The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-04
THE CONVENTIONS WORK.

tions have assembled in the Capitol for the purpose of changing the Constitution of the State The first was held almost
 amid the booming of the guns or the | great war which shook the continent TOT | over four years. Its object was to sever relations with the old Union, and to pre- pare the way for The Confederacy ot
 more homogeneous States.
 | The writer of these lines was not pres | ent during the deliberations of that Con- vention, but was with the Alabama sol diers at Pensacola, and Fort Barancas, who had been ordered there by Cover nor A. B. Moore. He was, however, an attendant on many of the sessions of the four other Conventions, and witnessed
 their closing hours. None of them in
 dramatic interest and eager, intense earnestness can be compared to the | scenes which characterized tine closing hours of the labors of the great Con- | vention of 1901.
 The State was in a chaotic condition fin 1865. when President Andrew Johnson ordered, through Provisional Governor Parsons. the Convention which assem- bled in that year. and over which Hon. Benjamin Fitzpatrick presided. That was an able, patriotic body of men. chosen when only white men voted. but their action in many respects was not that of free agents. They had to work in certain bounds and conform to certain requirements.
 The Convention of 1868 was the noto- rious gathering of carpetbaggcrs, negroes and a few native Republicans unre- deemed. with ore exception. by the pres ence ,,f Democrats. Its work drove quite a numb,r of its Republican members in- to revolt and some of them came oack to the Democratic ranks.
 In September, 1875. when the white vot- era of the State were back in power the Convention assembled which adopted the Constitution under which we now hve' That body contained many of the aolest and best men of the State. but the snao- ow of force bills was upon them ana thev could not adopt such Constitution as they would have done under different auspices. They cured many Of the evils of the carpetbag regime but could not make those provisions as to suffrage | which are so necessary for the future well-being of the State.
 After several fruitless efforts to have another Convention success crowned the labors of those who had so long ana earnestly worked for it. and the Con- vention which has just adjourned met | on the Fist day of last May. The people of the State have eagerly watched the deliberations and their hopes and pray
 CTS have been with the delegates from the
 beginning to the end of their labors. Now
 and then there was a lonesome complaint
 about the time consumed, but the gen.
 eral sentiment was in favor of remain ing in session until such document was
 prepared as could be safely submitted 1 TOT raIl1CdIlOn dI IH0 pOhSs hO SAeAN
 siasm of yesterday displayed by the
 members of the Convention was caught
 by all who were present and it will grow
 with increasing volume from now until
 the new Constitution is proclaimed as
 the organic law of Alabama. The feel ing of qualification over the result was | oonanad to m secfion of the State, in.
 disputable evidence that the people oi
 the mountains and the plains will en-
 dorse what has been done.
 The Advertiser this morning pre-
 sents in full the Constitution a;
 adopted and signed. It is the
 first time in the history of tn,
 State that any newspaper has been able
 to accomplish such a feat the morning
 after adjournment. Our readers should
 file this copy away and carefully con
 slider the great document under which
 they are to live. The closer they study 1t. the more earnest will they become il
 advocating it's ratification.
 To the delegates and all who were con
 nected with their work The Advertise extends hearty congratulations on tn,
 great good accomplished. Their stay il
 Montgomery has been greatly enjoye,
 by our citizens and we, feel safe in say ing that all our people wish for then long, happy and contented lives. inc, 1 deserve well of their State