The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-31

dinance of secession. picked up their hAts and walked out of the Union, and the tocsin of war was sounded from the rock curbed coast of New England across the country to the Rio Grande. The patriotism of the North rallied around the Stare and Stripes: the herpism of the South rallied under the Stars and Bars of the Confederacy. and they waged for four iong years the most bloody war recorded in ancient or modern times. The brave rueu of the South laid down the blow and the hoe: they went to the battle front for what they believed 10 be a great un- deriying principle of our government. and they poured out their blood like water. They followed Lee and Jackson four long years through blood and smoke and fire from Sumter's coast where the first shot was fired ta tho famous apple tree where Lee surren- dered. Those are the men I would ex-N empt from the understandiug clause. l would build a monument here today when the roll is called to these heroes of the Confederacy that would last longer than time. The good women. of Alabama. out yonder on Canitoi Hill. hard by the cradle of the Confederaey. have erected a monument. looking to- ward sthe skies, which will tell future generations of the patriotism. and the heroism and the courage of the soldiers of the Confederacy. (Applause.l It ie built of marble and stone and steel. I would write one in the Constitution and I would build 1t of principle and when this old historic building has passed away and when that marble and stone and steel that stands out wonder is unknown. that principle will con- fN tx.a statesmen live: great men and great statesmen die. but great principles never die. (Applause.) would build monument like that to those heroes of the Confederacy, and I would do 1t without regard or without comparison to the inferior race in our country.
 For thirty years the negro has had a fair and a full part as citizen tn AL ahama. He has been at the polls and in politics on an equality with the white man. He has proven himself in capable of local self government. At every election he Is the subject of barter and a sale If you let him alone and let him vote his sentiments and his free will. he will vote against the white man and against the interest of the country. There are only two ways by which you can control him. You must either buy him or steal his vote, am opposed to either. I would rather eliminate him from politics and let the white men of Alabama control Alaba- ma.
 Mir. Handley-That is the doctrine.
 Mir. Bulger-It is better for the white man: it Is better for the negro. and 1t is better for the country that 1t be done. I would give him fair and an impartial trial. when his life or his lfb- erty or his property Is Involved. \
 like the grandfather clause because it Is a white mans clause. l like 1t be- cause it practically permits all white men to vote. and 1t practically denies all negroes to vote. The grandfather clause my friends Is not an experiment. It Is in the Constitution of the State of Louisiana, and against the protest of both of their United States Senators, against the protests of many of the prominent newspapers in Louisiana, against the protest of more than half of the Representatives in Congress. yet the people in Convention assembled wrote 1t in the Constitution and it went back for their ratification, and by a large and overwhelmingly ma jority the people of Louisiana say 1t Is right.
 The people of North Carolina put it in their Constitution against the pro- test of both of their United States Senators, against the protest of their members of Congress and many of their newspapers. and the people of North Carolina say 1t is right. The people in this country are the power. When they speak. United States Senators, Con gressmen and newspapers are in the minority. Make Constitution that guarantees to the people free vote, fair count and an honest election, put clause in it that redeems the pledge of the Democratic party in Convention assembled, that we will dis franchise no white people. Go to the sovereign people in Alabama on an honest platform like that and the op- position to the grandfather clause can no more be in the way of its ratihca- ton than the tinieSt bush can stand in the track of mighty storm. (Ap- plause) You must have the toiling masses; you must have the good peo- pie of Alabama behind you; you must have the men who make, the cotton and the corn; you must have the men who built the magnificent cities in our State; you must have the men who lay the brick and the mortar. You must have the men who build the roads and put down the ties. You must have the men who stand at the thrOttleS or our IdctorleS ana our rall- roads and great enterprises. you must have the men who are behind the great engine of progress that has made Alabama the greatest State in the Un- ion. to ratify your Constitution. You must have the endorsement of the peo- pie, the lawyers cannot do 1t, the mer- chants cannot do 1t, the politicians and the statesmen cannot do it. If this Constitution my friends. is->ever rati- fed it must be done by the common people of Alabama. If the minority shall succeed in striking out the grand father clause they will have been sue. cessful in striking out the white mans clause. and this Convention would be deprived of the great opportunity of going to the people of Alabama nn a question of ratification With the mag nificent declaration, that we nrovided for the old soldiers of the Confederacy.
 Now. my friends. I am admonished that my time is out. It is a difficult matter 10 run a speech on d great subject like this, right up to the min ute in thirty minutes. l thank the gentlemen of this Convention very much for the attention they have given me. Up to this time in this long and heated debate. I have been content to listen to the distinguished gentlemen on this floor I have been especially interested in the speeches of the gen. tlmen who argued along with the President of this Convention, the legal