The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-13
Alabama Out of the Union.

From the Weekly Post, Montgomery,
January 10, 1861.
On Friday, at about o'clock, the Lone
Star flag tioated from the dome of our
capitol and was Immediately greeted with
the booming Of cannon, the ringing of the
church and fire bells and the shouts OF
people. The most intense excitement pre-
vailed, the streets were thronged and a
crowd of ladies' and gentlemen assem-
bled in front of the state house were adj
dressed by several gentlemen, in able
speeches, all acquiescing in the decision
of the convention and signifying their IN
ton to support the state in any and every
emergency in which she may be placed.
The vote upon the ordinance stood I'll
years, 80 nays. The declaration, We pre-
sumo, will be signed by all the delegates.
Thus the link that bound us to once
great and glorious union is severed. Ala
bama has, by an act of her own, resumed
all her sovereign powers and is TO-DAY a
free and independent republic. claiming
no supremacy over her sister states, put
acknowledging no allegiance to any pow
Ell on earth save the sovereign VIII vi
her own people.
We presume now that no citizen of
Alabama can hesitate for a moment as
to what his DUTY in the premises is, ana
that every good and loyal citizen of the
state Will be ready to perform that duty
with aiacrity. Whatever may have been
past, they enter not into the duties and
responsibilities of the present. The fiat
has been pronounced and the decree has
gone forth, and 1t should be, and We
doubt not will be, sustained with heart
and SOUL and If needs be, by the sacrifice
of life itself, by every man, woman and
child amongst us. 1t is known that we
have favored the policy of concerted ac-
ton amongst the southern states; to
some extent. at least, this policy has
measurably prevailed. We have never
believed that a remedy for the evils OF
which we complained could be proViaed
in the union, but that honor as well as
interest demanded a separation from 1t.
Hence we have said, and We repeat 1t
now that though we entertained our own
views as TO the most prudent course to
adopt Still, let deliverance from black
republican rule come in what shape IL
may we are prepared TO .ancuon ana
sustain it in every contingency.
So far as the action of our convention
is concerned we think it has acted pru-
IDENTIFY and wise. 1t would have been de-
sirable If the ordinance could nave re-
ceived a unanimous vote, and we trust
and believe that it will be unanimously
ratified both by the convention and by
tho people they represent. Consequently
we have no words of censure for those
who conceived it to be their duty TO cast
4 negative vote. We shall not suspect
either their loyalty or their patflotlsm.
Again, we have, in the past. felt author
lied to protest against what we con-
cejved to be a usurpation of authority
and a premature exercise of 1t by some
of our state authorities, whilst we We're
vet in the union and our allegiance still
due to the government OF the uhlted
States but now these relations between
the several states are changed all ale
glance to the general government has
been absolved, a new era has daWhed
upon our state-new duties and response
bilities are to be assumed, ana now .he
,,oice of the sovereign people of Ala
hama. as expressed through her consti-
tuted authorities, ought to be, and so FAR
as we are concerned, shall be the voice
of authority, at whose mandate we DOW
and under whose command we go iorth
10 discharge whatever duties may de-
voIve upon us. Conceivng. then, that We
understand what our duty is, we snail
dare to do it to the best of our ability.