The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13

maiartai conditicps as reason for the re- moval. The Governor suggested that q site favored by nature be chosen for the capital, on which new town should grow up around the State House. Hesrsc- commended the same method Of procedure that had resulted In the founding of Ca haba. N
 A resolution of Mir. Masdis, of rins- stone. declaring tt to be ''expedient to move the seat of government" vas adopt7i ed hy both ihougeef ,sets -sst I
 A special joint committee was appoint ed to report upon that section of the Governor'as message in reference to the removal of the capital The carefully drawn and forcible report of the commit tee extant in the journal of the Leeisla- ture of ts6. shows that the joint commit tee differed with the Governor as to the selection of seat of government The committee could see no wisdom in the suggestion of the Governor that the cap- itol be not located at town, but at some point where a new town might be hu 1t.
 The Committee in it's report took issue with Governor Pickens. arguing that the seat of the State government did not in itself bring commercial prosperity. The report recommended that the capitol be located at some town already established. In this factional fight the committee won. eA@ASEsoo upon motion of Mir. Barlow of Mobile c committee of three from each House was appointed to examine and pass upon sites for the capitol. This motion was adopted in the House by the close vote of ss to @.
 Tuscaloosa was the most aggressive and active candidate for the honor. A strong lobby-for the art of lobbying was known in those days--headed by Captain James IT. Dearing was at Cahaba to represent n.h~ xrnN N almost foregone conclusion. In January of 1S26 bill declaring Tus- caloosa to be the future seat of govern ment for Alabama was passed.
 The formal transfer of the records and archives. the removal of the State ofii- ciais. took place In the same year. Gov 'ernor Murphy. who succeeded Governor Pickens. was elected from the county of Monroe.
 The Legislature of 1928 met at Tusca- loosa and it continued to meet there un- til 1s4s when the Capitol was removed to Montgomery. LAFAYETTE AT CAHABA.
 The year Of 1ss5 had another historic incident for Cahaba--the visit to the town of General Lafayette. The famous French soldier who lent such valuable aid to the struggling colonista in the War of the Revolution toured the United States in that year. He was met at his entry into Alabama at the Chattahooehee River by special escort commanded by Gen. James woodward. He was met in Mont- gonery by Governor Israel PiclEens and other State -o,..sials. The formal meeting took place upon the hill where the State Capitol new stands. The receiving party with Governor k 'Pickens in the centens surrounded by q great crowd Of people, stood pH tne sp0f. where tht Capitol. now stands. General lafayette and his escort eppronehet from fhe directiOn Of hft. Meiga When about twp hundred gafde of Inc crowd, vehicle in which he was fiding and ap- prpached on foot. tt
 As the great soldier almost idoilzed by the early Americans. approached Cover nor Pickens faltersd and tears ran down his chelxs. His tongue refused to utter word of the speech of welcome he had prepared. -,.-. ... ..-
 After an elaborate and hospitable en- tertainment, General Lafayette, with Governor Piehens and escort, proceeded to Cahaba by boat At Cahaba the great Frenchman was received with marked en- | thusiasri. A triumphal arch was erected on Vine Street, the principal street of the | town. in his honor. The exact spot on which the arch was built Is pointed out | to this day. When the writer visited Cahaba, three or four negro children were playing in the sand where the arch stood and their occasional shouts were the only noises that broke the breeding stiffness of the deserted town.
 The removal of the Capitol was not Ca- haba's death blow. Decade after decade 1t continued an important commercial. so- cial and political centre. The people who | loved the town, beautiful and attractive throughout the year but for one or two weeks bore patiently with the floods of | those weks. Still the annual high water was n menace to the peace and prosperity | of Cahaba.
 It retained until the great war it's own peculiar political and intellectual atmos- | phere.
 | Beginning with its founding the name of ,Cahaba Is interwoven in State history
 with the names of the Bibbs. Moores. | Winstons Shortridges McVays, Bagbys.
 Gsyles, Fitzpatricks, Dales. Tysons.
 Kings, Yanceys, Pettus and Morgan. and
 other names that have added iuster to
 the State.
 William Lowndes Ysncey. the great orator. believed by many to have been
 the greatest orator of his time, lived on | plantation hard by Cahaba. and his
 days were spent In the town where he
 was editor of the paper. There lived. too,
 his brother. Benjamin Cudworth Yancey. l himself a man of rare intellectual gifts.
 The old residents of Cahaba will tell you l that it was tradition in the town that | Bentaplin Cudworth was considered the
 pFlehter man and for him was predicted the better future
 .l@ A few miles of in Lowndes County liv-
 ed Dixon H. Lewis. the physical and
 mental giant who made his impress upon
 the political history of tho nation. Across
 the river a few miles in Dallas County
 was the home of the famous Aiabamian.
 William Russell King. who died while
 Vice-President of the United States. His
 remains were removed several years ago
 from the family burying grounds to the
 cemtery in Selma. Tn the beautiful cem-
 etery of Selma the most striking object
 is the great white stone vault which
 holds an that Is mortal of Alahama's only
 ice-Preaident.
 Both King and Lewis were frequent wis.,
 itors to Cahaba. They both served for
 many years in the United States Senate
 and at one time they were contestants
 for the same seat. In this contest Lewis
 was the victor, King sustained the only
 defeat in his long career In public life, l fo which of Alabam amians that only of John
 T. Morgan is comparable
 WYFRS AT CAHABA.
 The two grand old men of Alabama.
 Iohn Tvler Morgan and Edmund Win | stor pettus were members of Cahaba's C har in the hfties Morgan began the prac- | tice of law there in 1854 and had attained Sta,e distinction there at the outbreak of i ths war. Pettus came to Cahaba in 1856. as Iudse of the Circuit Court. Impress