The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-06-29
THE STATE SECEDES;
 THE ORDINANCE ADOPTED
The Most Exciting and Solemn Scenes Ever Wit messed in Alabama Yancey Con-
 cludeS the Debate.

the general government to coerce seeding l States.
 | Mir. Clemens moved that the minority ] report bs substituted for the majority re-
 port. The ayes and noes were called upon this motion and resulted, ayes 45, noes 5t l A change of five votes from the noes to
 the ayes would perhaps have changed the l rate Of Alabama and of the entire South. The Huntsville Advocate had said that but for the unexpected loss of Autauga l and Mobile by bad mahagement, the CO.,
 operationists would have had majority Autauga had one representative and Mo- | bile had four. These live votes had 1t in 1 their power to. defeat the ordinance. Au-
 had steadily opposed secession. Mobile l was the home of Forsyth. who in his speech at Hla,rnian Hall. Charleston, at
 the time of the withdrawal of the South ern deit gations, had said that the pro- ceedings there would force him against his will to be Union man." that he | despisei Union shrieking and had always
 thought that Unionism had gone far
 enough when a man was just and true l to States Rights. but it was quite certain | that the people of the South would meet
 MT. Yancey's attempt to ''precipitate a | revolution" with a counter revolution to ] save the country-that ,..ere were 25.00O good citizens in Alabama who had never been Democrats. who would take hand l to prevent a dissolution of the Union. I w TltlUB IO l H6 J0uTHdl, or WHICH He was | the editor. MT. Forsyth had also said: The Democratic Party has now a double sectional fight in hand, North and South. The Cnio l depends on the issue. Heaven defend the right" Mobile County had voted in November previous for MT. Bell I,629 votes, for MT. Dou~iass 1898 votea | and for MT. Breckinridge only 1,541 votes. There were 3,452 votes cast for Union can didateS agairst i.5i1 for the candidate
 supported by MT. Yancey. From these and other facts it was believed by many that the minority report would have been ratified in preference to Mir. Yancey's ordinance of secession, had the Conven-
 tion actually represented the voice of the peonie.
 After the refusal of the Convention to
 substitute the minority for the majority
 report, Mir. Clemens offered resolution
 providing that the ordinance of secession
 should not go into operation unless rat
 flied by the people. The vote being taken
 on this proposition. 1t was rejected by the same vote which rejected the minor ity report.
 MT. Yancey then moved the adoption of the ordinance of secession. TheRCon- vention adjourned until next day. the 11th and then occurred one of the most interesting and painsul scenes ever wit messed by deliberative body sitting upon measures involving the life or death or States. The members of the minority, be- fore casting their votes. protested against the act about to be committed, and each in turn raised his warning voice.
 The Ordinance Adopted.
 MT. Clarke of Lawrence. said: "I will not state what might produce disruption of the Union: but, see sir. see plainly. as I see the sun in Heaven. what that disruption itself must produce l see 1t must produce war, and such war l will Once more. therefore, in the name of llb- erty. of peace, of happy hours-of the aged, of the poor. of our mothers. of our sisters. of helpless humanity throughout tLz 1f GNaH1 r y.In to concede something to the counties of North Alabama"
 MT. Posey of Lauderdale. said, Division at home would be worse than secession; this is the opinion of the minority upon this floor upon mature reflection"
 MT. Jones of Lauderdale. said this had been the most solemn hour of his life; he expected to feel no more solemn when he should stand in the presence of the King of Terrors.
 Mir. Smith of Tuscaloosa. said. My opposition to the ordinance of secession will be sufficiently indicated by my vote and the day is not yet come that is to decide on which part of the page of that book will be written the glory or the shame of this day
 MT. Kinball of Talapoosa, said, "In all my intercourse with my fellow-citl- zens, l found none who di not cordially desire united South; not a dissenting voice. In The Adye:tisec of this morning find dispatch expressing the opinion of General Scott, who is said to be the great war spirit who enthusiastically says that with a certain unanimity of the Southern States, 1t would be impolitic and improper to attempt coercion"
 Mir. Davis of Madison, said, Tt cannot be denied that circumstances have greatly changed since this Convention met last Monday. We have 'esn State after State. In the exercise of its sovereign powers. withdra wlng from the Union in the past few days. Florida has seeded, Missis- 1aI Il. h. rt- ,s.Rrrl uajor.th S. It is n Jw no longer a serious apprehension that Alabama will stand | alone in the movement of secession. It | is confidently asserted that Georgia and | this aspect of the case, it is not remark | able that a great change has come over | the Conventions change clearly indi- | cated by the speeches that have been | this day delivered in this hall. I shall | vote against the ordinance. But if Ala bama shall need the strong arm of her | vaIorous sons to sustain her in any emer- | gency which, on account of this ordinan .e | of secession. may arise within her bor- ders by which her honor or the rights | of her citizens are likely to be endan- gered, I say for myself and for my con I dare say for all North Alabama-that I and they will he cheer fully ready to take our part in the con- tlIct. We may not endorse the wisdom of your resolves, but we will stand by the State of Alabama under all circum- stances
 MT. Clemens of Madison, said, For the present it iS enough to say that I am son of Alabama; her destiny is mine: her people. arc mine; her enemies arc mine. I see plainly enough that clouds and storms are gathering above us; but when the thunder rolls and. lightning flashes, trust I shall neither shrink nor murmur nor complain. Acting upon the convictions of lifetime. calmly and deliberately I walk with you nto revolution. Be it's perils. be its pri- be it's sufferings what they may. [ share them with you, although a member of this convention I opposed your ordinance. Side by side with yours, SIr. President my name shall stand upon he original roll, and side by side with you I brave the consequences.
 Mr. Yancey Closes.
 MT. Yancey closed the debate with the words: .
 MT Presidential no other gentleman lesires to address the Convention. I will exercise the usual parliamentary privileg recorded to tho Chairman of a Commit ee reporting a measure-that of closing he debate. by assigning a few reasons why the measure before you should be