The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-08-01

luteiy. Elections free from fraud is what we are after. 1t was the law of Alabama So far as l know from 1s1e until after 1867 or 1868. The ballots were numbered so that in all contests of election the truth could be ascer- tained. The numbers were stricken out, however, after the Federal Govern ment undertook to prosecute, and did prosecute the people of Alabama for alleged false voting. It was done for the purpose of rendering it impossible | to convict men in Federal courts of l their alleged crime. But inasmuch as we have gone so far, and it has been asserted by leading gentlemen that there never will be any dan. ger of Federal interference in our | elections again. and we have gone 90 far as to appoint the very same day | for Federal elections to be held that State elections are held. The reason 1 for plotting out the numbering of bal- lots twenty-five or thirty years ago | no longer exists. The reason of the l law having ceased, the law itself should cease. and inasmuch as by this we can absolutely contest all elec- tions in which fraud has been charged, I hope that it will be adopted for the | purpose of having fair elections. which | have been clamored for so much by I | venttsn.
 l MT. O'NeaI-I would like to hear the amendment read.
 The amendment was read as request. ed
 MT. O'Neal-That does not require any numbering of the ballot. I want l to ask the gentleman a question, or | rather make a suggestion. That does not require any numbering of the ho nt aYlxr hot hx, l under the law. When you go to vote. the cle-. take down your name and put number fifty or number sixty as | the case may be opposite your name. | Mir. Sanford--That law has been abolished for years. They may have numbered the men in accordance with | the registration list. but they have never numbered the ballot. My amend | ment provides for the numbering of 1 the vote or ballot.
 MT ONeal-I want to call the at- tention of the gentleman to the fact | that you do not require the ballot to be numbered in that amendment MT. Sanford-That is what I do. or it | was my intention to require it. | MT O'Neal-You stated that, but the | amendment don't require 1t. | Mir deGraffenreid--It seems to me that all the matter contained in that
 
 for that reaSon move to lay 1t upon l the table.
 | MT. Sanford-Wait until write 1t as I intended to write it. Upon a vote being taken the motion | to lay the amendment upon the table | was carried.
 Mir. Sanford-Wait until the amend ment is offered.
 1 Mir. ONeal Lauderdale)-I move | hot ho Mont be given an opportunity to perfect his | amendment. This is a matter of inn | portance. and I do not think he should 1 be treated rudely by this Convention. l I move that he be allowed to perfect his amendment.
 The President pro tcm-Is there ob- jection to the request?
 MT. Waddell-Then the motion is out | of order.
 Mir. Howell-I move that he have the privilege of perfecting his amendment.
 Mir Leigh-If am in order, l move to reconsider the vote by which that amendment was lost, and to give the gentleman from Montgomery an op- portunity to amend. 1 do not think he was treated right.
 The President pro tem-The amend ment was tabled and not lost. The mo- ton Is out of order.
 MT. Jackson-I move to take 1t from the table.
 MT. O'Neal (Lauderdale)-The amendment of the gentleman from Montgomery is tabled. The gentleman from Montgomery now offers differ ent amendment.
 The President pro tem-The gentle man from Montgomery now offers a different amendment.
 The Clerk will now read the amend ment.
 The amendment was read as follows: Amend Section g by adding at the end of said section the following to wit: the name of each elector whose ballot has been received must be im- mediately taken down by the clerks of election on separate lists when shall be headed names of voters, ana called poll lists, and the number or the order in which elector votes must at the same time be entered by the clerks against his name. and the votes shall be numbered as the name of the voter Is numbered.
 Mr, O'Neal Nauderdale)-I simply desire to call the attention of the Con vention to a principle of law which think is important. The gentleman from Hale has stated that this Is matter of purely legislative detail A number of States have decided as l remember that law passed by the legislature requiring the numbering or the ballot is unconstitutional. because 1t destroys the secrecy of the ballot One or two Western States which nave decided that.
 Mr Jenkins sought recognition.
 The President pro tem-Does the gentleman from Lauderdale yield to the gentleman from Wilcox?
 Mir. O'Neal-I do not yield now | desire to make this motion. My re- l membrance is that those decisions hold that if you desire to number your Da4- lot 1t must be
 MT. Coleman (Greenel-A point Of or der. There is no question before thls Convention upCn which the gentleman is making his remarks.
 The President pro tem-The Chalr will state to the gentleman from Greene. that an amendment was offer ed by the gentleman from Montsom
 cry. That amendment was tabled ana the gentleman from Montgomery offer ed another amendment and that IS
 what the gentlemen seem to De ois- cussing. 1
 Mir. Long CWalker)-I rise to a noin' of order. I will state that the Presl- dent has said on several occasions that
 no one delegate has the undivided a'-
 tention of the Chair. , .,,o
 Mir. ONeal (Lauderdale)-HaVel 'ne floor? ,.. 4,