The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-05
NEWS OF CENTRAL CITY.
MORE COMPLETE REPORT OF
MR. CLARKE's SPEECH.
One Of the Most Forcible and Logical
Arguments Heard During the
Present Campaign-Local
and Personal Items.
Advertiser Bureau,
Selma AuC A

Owing to the late1ess Of the hour at
which the speaking closed as the pavilion
Saturday night. your correspondent could
only send a condensed report of Hon.
r. II. Clarke's address. 1t was mas
terly effort. full of keen thrusts. and he
literally tore to pieces Johnstons bonn
bastic speech. delivered in the court
house at noon that day.
Mr.. Clarke spoke for three hours and
every word that he uttered was enjoyed
by his audience. He was at his best. and
the speech took the wind out of the ego
tistical speeches that Governor Johnston
Is delivering in his own favor.
Hon. r. H. Clarke spoke at the pavilion
which stands upon the blur OF the Ala
bama River near the spot where the old
fort was located. during the stormy times
when Federal guns threatened the Cen
trail City. The crowd that had gathered
by the time Hon. H. 8. d. Mallory step
ped to the front of the platform and be-
gan his speech Of introduction about filled
the chairs in the pavilion, and 1t was
noticeable that many ladies were present.
Colonel Mallory introduced Mr.. Clarke
In a ten minutes speech. in which he re-
ferred gracefully to the speaker and
forcibly to the issues that had called him
here to speak. He upheld Governor Jelks
as the natural defender and exponent of
the new Constitution arguing that the
conservatism and ability with which he
had performed the duties incumbent upon
him in putting 1t into effect the satisfac-
tory working of the Constitution at pres
ent. all went to show that he was emil
nently fitted and qualified to conduct the
first administration under its provisions
ard to engraft 1t firmly upon the political
life and activity of the State. On the
nthor hand "a n aw-G0uarunr IOhn-
ston u.s. has been and openly declared that
in future he would be an enemy of the
Constitution which the people of this
State had solemn1y and with due thought
and elaboration declared to be their or
ganic law.
Colonel Clarke's appearance was the
signal for loud and enthusiastic applause
and he a: once began a speech that was
pronounced by many who heard 1t to be
one of the cleanest. most clear cut. logi-
cal arguments that had yet been delivered
during this campaign.
He first paid an eloquent tribute to the
men old Dallas had given to the State.
and then spoke of the responsibility that
rested upon the white men. They had a
right to govern the State. he said, and
were pledged by every consideration to do
so. Since they had wrested control from
the carpetbaggers In 1874. they had gov
erned the State, but had been compelled
TO do so sometimes by means that were
not strictly according to the laws that
had been forced upon us. This had been
regretted by all good men. and now that
we had laws that allowed US to govern
In strict conformity to their provisions.
we should rally to their support and never
allow ourselves to sink back into old
ways.
He spoke of the terrible times that fol-
lowed the Ubiquitous Constitution OF 1865,
and said that the struggle that confront
ed the white men Of this section during
those dark days was Infinitely worse than
the preceding four years. when they could
meet their foes man to man and on COM
.paratively a fair field. Those were In
deed terrible times. when men were COM
PEELED to meet in the dark hours OF the
night to formulate plans by which to pro-
tect their homes and property. The form
alton of Lightning Committees and the
use of lightning methods showed the
extremes to which the white men of this
country had been driven. He understood
that Ex-Governor Johnston had borne
his past in these struggles and an hon.
orable part. In view Of the course he had
pursued for the past three or four years.
would it not have been better for him,
he asked, IL he had died before he en-
tered upon his present courseR The time
would come when he would with all his
heart wish that "Finis" had been written
when those pages of his life had been
filled.
Taking up the new Constitution, Mr..
Clarke read from the then Governor
Johnston's message to the General As
sembly of 1885, in which he vigorously
urged the calling Of Constitutional Con-
vention, giving as his reasons. among
others. that past experience had shown
that by the very provisions of the instru-
ment of 1876 its alteration or change by
amendment was impracticable. II not mn
possible; that the times had come in the
development of the State that some of the
iron bands placed upon her by the then
Constitution should be struck off. While
reading the vigorous language of this
message, the speaker paused and said
with emphasis that as long as the ex-
Governor was in sympathy with his peo-
pie. before certain hopes and visions had
crossed his mind. he could speak def
nitely and forcibly upon public affairs.
The speaker then read from his mes
sage of 1898 and showed how his thoughts
aud language had changed within a short
time. Now he does not urge the calling |
of convention. but thinks perhaps an
touching the suffrage ques-
ton would be wise. The members Of the |
and thought his arguments and |
In the first message |
better than in the last and desired to |
pass a bill calling the convention. The |
Governor would not consent to this until |
a joint caucus of the two houses was |
called and the matter made a party |
measure. Thus, said the speaker. we see /
that the very man who negan the fight |
on the new constitution because 1t was
a party measure was the direct cause of
It's being made so.
Mr.. Clarke then took up the history of
the special session of the legislature /
which repealed the bill and read from
the message of the Governor to that body
in which he said that Senators and Con-
gressmen, the servants of the legislature.
were presuming to come to Montgomery |
and offer gratuitous advice to their mas
ters. The speaker said that as far back
as he could remember II had always been
the pleasure of the legislature and
privilege eagerly sought after, to have
any Senator Of this State who happened
to be at the capitol during its session,
TO come before them and address them
and give them the counsel which their
position and opportunities fitted them so
well to do; that 1t was the first time he