civil War. or the war between the States. sending my negro man from Nicksburg, surrounded as 1t was, with Federal troops, with letter to my wife, and he carried it safely home, ~@NS = @ASNNA aC4bSE0 kn0L uE WOHAQ QQ so. wish to say in behalf of this race that at the battle of Missionary Ridge, when I had the misfortune to
 pc shot down, he was Inside Of the
 federal lines for two or three days
 and he worked himself out, and found
 me in the hospital, and waited upon me for three months. and accompanied me home. wish to say. moreover, for these people that upon my plantation Tor the great part of the time there was no white man but a negro was fin command as superintendent, and my wife and children apprehended tho trou- nie or danger whatever from our slaves. He was as loyal as a man could be. This Is the history of the negro, as slave. In 1865. the year that emancipation became effectiye. I had the fortune to be elected solicitor of the Fifth District, including the coun- ties of Greene. Marengo. Sumter, Pick- ems, Choctaw, where the negro was most numerous. or perhaps as nuuer- ous' as In any counties in this State in proportion to population. As Solicitor at that time I had every opportunity to judge him and his characteristics. ana venture to say that during that time we heard not of Q single case of assault upon our fair women. or If murder, waylaying, or other violations of the law by them of an aggravated character except that of theft, which was then characteristic Of the race That was his attitude from the wear ls6s to the days of reconstruction. Al that time the carpet bagger arose and the scalawag in this country, and do not wish to be understood as saving tnat all or those who came from the North. and designated as carpet bag egrs were bad men, but the majority Of them who came here, came not for q good purpose. Then we had inc midnight meetings. Thousands would gather upon the word sent; inflarnna- tory speeches were made to them. ana this peaceful race. within a short time
 had developed the character of sav- ages. The race which had been ouiek so long converted this whole countrw into pandemonium. I have seen. with my own eyes, thousand of theua around ballob box, and not A vvhita man was permitted to reach the baIIot box. have known, delegates of this Convention, 1.500 armed neRroes to enter little village on one occasion, for the burmese or creating consternation and fear
 among the whites. l have known a Judge trying a case. and a Republican Judge at that. and under the testimony came to the conclusion that the defen-
 oant should be held or committed for
 trlal. l have known these defendants
 10 rise from their seats and deliberate
 Iy shoot the judge through the head.
 scattering his brains upon the floor. |