The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-21
FAMOUS DOCUMENT
is PHOTOGRAPHIC
Reproduction of Secession Or
dinance is Received
COPIED FROM THE ORIGINAL
But Four of the Original signers
of the Famous Alabama
Document Are Still
Living.
COPIED FROM THE ORIGINAL


.ession. finds a coincidence in the receipt
" the state department of archives and
history of large photograph of one of
he originals sent by courtesy of +, 7.
Fleming, vice president of the Florida
historical society at Jacksonville. In his
etter of transmissal Mr.. Fleming says:
"A short time ago a friend of mine.
Mr.. ]. V. Detweiler of New Smyrna, loan
ID the Florida Historical society the mega
i've of a photograph which he took of
he Alabama ordinance of secession, be-
ng the original paper and signatures of
he members of the convention. This
photograph was taken in 1890 Mr. bet
weller tells me that the document was in
he possession of an individual who stated
hat he had belonged to a New York
and was on the stals of the
general who captured Montgomery dur
ng the war and that he took this paper
)ut of the state house, and he permitted
Mr. Detweiler to make photograph of
L. The latter gentleman tells me that
this party, whose name he would not give,
afterward sold the document, stating that
ne did not propose that it should be
gotten back to the rebels. l have had
some photograph prints made from this
negative and send you one by mail. From
IN examination of the photograph do not
think there can be any doubt that 1t was
aiken from the original document, but
you can decide upon that doubtless by
-fr,r x1rit1
Of the individuals known to be genuine.
1t Is Genuine.
DR.. Thomas NJ. owen, director of the
history department, believes that the
photograph is taken from one of the
originals. 1t appears that there We're three
originals made, one of which went TO
William NJ Brooks, president of the con-
vention; one deposited in a tin can in
he capitol and the other attached to
he original Journal. The last named is
low in the possession of the department
,ver which DIR. Owen presides. 1t is not
Known what has become of the copy
aiken by Mr. Brooks, and it seems quite
certain that the copy photographed is
he one put into tin can and taken
when the capitol was raided in 1866.
In the year 1861, in the city of Balti-
more, A. Hoen & Co., made some litho7
graphs or fac-simile copies of the doeu-
nent, 1Sx1S inches in size, which are
themselves very rare. One copy of this
ssue is in the possession of Supreme
,ourt Librarian Junius Riggs, and another
n the state. but they are not generally
Known of if this is so. Like the original
hey are sought by collectors and state
,fficers and have become valuable and
much sought.
story of Possession.
This document, photographed by the
riend OF the Florida man, Is no doubt
he same that was held by an old federal
older, who lived some years ago in Flor
da. He spent his time In a house-boat
nd was a recluse, having little to do
With any one from the outside. An In
lana man wrote the state department
ere in 1901. saying that he could get the
If the state would pay for II
he sum of 500. This man said that he
ad been in Florida and had seen 1t in
he possesison of the old soldier in ques-
ion and had been told that II could
e returned for that amount of money
The governor and Director Owen decided |
Ioweyer that as the state had one OF
he original copies and possessed no funds
o buy with it would not allow this old
elbow to hold them up. DR.. Owen wrote
he Indiana man to this effect, saying to
i'm by way OF parenthesis that as the |
rdinance was stolen from the state he
bought the man who had it should send
othng had been heard of il until the
rival of the Florida photograph. DR. |
,wen said that he hoped that 1t would
come into the possession of
ONE one who would return 1t to the |
tate where it should be.
Among the signers of that remarkable !
ocument there seems to be but four now
wing. viz: John r. Morgan, United
tates senator: DR. George A. Ketchum |
iobile; A. A. Coleman, Judge of the JEFF |
erson county circuit court, and John w.
nzer, Ashville. John p. Rails OF Gads- |
EN- died only last year.
The Ordinance.
The years that nave gone by since jan
AIRY II, 1861, have done much TO eliminate
iemory of the wording of the document
nd ii is repeated here for the benefit
( the younger generations;
IAN ordinance to dissolve the union
etween the state of Alabama and other
tates united under the compact styled
The Constitution OF the United States
f America
"Whereas. the election Of Abraham Lin
DIN and Hannibal Hamln to the office Of
President and Vice President of the
United States Of America. by a sectional
arty, avowedly hostile to the domestic
Institutions and to the peace and security
f the people of the state of Alabama,
'receded by many and dangerous infrac-
ions of the constitution of the United