The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-11-18
Congressman Clayton
Is Against Amendment
EufauIa Man Writes His Views to Editor McCants Of
Hartford Injustice Of Calling Election
This Year.

Hartford. Nov. II. Disqualification.
Henry ID. Clayton OF Eufanla has writ
ten the following letter to Joseph Z.
Mccants, editor of The Hartford Times
Herald. dated Nov. Is:
Dear Friend--Your letter is received.
My friends in different parts of the
district have expressed to me desire
to know how shall vote on the pend
ing amendment to our constitution.
IT have not heretofore made any
public announcements on the subject.
nor have / been in communication with
any campaign committee. OF course.
this amendment involves no Federal
question, and does not relate to my
duties as your representative In Con-
gress.
Il was chosen Representative by a
united people These good people are
now divided among themselves upon a
matter not contemplated when they
elected me.
II believe that 1t is not my duty to
do anything which would accentuate
the present differences among the peo-
pie. / have thought and now think.
that / owe proper regard and con-
sideration for the opinions of my
friends on this question, however. You
and many others have desired me to
say how I shall vote and think owe
{ 1t to you to tell you.
las citizen, 1t is my privilege and
highest duty to vote in this election as
my judgment and conscience dictate.
This right you claim for yourself.
'I know this letter will not change
your vote and you know I would not
challenge your right to cast your bal
lot as your judgment and conscience
suggest. / have not been able 10
bring myself to the conclusion that II
is my duty to support the amendment.
on the contrary, l feel constrained to
vote against 1t.
1T is not my purpose to make any
argument. The subject has been ably
and exhaustively debated on the stump
and the public prints. Nothing of value
can now be added to the discussion.
IN my opinion the proposed amend
ment is unnecessary. We now nave
prohibition laws as ample as human
ingenuity can devise. These laws Will
I stand unless public sentiment snail de-
sire their repeal. The people can
change their constitution whether
amended or not.
"As you know, voted to drive bar
rooms out of my home town. have
lived to see that vote justified. ! am
opposed to the saloon or dispensary
coming back. When 1 went to Wash
> ington, after 1 was elected to Congress,
there was not saloon In this district
and the temperance people were on the
alert and temperance sentiment was
growing. No suggestion for the re-
opening of barrooms was heard. When
/ returned, the district and State were
involved in an acrimonious debate over
the question of the adoption OF the
amendment to the constitution.
EVERY proposition in the first sec
ton of the proposed amendmen has
been written into law. The second
section leaves the people in doubt as
to what 1t means. Many of the abiest
jurists, in Alabama believe that it is
aimed at the sanctity of the home, and
at the right of man to keep liquor
in his home for his own use and to
subject the home to search.
when the law-malxers decided to
submit this grave question to the peo-
pie of Alabama, they should have Sc
lected a time for election when full
expression might have been had In
stead of by calling the election In an
off-year and at time when so large
a proportion or the voters could not