The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-10-25
Letters to The Editor.
A FEW BRIEF REASONS.
Why the Republican Ticket in Ala
bama Should Be Defeated.


bama Should Be Defeated.
Editor The Advertiser:
1t Is as many people think an unpar-
donable political sin. to be Republican
in Alabama. for the reasons hereinafter
set forth.
Elrst-Because the people of Alabama,
in 1861 were living peaceaby and quiet
ly under Constitution and laws made
by themselves and
notwithstanding such was the
case, a Republican Congress enacted the
reconstruction laws putting all the South
the object and purpose of which was. as
expressed at the time, Ito put the bottom
rail on top" and so strengthen the Re
publican party and humliate the South
ern white men and women.
Third-Under said military government,
and in all things controlled by the will of
one General Meade. a registration of
voters, excluding a large number of the
best men in the State, an election reek-
ing with fraud perpetrated at the point
of the bayonet, and a Constitutional Con-
vention. noted for the ignorance of
large number of its members. the vindic-
tiveness of many more and a general
disregard of right and decency, were
made, and bad. in the State of Alabama.
Fourth-Because the registration afore-
said was made without any reference to
the fitness of a citizen to exercise the
elective franchise.
Fifth-Said election and its manage
ment. under military domination, set the
pace for all the frauds that have since
taken place in the State in that 1t was
held for a period of five days so that as
1t was phrased at the time, the darkeys
could vote early and often"
Sixth-Because the Constitution enacted
by said convention composed as it was of
negroes. carpetbaggers and scallawags,
as Southern renegades were called in
those days, was noted chiefly for it's want
of adaptabilty and suitableness to the
needs and tastes of the good people of
Alabama.
Seventh-Because 1t was provided in the
reconstruction laws, under which the
whole military proceeding was conducted.
that said Constitution should not be of
force, unless ratified by a majority of the
registered voters of the State; and such
ratification was not had and made, as
shown by the following language con-
tanned in the report of the matter by Gen
eral Meade
Il deem it only necessary to say here,
that from all the evidence could pro
cure, and caused the most thorough in
vestigation to be made the Constitution
was fairly rejected by the people under
the law requiring a majority of the reg
istered voters to cast their ballots for or
against"
notwithstanding said .Constitu-
ton was defeated. it was adopted by Con
gress, and pinned upon the people of Ala
bama. along with the Republican party.
with the Federal bayonet
Ninth-Then for six years the negroes,
carpet-bag adventures and political time
servers had high old time, legislattng.
receiving brides. voting appropriations 70
railroads and individuals. involving the
State, counties and municipalities IN enor-
nous debts. and generally exhibiting
themselves in such nefarious light that
the people rose in 1874. upder the leader
ship of great and true man, the late
George s. Houston, and thrashed them
out of political power in this state Whlch
u lad in afr1i
Tenth-During the six years of Repub-
lican administration in Alabama the col
leges were wrecked, the pubic scnools
were strangled and the credit of the state
counties and municipalities DESTROYED
and their debts so increased. that inter
est upon them has been paid until thls
good day, and will be- so far as the state
is concerned. for a generation to come.
Eleventh-The Republicans in Alabama
now call themselves white man party
or lilly whites" notwithstanding the%
are part and parcel OF the party when
forced the negro upon Alabama, without
reference to his fitness to exercise the
election franchise and at the same time
pinned a large class of good whte men
to the ground and placed the negro Ioot
upon their necks. politically ana not,
Of it today a man who recently shocked
the entire country by disregardlng inc
white mans instinct which torpids Soclai
equality among the races.
Twelfth-BeCause the hepupHCaus ~
Alabama affect to be a white mans
party. when in good truth, they were
never ne, tT' known or heard to advocate any
such idea until after the Democrats by
the new Constitution, practically ellmi-
mated the great bulk Of negro voters from
the elective franchise.
Thirteenth-The pretense of the Repub-
leans to a fondness for the present CON
dition of the negro politically. condi-
ton they could not prevent is the merest
subterfuge. Intended if possible, to catch
the Populists, knowing that they have
no liberation for negro party.