The age-herald., 1902-01-26
ALABAMA DAYS IN THE
 ERA OF GOOD FEELING

stitutional labors conseorated by the statesmanship of William R. King and his contemporaries, with the results which have crowned .-e efforts of statesmen four own day, and now in evidence in the Fundamental law of the state. But with due regard to exceptions which time ana conditions prescribe for proper com parison between the first and last of our constitutions. it Is no extravagant praise to accord an excellence to the product of the labors of the men at Huntsville In lsl9 which bespeak the triumphs of lof- Hest statesmanship Into a brier state ment' Colonel Brewer in his admirable outline of early state history, condenses this interesting resume of it's salient feat urcs:
 The substances of Magma Charta adapted to Republican principles was set forth in the bill of rights. Nagro slavery was recognized and protected Suffrage was accorded to all male whites or the age Of twenty-one years and up- wards. The Governor General and As sembly were made elective bv t,.o nonu- lar poll; the judicial officers by thc Gem eral Assembly. I Ae Governors term was limited 10 two years, with the privilege or one successive reelection; Judicial of- hcers were to hold offices for the term of SIX years; and the term of senators were fixed at three years, and of the rep- resentatives at one year. The judges of the Crcult Court were required to con stitute the Supreme Court of Appeals and Equity jurisdiction was given them: but provision was made for separate Supreme and Chancery tribunals"
 It IS tribute to the discerning states manship of the early fathers and to their conception of policies best designed for a proper service of the future destiny of the state. that the genius of their great labors has found expression in every suc- ceedlng constitution to the present time Except in conventional innovations and in such details as the evolution of time has prescribed, the distinguishing feat ures of the venerable document which in- spired our earliest dream of sovereignty has descended to the instrument now in force, and which for an indefinite future will prevail as the established tenets of our governmental faith. The adopton of the constitution was followed by an election for the choice of a Governor, a general assemly, and a representative in Congress. To the chief magistracy of the fiedgling state, William Wyatt was chosen over Marmaduke William of Tus- caloosa. Governor Bibb auue-. to his nat ural qualifications for the office, two years record of executive experience as territorial governor, and was. therefore, no stranger to the responsibilities of his new and expanded dignity. The disap- pointed ambition of his defeated rival was in a measure subsequently rewarded by an election to eleven consecutive terms in the general assembly. a record that prob- ably has few parallels in our legislative annals
 The doors C. the convention hall at Huntsville were closed upon the scene of constitutional labors to open, after a three months interval, upon the first ses- sion of an Alabama Legislature. The body was composed of forty-flve representa- lives and twenyt-two senators. They were distributed through a ratio of ap- portionment which entitled each county to a member in the Senate; representa- tion in the house appears to have been determind on the basis adopte>- for the appointment of delegates to the constitu- tional convention, though there was one member less in this body than in the